Resources

This page collects practical information for people dealing with an arrest, a court date or a jail booking in San Diego County. It links to this firm’s guides and to the official court, sheriff and State Bar websites. Official sites are the place to confirm hours, addresses and current rules, since they can change.

Where Criminal Cases Are Heard

According to the San Diego Superior Court, criminal cases in the county are heard in the Central, North County, South County and East County courthouses, and the criminal courts handle infractions, misdemeanors and felonies. Your court notice tells you which courthouse and department to go to. Our guides to each location:

• Downtown San Diego Courthouse (Central Courthouse, 1100 Union Street, San Diego)
• El Cajon Courthouse (East County Regional Center, 250 East Main Street)
• Vista Courthouse (North County Regional Center, 325 South Melrose)
• Chula Vista Courthouse (South County Regional Center, 500 3rd Avenue)

Federal criminal cases in San Diego are heard in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, not in the Superior Court.

If Someone Is in Custody

If someone you know has been arrested in San Diego County, our guides describe the county detention facilities:

• San Diego Central Jail
• George F. Bailey Detention Facility
• Las Colinas Detention Facility (Santee)
• South Bay Detention Facility (Chula Vista)

To find out whether a person is in custody, use the Sheriff’s Who’s In Jail search.

 

Arraignment and Bail Basics

The arraignment is usually the first formal court step in a criminal case. Charges are presented, and issues such as release and bail are typically addressed. Our guide What Really Happens During a Criminal Arraignment in San Diego? walks through it. For how bail works, see A Guide to Bailing Someone Out in California. The Superior Court posts its current bail schedule on its Bail and Sentencing Information page. A schedule is a starting point only, and a judge decides release conditions in an individual case.

Clearing a Criminal Record

The Superior Court explains that a petition for dismissal, commonly called expungement, is available to defendants convicted of a crime that meets the criteria in Penal Code sections 1203.4 and 1203.4(a), and that the ineligible offenses are listed in section 1203.4(b). The court’s Clearing Your Record page has the forms and instructions. For background, see our overview of record sealing versus expungement and our expungement page.

Official Websites

• Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
• San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
• State Bar of California attorney search

This page is general information and not legal advice. To discuss a specific situation, call (619) 525-7005 or request a confidential consultation.