Sacramento County Courthouse: Where Criminal Cases Are Heard Now

Sacramento County's criminal cases are heard at the Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse, 500 G Street in Sacramento, where the court moved its criminal courtrooms and operations in April 2026. The Lorenzo Patiño Hall of Justice, 651 I Street, is the county's Main Jail. The citation, notice to appear or release papers list the court, date and time.

Guides to other county courthouses and jails are collected in the firm's California courthouse and jail directory.

Where are Sacramento County criminal cases actually heard?

The Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento runs its felony and misdemeanor caseload from two buildings, reached through one shared phone line.

The court's own Criminal Division page describes the division's work plainly: it "handles felony and misdemeanor cases for individuals charged with crimes on behalf of the State of California in the County of Sacramento," through courtroom operations, adult collaborative courts, and legal processing split across two facilities.

Sacramento's two criminal-case buildings.

Both locations share one Criminal Division phone number, (916) 874-5522, option 1. If an older citation or notice names the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse, expect the case to be heard at 500 G Street now. The court separately runs several collaborative, or justice, courts, described as using "treatment and rehabilitation to reduce or eliminate future offenses" for qualifying cases instead of traditional sentencing, and its Criminal Division page links a separate page on firearms prohibition and relinquishment.

How do you look up a Sacramento County case online?

The court sends people to its online Criminal Case Portal to look up a criminal case, and to its Court Livestreams page for scheduled hearings.

The court launched a new criminal case management system on August 10, 2026. Its Criminal Division page sends anyone who wants to "look up information related to criminal case records" to the court's Criminal Case Portal, and points to its Court Livestreams page for "the cases scheduled for court hearings and livestreams, if available." Certified copies go through the court's Criminal Records page. See the firm's arraignment guide for a walkthrough of the first hearing itself.

What happens at your first Sacramento County court appearance?

For a person held in custody, the law sets an outer limit of 48 hours before a judge, not counting Sundays or court holidays.

Penal Code 825(a)(1) requires that "the defendant shall in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays." When those 48 hours would run out while court is not in session, Penal Code 825(a)(2) extends the deadline "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," so it runs through the end of that session; under the same subdivision, an arrest on a Wednesday, made after that day's session has already closed, moves to no later than the following Friday, as long as neither day is a court holiday. This 48-hour rule gets a person before a judge; it does not set a deadline for filing charges and does not promise release by itself.

At that hearing, the judge informs the defendant of the charge and the right to a lawyer at every later stage (Penal Code 858(a)). Penal Code 1382 then sets the statewide trial clock absent a waiver or good cause: 60 days from arraignment on an indictment or information for a felony, and for a misdemeanor 30 days from arraignment or plea, whichever is later, if the defendant is in custody, or 45 days if not.

How does bail work in a Sacramento County case?

Sacramento's judges publish a Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, but a judge who actually sees the case can set a different amount.

The court posts the schedule itself on its Criminal Division page, and under Penal Code 1269b it applies only until a defendant actually appears before a judge; after that, the judge's own figure controls. When a judge sets or reviews bail, In re Humphrey requires weighing the person's ability to pay and whether nonfinancial conditions could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure a return to court, and In re Kowalczyk (2026) adds that in noncapital cases bail may be denied only for the offenses in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c), and that any dollar figure actually set must generally be reasonably attainable for that individual. The firm's answer on how California bail amounts are set goes further, and a lawyer can bring a motion for bail reduction.

Can you appear remotely instead of coming to Sacramento?

Sacramento's own remote-appearance index does not list a criminal option, so plan to appear in person unless a specific hearing notice says otherwise.

The court's Remote Appearances page lists Civil, Family and Probate, Juvenile, Small Claims, Traffic Virtual Public Counter and Unlawful Detainer remote options; Criminal is not among them. Penal Code 977(a)(1) still lets a misdemeanor-only defendant appear through counsel and, with agreement, handle most proceedings short of a jury or court trial remotely where the court actually offers it, except that misdemeanor domestic violence keeps the defendant present for arraignment and sentencing and a misdemeanor DUI defendant may be ordered present at the judge's discretion. A felony defendant must be physically present for arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, the evidence phase of trial and sentencing unless that right is waived, and even then neither a jury or court trial nor felony sentencing, apart from postconviction relief matters and as otherwise provided by law, can be conducted remotely.

Custody status and the Sacramento County jails

The Sheriff's Office runs two jails and an online name-or-number search so a family member can check custody status without calling.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office operates the Main Jail at 651 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 874-6752, and the lower-security Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center at 12500 Bruceville Road, Elk Grove, CA 95757, (916) 874-1927. The Sheriff's own Inmate Information page lets anyone search by name or by a booking XREF number; families and victims can also register for the Sheriff's SIRENS program, which sends an alert when a specific person's custody status changes.

Who handles a Sacramento County criminal case?

Sacramento's public defender, district attorney and probation department each keep their own Sacramento office; the table below gives each address and phone number.

Asking for a lawyer at the first appearance triggers Penal Code 987(a)'s rule that the court appoint one for a defendant who cannot afford one, with Government Code 27706(a) keeping that representation "without expense to the defendant." The Public Defender's own site describes its office as representing "the majority of people in Sacramento County who are charged with crimes," across felony, misdemeanor, juvenile and other divisions.

Sacramento County offices a defendant or family member may need to call.

The District Attorney's own site names Recovery Treatment Court, Mental Health Court and Veterans' Treatment Court among its listed collaborative courts; eligibility differs by program, and a lawyer can check whether a particular charge and record could qualify. Hiring a private lawyer instead of keeping the appointed one is weighed in the firm's public defender or private attorney comparison.

What happens if you miss a Sacramento County court date?

A bench warrant can follow a missed court date, and willfully staying away to evade the case can be charged as a separate crime.

Under Penal Code 978.5, a judge may, but need not, issue a bench warrant when a defendant released on bail or on their own recognizance misses a required appearance; after a signed citation without bail, Penal Code 853.8 says the magistrate "shall issue" a warrant within 20 days. A willful failure to appear meant to evade the case becomes its own crime under Penal Code 1320 for an own-recognizance release or Penal Code 1320.5 for a felony bail release. For clearing a warrant that is already out, the firm's bench warrant guide lists the options.

Talk to a lawyer about a Sacramento County case

If you or a family member is facing a criminal case at the Sacramento County Courthouse, talk to a lawyer before the court date. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, with payment plans and service in Spanish. Call (800) 755-5174 or request a free consultation online. See also the firm's Sacramento criminal defense and Sacramento DUI pages.

Frequently asked questions

Is the old Sacramento courthouse on 9th Street still used for criminal cases?

No. The court moved its criminal courtrooms and operations to the Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse at 500 G Street in April 2026; an older citation naming the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse should still be treated as a Sacramento case, just at the new address.

Can I check whether someone is in the Sacramento County jail online?

Yes. The Sheriff's Inmate Information page lets anyone search by name or booking XREF number, covering both the Main Jail and the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center.

Does Sacramento County allow a criminal case to be handled over video?

Not through the court's general remote-appearance system, which lists civil, family, juvenile, small claims, traffic and unlawful detainer options but not criminal; plan to appear in person unless a specific hearing notice says otherwise.

How much is bail in a Sacramento County case?

Before a judge sees the case, bail follows the arrest warrant or the court's published Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule; once a judge sets bail at an appearance, that amount controls, and it must generally be reasonably attainable for the person involved.

Can family members get an alert if a Sacramento inmate's status changes?

Yes. The Sheriff's SIRENS program sends an email, text or phone alert when a specific person's custody status changes, after a search locates that person or by calling the jail directly.

Do I need a lawyer at my first Sacramento County court appearance?

You have the right to one. The judge confirms that right at arraignment under Penal Code 858(a); if you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the court to appoint the Sacramento County Public Defender.