Appearances in Court

If you are unsure as to your appearance date or the status of your citation, you may access the court’s online case or calendar information. Click here for Court Locations. Prescheduled appearances may already be on the calendar. On your court date, check the posted calendars for your name and courtroom department number. If your name is on calendar, go directly to the courtroom. If your name is not on the calendar, check in with the clerk’s office for further instructions.

Court is offered on the first and third Tuesday of each month at specific locations as follows:
1st Tuesday – North, West and Harbor-Newport Beach Justice Centers
3rd Tuesday – Central Justice Center

Traffic night court is available on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Due to the Court holiday on Tuesday, January 1, 2013, the night court schedule for January 2013 is being modified as follows:
January 8, 2013 (2nd Tuesday) – North, West and Harbor-Newport Beach Justice Centers
January 15, 2013 (3rd Tuesday) – Central and Harbor-Laguna Hills Justice Centers

All other night court sessions for the months of February through December 2013 will be heard on the first and third Tuesday of the month.

To appear at night court, you must reserve a court date.

2013 Night Court Schedule Traffic Cases – 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month

• If you are under the age of 18, you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
• Shirt and shoes are required in the courtroom.
• Food, drinks, and gum chewing are NOT allowed.
• Weapons are NOT allowed in the courthouse. We are a fully secured facility and all visitors are subject to weapons screening upon entering the facility.
• All pagers, cell phones and lap top computers must be turned off in the courtroom.
• The well (between counsel table and the judge’s bench) is a restricted area. Counsel and other parties must request permission to enter the well.
• Counsel table; Plaintiff/People are always assigned closest to the jury box. Defense is farthest from the jury box.
• Any additional instructions or directions as indicated in the courtroom or by the courtroom deputy.

Ultimately, it is your responsibility to contact the court on or before the appearance date which appears on your citation, however, you may receive a “violation information notice” from the court with options for handling your specific charges. If your appearance is mandatory, you must appear. A violation information notice is usually mailed to you at the address listed on the citation within 21 days of the date the citation was issued. The notice contains general information and requirements and options available for resolving the citation, which may include:

• Amount of bail, based on the violations and your prior driving history
• Proof of correction requirements for mechanical violations, registration, license and insurance violations
• Mandatory court appearance requirements
• Traffic school eligibility requirements

A return envelope for mailing your payment is provided with the violation information notice. If you do not receive a violation information notice, contact the court as failure to receive a violation information notice is not a legal excuse for failing to take care of the citation. It is your responsibility to take action on the citation on or before the due date listed on your citation. When submitting payments and/or documents by mail, allow 10 days for delivery and processing.

"Reserve a Court date"

IMPORTANT INFORMATION