What should you know about the Torrance Courthouse for a criminal case?

Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Ave., Torrance, CA 90503, hears criminal, civil, family law and traffic cases for the Los Angeles Superior Court, which lists it in the Southwest District with the Inglewood Courthouse and the Torrance Annex. Its Criminal Clerk's Office answers at (310) 787-3698; the building's main line is (310) 787-3700.

Looking up a case before you go

Without a case number, the court's online name search costs $4.75 per try, even with no match; with one, call the Criminal Clerk's Office at (310) 787-3698.

The court's criminal name search in Public Access Online Services offers three modes, "Exact Match," "Starts With" and "Sounds Like," across felony records from 1980 and misdemeanor records from 1988, and the court's FAQ calls the $4.75 fee non-refundable. The same FAQ says the court has no plans to put bail or bond status online. The court lists the Criminal Clerk's Office line with hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and its Clerk's Office is open Monday through Friday except court holidays. For how Los Angeles County decides which building a given arrest belongs to, see the firm's Los Angeles County courthouse assignment guide.

Why three buildings share one district

Torrance shares the Southwest District with the Inglewood Courthouse, which also hears criminal cases, and the Torrance Annex; a case's own paperwork names the courthouse that has it.

Local Rule 2.2(b) groups "Torrance Courthouse... Torrance Annex... Inglewood Courthouse" together as the Southwest District, without breaking that district down further by city inside the rule text itself. What does control is Rule 2.3(a)(3): a criminal complaint belongs at "the courthouse handling criminal matters which serves the city or unincorporated area where the offense is alleged to have occurred." Because neither rule says which building takes criminal cases from which city, the reliable source for a specific case is its own paperwork: the citation, notice to appear or release form. The firm's Los Angeles County criminal court guide covers the county's broader district structure and release rules. Torrance Courthouse itself handles civil, criminal, family law, and traffic matters, nothing more.

Arraignment: the 48-hour rule and what follows

The clock on a custodial arrest runs 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays, before a judge has to see the person; that first appearance is the arraignment itself.

That timeline comes directly from Penal Code 825(a)(1): "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." Subdivision (a)(2) handles a deadline that would otherwise fall when court is not sitting, extending it "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," with a specific Wednesday provision: "when the defendant's arrest occurs on a Wednesday after the conclusion of the day's court session, and if the Wednesday is not a court holiday, the defendant shall be taken before the magistrate not later than the following Friday, if the Friday is not a court holiday." A citation and release, rather than custody, means the paperwork itself sets the date instead. From arraignment forward, Penal Code 858 and 859 secure the right to counsel, and the plea goes in under Penal Code 988. In a felony case the preliminary hearing comes within 10 court days of the arraignment or plea, whichever is later, unless both parties waive that timing or the court finds good cause (Penal Code 859b). Under Penal Code 1382, absent a waiver or good cause, a felony must reach trial within 60 days of arraignment on the information or indictment; a misdemeanor must reach trial within 30 days of arraignment or plea, whichever is later, for a defendant held in custody at that time, or within 45 days otherwise. What happens at that first hearing is laid out in the firm's step by step guide to a California arraignment.

Getting released on bail before arraignment

Under the court's Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol, many lower-level, non-violent arrests carry $0 bail before arraignment, while Penal Code 1270.1 charges and sentencing enhancements need a dollar amount or a hearing.

The court's 2026 felony bail schedule and misdemeanor bail schedule, in effect since January 1, 2026, sort eligible arrests into Cite and Release or Book and Release (release on a promise to appear) or Magistrate Review (a magistrate decides whether and on what conditions to release), and allow no release before arraignment for capital crimes when the facts are evident or the presumption great, or for California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c) offenses. At arraignment the judge weighs ability to pay and nonfinancial conditions (In re Humphrey), can refuse bail in a noncapital case only when the charge is a section 12(b) or (c) offense, and any money bail "must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable" (In re Kowalczyk, 2026). For how a judge arrives at the figure, read the firm's answer on how California bail amounts are set.

Remote hearings through LACourtConnect

Torrance's criminal courtrooms run on LACourtConnect, but Penal Code 977 limits a defendant's remote appearance, most notably at trial and felony sentencing.

Under Penal Code 977(a)(1), a misdemeanor-only defendant may be represented by a lawyer in court and, with the defendant's consent, the first appearance, arraignment, plea and every other proceeding except a jury or court trial may be held remotely. Exceptions apply: in a misdemeanor domestic violence or Penal Code 273.6 case the defendant must be present for arraignment and sentencing (977(a)(2)), and in a misdemeanor DUI case 977(a)(3) lets the judge require the defendant's presence. For a felony, Penal Code 977(b)(1) requires the defendant to be physically present at arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, sentencing and the parts of trial where evidence is taken, but a defendant who waives that right may appear remotely under 977(c)(1)(A); two limits remain: "A defendant charged with a felony or misdemeanor shall not appear remotely for a jury trial or court trial," and "A defendant charged with a felony shall not appear remotely at sentencing, except for postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law" (Penal Code 977(c)(1)(D), (E)). The court put Torrance's criminal courtrooms on LACourtConnect in its first wave on June 2, 2025, using Microsoft Teams with no advance registration, and on December 8, 2025 added the Courtroom Preview feature, which lets checked-in litigants and attorneys with several hearings that day watch them from one screen. A remote participant opens the LACourtConnect welcome page, picks Criminal as the case type, looks up the hearing by case number, calendar or name, and checks in shortly before it starts. It is not a window for the public to watch: "LACC is intended solely for remote appearances by case participants, including litigants, attorneys, and witnesses. LACC is not available for public or media observation. All nonconfidential court proceedings remain open to in-person public attendance."

What to expect at the entrance

Weapons screening sits between the parking lot and the courtroom, and the building itself keeps consistent weekday hours worth knowing before you plan a visit.

Every Los Angeles County courthouse, Torrance included, follows the court's January 2, 2025 security order, which keeps out items such as "Firearms, replica firearms, projectile weapons, ammunition, stun guns and tasers," "Knives, bladed or sharp instruments, needles and syringes," "Lighters, matches, fire starters, or devices capable of emitting smoke or vapor," and alcohol; its exemption for "Items required for medical, mobility or disability needs" covers only the items the order marks with an asterisk, such as needles and syringes, aerosols and laser pointers. The court's own information states that "the courthouse is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the Clerk's Office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Except Court Holidays," while Local Rule 2.16(a) runs individual sessions 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. unless the Presiding Judge sets otherwise. Public and juror parking sits in the lot on Maple Avenue, just north of the building.

Prosecution, defense, and a gap worth knowing about

The City Attorney, not the District Attorney, prosecutes Torrance misdemeanors, and unlike the Inglewood Courthouse, this building's directory lists no Public Defender or Probation office.

Torrance is on the District Attorney's own list of cities where it does not prosecute misdemeanors, so the District Attorney, listed in the courthouse directory at (310) 222-3552, prosecutes felonies here, and the City Attorney's Criminal Prosecution Division handles misdemeanors; the City Attorney's office says it "also handles misdemeanor cases and enforces the Torrance Municipal Code." That is also where the gap shows up: unlike Compton, Long Beach, or Inglewood Courthouse, this building's own directory lists neither a Public Defender nor a Probation office inside it.

Office and referral numbers for Torrance Courthouse; the Public Defender number reaches an office outside the building.

The Public Defender's own contact page lists that Torrance branch, and the City Attorney's FAQ sends people needing appointed counsel there. Penal Code 987(a) still requires the court to appoint a lawyer at arraignment for anyone who wants one and cannot afford one, and Government Code 27706(a) makes that representation "without expense to the defendant." Choosing between appointed and hired counsel is covered in the firm's answer on the public defender versus a private attorney.

Consequences of missing your date

Missing a court date can lead to a bench warrant; doing it willfully, to evade the court, can also bring a separate criminal charge.

Under Penal Code 978.5(a) a bench warrant may issue whenever someone fails to appear as required, whether release came by citation, bail or own recognizance. Willfully violating a written promise to appear is a misdemeanor of its own under Penal Code 853.7, whatever happens to the original charge. Someone released on own recognizance who willfully skips court to evade it commits a new misdemeanor, or a felony if the original case is a felony (Penal Code 1320); a willful failure to appear within 14 days of the assigned date is presumed to be for that purpose. After bail in a felony case, the same conduct is a separate felony (Penal Code 1320.5). When bail was posted and the defendant misses court without sufficient excuse, Penal Code 1305 has the court declare the bail forfeited in open court, and an appearance within 180 days generally leads it to vacate the forfeiture and exonerate the bond. If a warrant is already out, read what to do about a California bench warrant.

Talk to a lawyer about a Torrance Courthouse case

If you or a family member has a case headed to Torrance 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. See also the firm's Torrance criminal defense page.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Public Defender have an office at Torrance Courthouse?

No, unlike Compton, Long Beach, or Inglewood Courthouse. The Torrance City Attorney's own FAQ instead points anyone needing a public defender to call (310) 543-4300 directly.

Who prosecutes a misdemeanor arrest in Torrance?

The City Attorney's Criminal Prosecution Division, not the District Attorney, which handles felony charges from the same arrest through its own courthouse office instead.

What does an online name search of a Torrance case cost?

$4.75 per attempt through Public Access Online Services, whether or not it finds a match, and the fee is non-refundable. For a known case number, the Criminal Clerk's Office answers at (310) 787-3698.

What happens if the 48-hour deadline falls while court is closed?

The 48 hours, which exclude Sundays and holidays, apply only to a person held in custody. If they run out while court is closed, Penal Code 825(a)(2) carries the deadline through the end of the next court session on the following court day; when the arrest falls on a Wednesday after that day's session, court must come by Friday, unless either day is a court holiday.

Must I appear in person, or can my lawyer stand in for me?

A lawyer can appear for you in a misdemeanor-only case, except that a domestic violence or Penal Code 273.6 defendant must be at arraignment and sentencing and a DUI judge can require attendance. In a felony you must be there in person for arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, the parts of trial where evidence is taken, and sentencing, though a waiver can let the steps before trial go remote.

How do I find out if someone was booked into Sheriff's custody?

Search the Sheriff's online Inmate Information Center by name and date of birth, or phone the inmate information line at (213) 473-6100 (emergencies: call 911); a booking less than two hours old may not appear yet.