LA Superior Court Filing Locations: Which Courthouse Handles Your Case?
A complete guide to all 36 courthouse locations across nine geographic districts — and how to find the right court for your civil, criminal, family law, or probate case.
Los Angeles County has one of the largest court systems in the world — 36 active courthouses spread across nine geographic districts, handling millions of cases each year. Filing at the wrong courthouse can mean delays, rejected paperwork, or a clerk sending you across town to start over.
Whether you’re an attorney filing a civil complaint, a business owner responding to a lawsuit, or an individual handling a family law matter, knowing which courthouse serves your case can save hours and prevent costly mistakes.
In short: LA Superior Court’s 36 courthouses are organized into nine geographic districts. Where you file depends on your case type and the defendant’s address. Use the court’s Filing Court Locator to confirm the right location, or call our office at (888) 531-2220 — we handle court messenger runs to all 36 locations countywide.
How LA Superior Court Is Organized
LA Superior Court divides Los Angeles County into nine districts, each served by one or more courthouses. Where your case is filed depends on two things: the type of case (civil, criminal, family law, probate, small claims, etc.) and the geographic district tied to the defendant’s address or the location of the dispute.
- Central District — Downtown Los Angeles
- Northeast District — Alhambra, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank
- Northwest District — Van Nuys, Chatsworth, San Fernando Valley
- North District — Lancaster, Santa Clarita (Antelope Valley)
- East District — El Monte, West Covina, Pomona
- Southeast District — Norwalk, Whittier, Downey, Bellflower
- South District — Long Beach, Torrance
- South Central District — Compton area
- Southwest District — Inglewood, Torrance
The court’s Filing Court Locator lets you enter a zip code to confirm which courthouse handles unlimited civil cases for that address.
Central District Courthouses
The Central District is the heart of LA’s court system. Most complex civil, criminal, and probate matters are handled here.
| Courthouse | Address | Primary Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 111 N Hill St, Los Angeles 90012 | Unlimited civil (over $35K), complex civil, probate, mental health |
| Spring Street Courthouse | 312 N Spring St, Los Angeles 90012 | Complex civil litigation, class actions |
| Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center | 210 W Temple St, Los Angeles 90012 | Felony criminal |
| Metropolitan Courthouse | 1945 S Hill St, Los Angeles 90007 | Limited civil, small claims, misdemeanor |
| East Los Angeles Courthouse | 4848 E Civic Center Way, East Los Angeles 90022 | Civil, small claims, criminal, traffic |
| Hollywood Courthouse | 5925 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles 90028 | Limited civil, small claims, misdemeanor, traffic |
Stanley Mosk is the largest courthouse in the United States with 100 courtrooms. It handles the vast majority of unlimited civil filings for downtown Los Angeles and serves as the primary probate court.
North and Northwest District Courthouses
The San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley are served by a cluster of busy courthouses handling everything from family law to felony criminal cases.
| Courthouse | Address | Primary Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Van Nuys East Courthouse | 6230 Sylmar Ave, Van Nuys 91401 | Family law, civil, criminal |
| Van Nuys West Courthouse | 14400 Erwin St Mall, Van Nuys 91401 | Limited civil, small claims, traffic |
| Chatsworth Courthouse | 9425 Penfield Ave, Chatsworth 91311 | Civil, criminal, traffic |
| San Fernando Courthouse | 900 Third St, San Fernando 91340 | Civil, criminal, family law |
| Burbank Courthouse | 300 E Olive Ave, Burbank 91502 | Civil, criminal, small claims |
| Glendale Courthouse | 600 E Broadway, Glendale 91206 | Civil, criminal, small claims |
| Santa Clarita Courthouse | 23747 W Valencia Blvd, Valencia 91355 | Civil, criminal, family law |
| Antelope Valley Courthouse | 42011 4th St W, Lancaster 93534 | Civil, criminal, family law |
Family law cases in the San Fernando Valley are concentrated at Van Nuys East. Criminal matters for the Antelope Valley (Lancaster/Palmdale) go to the Antonovich Courthouse in Lancaster.
Need documents filed at any of these courthouses? Our court messenger service covers all 36 LA Superior Court locations — same-day available. You get a scanned conformed copy emailed the same day. CT Corp registered agent filings in Glendale also available.
Order Court Runner ServiceSouth, East, and Southeast District Courthouses
The southern and eastern portions of the county are served by some of LA’s busiest branch courthouses.
South / Southwest District
| Courthouse | Address | Primary Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse (Long Beach) | 275 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach 90802 | Civil, criminal, family law, probate |
| Torrance Courthouse | 825 Maple Ave, Torrance 90503 | Civil, criminal, small claims |
| Inglewood Courthouse | One Regent St, Inglewood 90301 | Civil, criminal, small claims |
| Compton Courthouse | 200 W Compton Blvd, Compton 90220 | Civil, criminal, family law |
| Airport Courthouse | 11701 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles 90045 | Criminal (DUI, misdemeanor) |
East / Southeast District
| Courthouse | Address | Primary Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| El Monte Courthouse | 11234 E Valley Blvd, El Monte 91731 | Civil, criminal, family law |
| West Covina Courthouse | 1427 W Covina Pkwy, West Covina 91790 | Civil, criminal, small claims |
| Pomona Courthouse South | 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona 91766 | Civil, criminal, family law |
| Norwalk Courthouse | 12720 Norwalk Blvd, Norwalk 90650 | Civil, criminal, family law, probate |
| Whittier Courthouse | 7339 S Painter Ave, Whittier 90602 | Civil, criminal, small claims |
| Downey Courthouse | 7500 E Imperial Hwy, Downey 90242 | Limited civil, small claims |
| Bellflower Courthouse | 10025 E Flower St, Bellflower 90706 | Limited civil, small claims |
| Alhambra Courthouse | 150 W Commonwealth Ave, Alhambra 91801 | Civil, criminal, family law |
| Pasadena Courthouse | 300 E Walnut St, Pasadena 91101 | Civil, criminal, family law, small claims |
How to Find Which Courthouse Handles Your Case
LA Superior Court assigns cases based on case type and geography. Here’s a quick decision guide:
- Identify your case type. Unlimited civil (over $35,000), limited civil ($35,000 or less), family law, probate, criminal, small claims, and unlawful detainer each have different filing rules.
- Use the court’s Filing Court Locator. Go to lacourt.ca.gov’s filing locator and enter the zip code from your Civil Case Cover Sheet Addendum. The locator returns the correct courthouse for unlimited civil filings.
- Check the local rules for exceptions. Cases in the San Fernando Valley, East LA, and North Central District sometimes have different assignments than the locator shows — call the Clerk’s Office at (213) 830-0803 to confirm.
- For family law and probate, the assignment follows the petitioner’s county of residence. Family law in the Valley goes to Van Nuys; in the South Bay, to Torrance.
- For small claims and limited civil, filing location is generally where the defendant lives, works, or where the contract was signed.
⚠️ Department renumbering notice (late 2026): LASC is currently rolling out courtroom/department renumbering across several courthouses. Always verify department numbers on your hearing notice — do not rely on previously printed copies or older guides.
Where Do I File for Divorce in LA County?
Divorce (dissolution of marriage) is a family law matter filed at the courthouse serving the district where you or your spouse has lived for at least three months. Key locations:
- Downtown / Central LA: Stanley Mosk Courthouse (111 N Hill St)
- San Fernando Valley: Van Nuys East Courthouse (6230 Sylmar Ave) — primary family law hub for the Valley
- South Bay / Torrance: Torrance Courthouse (825 Maple Ave)
- Long Beach / South: Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse (275 Magnolia Ave)
- Antelope Valley: Antelope Valley Courthouse (42011 4th St W, Lancaster)
- Pasadena / East: Pasadena Courthouse (300 E Walnut St)
Use LASC’s Filing Court Locator to confirm by ZIP code, and note that divorce petitions must be served on the respondent — our process servers handle same-day service of divorce papers county-wide.
Where Do I File an Unlawful Detainer (Eviction) in Los Angeles?
Unlawful Detainer (UD) cases are filed at the courthouse serving the city where the rental property is located. The most common filing hubs are:
- Stanley Mosk Courthouse — Downtown LA and unincorporated Central areas
- Van Nuys East — San Fernando Valley properties
- Pasadena Courthouse — San Gabriel Valley / Pasadena area
- Long Beach (Deukmejian) — Long Beach and South Bay cities
- Compton Courthouse — Compton, Lynwood, and nearby South LA cities
- Norwalk Courthouse — Southeast LA County cities (Norwalk, Downey, Whittier)
UD cases move fast — service of the summons and complaint must be completed before the first hearing date. Our team handles same-day UD service at all LA County locations. Order service now →
Tips for Smooth Court Filing
- Confirm the courthouse before you go. Court assignments in LA change periodically. Verify with the Clerk’s Office or the online locator any time you’re filing at a location you haven’t used recently.
- Arrive early. Most clerk windows stop accepting new filings at 4:00–4:30 p.m. Lines at Stanley Mosk and Van Nuys can run long.
- Know your payment method. Not all courthouses accept credit cards at every window. Bring a check or money order as a backup.
- Request a conformed copy. Always ask for a file-stamped copy of everything you file. It’s your proof of the filing date.
- Know when eFiling is mandatory vs. when you need a messenger. For most civil case types, LASC requires attorneys to eFile through an authorized Electronic Filing Service Provider (EFSP). However, physical court messenger runs are still necessary for ex parte applications requiring immediate judicial review, original undertakings and bonds, documents with physical exhibits that cannot be digitized, any filing that requires a same-day conformed copy with a clerk’s original stamp, and family law / probate filings at courthouses where eFiling is not yet fully implemented. If you are self-represented, eFiling is currently optional. When in doubt, call the Clerk’s Office to confirm the correct method for your document type.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many courthouses are there in LA?
Los Angeles Superior Court operates 36 active courthouse locations across the county, spread across nine geographic districts. This makes it one of the largest court systems in the United States.
How many superior courts are there in Los Angeles County?
There is one Superior Court for Los Angeles County — the Los Angeles County Superior Court — but it operates out of 36 locations. All civil, criminal, family law, probate, and small claims cases in the county fall under its jurisdiction.
What are the addresses of the Los Angeles Superior Court courthouses?
The main courthouses include Stanley Mosk (111 N Hill St, Los Angeles), Spring Street Courthouse (312 N Spring St), Van Nuys East (6230 Sylmar Ave), Long Beach/Deukmejian (275 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach), Torrance (825 Maple Ave), Pasadena (300 E Walnut St), Pomona South (400 Civic Center Plaza), Norwalk (12720 Norwalk Blvd), and Antelope Valley/Lancaster (42011 4th St W). See the full district-by-district tables above for all 36 locations.
What is the main courthouse in LA?
The Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N Hill St in Downtown Los Angeles is the main courthouse. With 100 courtrooms, it is the largest courthouse in the United States and handles the majority of unlimited civil filings, probate, and complex litigation.
What is the jurisdiction of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County?
LA Superior Court has jurisdiction over all cases arising within Los Angeles County — civil, criminal, family law, probate, juvenile, and small claims. It is a court of general jurisdiction under California state law. Federal cases go to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Where is the LA courthouse located?
The primary courthouse is the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N Hill St, Los Angeles 90012, in the Civic Center area of Downtown LA. However, LA Superior Court has 36 courthouse locations spread across Los Angeles County — the right one for your case depends on your case type and the district where the defendant is located.
Where do I file for divorce in LA County?
Divorce (dissolution of marriage) is filed at the LASC family law courthouse serving the district where you or your spouse has lived for at least three months. The main family law hubs are Van Nuys East (San Fernando Valley), Stanley Mosk (Downtown/Central LA), Torrance (South Bay), and the Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach. Use LASC’s Filing Court Locator with your ZIP code to confirm the exact courthouse. Once filed, the petition must be formally served on your spouse — our process servers handle same-day divorce service countywide.
Where do I file an unlawful detainer (eviction) in Los Angeles?
Unlawful Detainer (UD) eviction cases are filed at the courthouse serving the city where the rental property is located. Common hubs include Stanley Mosk (Downtown/Central LA), Van Nuys East (San Fernando Valley), Pasadena Courthouse (San Gabriel Valley), Deukmejian/Long Beach (South Bay), Compton Courthouse (South LA), and Norwalk Courthouse (Southeast County). UD cases move quickly — the summons and complaint must be served before your first court date. We handle same-day UD service at all LA County locations.
Does ProcessServerLA provide same-day conformed copies?
Yes. When our court runners file your documents in person at any LASC courthouse, we request a conformed (file-stamped) copy and email you a scan the same day. This is critical for ex parte applications, urgent filings, and any situation where your attorney needs immediate proof of the filing date and time.
Need Court Filing or Process Service in Los Angeles?
Process Server LA handles court messenger runs to all 36 LA Superior Court locations, same-day eFiling, and process service across all 88 cities in LA County. GPS-stamped, with conformed copies emailed the same day.
File Documents Today — (888) 531-2220Related guides: Same-Day Legal Document Delivery in Los Angeles | Serving Legal Documents Across All 88 Cities in LA County | What Is a Process Server?
Sources
- Los Angeles County Superior Court — Official Website
- LA Superior Court Filing Court Locator
- Los Angeles County Superior Court — Wikipedia
This article is general information, not legal advice. Court assignments and courthouse hours change; confirm current information with the Clerk’s Office before filing.