Criminal defense · Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County has the largest trial court in the country, with dozens of courthouses, and more than one prosecuting office. The first local question is usually where your case is heard and who is prosecuting it. First Call Defense connects you with an independent California-licensed criminal defense attorney who can review your papers and explain your options.
A free, no-obligation first call. Flat fee quoted before any work starts.
What is local in Los Angeles
Criminal and traffic cases are heard in courthouses across the county, usually the one serving the area where the arrest or citation happened. The courthouse and department are printed on your citation or release papers; check them on the court's website before you go.
Official source ↗If you are charged with an offense that can lead to jail and cannot afford a lawyer, the court can appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender, or the Alternate Public Defender when there is a conflict.
Official source ↗The Los Angeles County District Attorney prosecutes felonies countywide. Misdemeanors committed in the City of Los Angeles, including many DUI cases, are generally prosecuted by the Los Angeles City Attorney.
Official source ↗After a DUI arrest in Los Angeles County, the license case runs through the DMV's Driver Safety branch, not the court. The DMV handles many Driver Safety matters through its online case system and a statewide phone line, and hearings can be held by video or in person. Use the contact printed on your notice of suspension.
Official source ↗Because the Los Angeles Superior Court spreads criminal and traffic work over many buildings, people sometimes go to the wrong one. Your citation, bail receipt or release papers name the courthouse and the date of your first appearance, which is usually the arraignment. Felony and misdemeanor cases from the same arrest can be handled in different places, and a case can be transferred. Check the court's website, or ask your attorney, before every date.
Traffic infractions follow their own track. You can often resolve them online or by mail, request traffic school for an eligible one-point violation, or ask for a trial. A missed traffic date can lead to a hold on your license, so act quickly if the date has passed. If you hold a commercial license, or the citation is for a misdemeanor such as driving on a suspended license, the stakes are higher and it is worth talking to an attorney before you pay.
In the City of Los Angeles, a misdemeanor such as a first DUI is generally filed by the City Attorney, while felonies go to the District Attorney. A few other cities in the county, such as Long Beach and Santa Monica, also have their own prosecutors for misdemeanors. Offices differ in their filing practices and in the diversion and alternative programs they offer, so an attorney who knows the local courts can tell you what to expect.
This site is not an emergency line. If someone is in custody or has a court date tomorrow, contact the court, the public defender's office or a criminal defense attorney directly now.
Local information as of October 2026. Court locations, hours and local rules change; check the official source before you go.
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Who is behind First Call Defense
First Call Defense is part of Omnilex. Leon leads Omnilex’s US business from San Francisco. He is a California attorney and spent about twelve years at Goodwin and Kirkland & Ellis before joining Omnilex.
Leon does not take on the individual matters that come through this site. Your matter is handled by the independent California attorney you choose to engage, who works in criminal defense law.
You may still be wondering …
The one printed on your citation, bail receipt or release papers. In Los Angeles County it is often the courthouse serving the area where you were stopped or arrested. Cases can be moved, so confirm it on the court's website before each date.
If you are charged with an offense that can lead to jail and cannot afford a lawyer, you can ask the judge at your first appearance. The court decides whether to appoint the Public Defender or, if there is a conflict, the Alternate Public Defender.
The first call is free and without obligation. If you want an attorney to take on your matter, the attorney quotes the scope and fee in writing before any work starts.
Our intake team reviews your request and gets in touch to clarify it and arrange the call. Sending the form does not create an attorney-client relationship and does not book an appointment.
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