What to expect at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana for a criminal case

The Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, serves Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park and lists all Orange County cities for various felony and mental health hearings. It is a full security building with metered street parking and paid lots in the Civic Center area. In-custody arraignments are also heard nearby, in Department CJ1 inside the Men's Central Jail complex at 550 N. Flower St.

In Santa Ana, one criminal case can touch three court buildings: the main courthouse on Civic Center Drive, the jail courtroom on Flower Street, and the Community Court on Main Street. Which one a person goes to depends on the charge, the city, and whether the person is in custody. This page sorts out the three buildings and the day itself. For the release decision before and at the first hearing, read the page on how bail works in California and how to get released before trial.

Who comes to the Central Justice Center

The Orange County Superior Court lists four cities for the Central Justice Center: Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park. It also lists all Orange County cities for various felony and mental health hearings. That second line is why a person charged with a felony in Irvine, Newport Beach or Mission Viejo can find part of the case in Santa Ana even though misdemeanors from those cities go to the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach; see what to expect at the Harbor Justice Center. The building also handles traffic, probate and mental health proceedings.

Your day at the Central Justice Center, step by step

1. Before you leave home. Check the date, department and building on the court's online case and calendar access, and on any paper the jail or the court gave you. For a person still in custody, the court's CJ1 page points families to the Sheriff's "Who's In Jail" search to find where the defendant will be heard.
2. Parking. The court says metered street parking and paid parking lots are available in the Civic Center area. Metered spaces on Parton Avenue and Civic Center Drive West serve drivers with a DMV disability placard, and accessible spaces in the paid lots are first come, first served.
3. Security. The Central Justice Center is a full security facility: weapons screening for everyone and x-ray for every hand-carried object. Knives, pocketknives, scissors, corkscrews, mace, pepper spray and knitting needles are not allowed.
4. Finding the courtroom. Public elevators serve every floor in both the East and West wings, and the building runs from floor 1 to floor 11. Check the posted calendar for your name and department; if your name is not listed, go to the clerk's office for instructions.
5. Ask for an interpreter. Make the request with the clerk's office or the courtroom on arrival, or contact the courtroom in advance.
6. Waiting. The courthouse cafeteria is on the third floor of the East Wing, open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (hours may vary). The Children's Waiting Room at the Central Justice Center offers free child care from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., open during lunch, at (657) 622-7485.
7. The hearing. A felony case moves through arraignment on the complaint, pretrial conferences and motions, then a preliminary hearing where a judge decides whether there is enough evidence to hold the defendant to answer. If so, a new charging document called an information is filed and the defendant is arraigned again, followed by a trial setting conference, trial if there is no resolution, and sentencing.
8. After the hearing. Write down the next date and department. The Self-Help Center in this building offers in-person help Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday to 3:00 p.m., for matters such as cleaning up a criminal record.

Interpreters and what a Persian-speaking client should expect

The Orange County court provides interpreters free of charge in all criminal and traffic cases. Ask for a Persian interpreter with the clerk's office or the courtroom when you arrive, or contact the courtroom ahead of time; the court reporter and interpreter line listed for Department CJ1 and the Community Court is (657) 622-6878, option 6. The interpreter repeats everything said in English in Persian, repeats your words in English, keeps what you say to your attorney confidential and does not give legal advice. If you have a question, raise your hand and ask the judge rather than the interpreter.

The state court self-help guide says you are usually not allowed to have a friend or relative serve as your interpreter in the courtroom. Family members can sit in the public seats, but the court interpreter does the interpreting. Before the court accepts a guilty or no contest plea, the judge must read an advisement that a conviction may have immigration consequences (Pen. Code § 1016.5(a)). This office does not give immigration advice; the page on how a California criminal case can affect a green card or visa explains what the statutes require.

What changes the answer?

• Felony or misdemeanor. The court lists Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin and Villa Park as the cities this building serves; a misdemeanor from a city such as Irvine goes to the justice center that serves that city. Felony and mental health hearings for all cities can be heard here, as the court's city list shows.
• In custody or out. A person held after arrest must be brought before a judge within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays (Pen. Code § 825(a)(1)), and any California attorney may visit at the request of the person or a relative (§ 825(b)). The first hearing may then be in Department CJ1 rather than in this building, as explained on the page about what happens between arrest and arraignment in Orange County.
• Drug possession. Penal Code § 1000 applies to listed possession charges, including Health and Safety Code §§ 11350 and 11377, and the court's collaborative courts page describes a Proposition 36 treatment program for certain drug possession offenses. The page on drug charges and what Prop. 36 changed covers eligibility.
• Mental health or military service. The court describes Mental Health Diversion as a pre-plea program under Penal Code § 1001.36, which requires a not guilty plea and a time waiver, and Military Diversion under Penal Code § 1001.80 for current and former service members. Both are requested by motion.
• A repeat DUI. The court describes DUI Court at the Community Court as a minimum of 12 months for second and third misdemeanor DUI offenders and 18 months for felony offenders. The page on how a California DUI case works explains the underlying charges.
• A domestic violence or sex offense charge. In those prosecutions the court must consider a criminal protective order on its own motion (Pen. Code § 136.2(e)). Charges that require registration under Penal Code § 290 are discussed on the page about sexual assault and sex offense charges in California.

A worked example

For example, imagine a 41-year-old Persian-speaking business owner from Mission Viejo. This is a hypothetical, not a real case. He is arrested on a Friday evening and booked; the charge filed against him is a felony. His wife and his mother, who speaks only Persian, do not know whether to drive to Newport Beach or to Santa Ana.

Because he is in custody, the 48-hour clock under § 825 runs without counting Sunday, and his first appearance is set in Department CJ1 on Flower Street, not at the Harbor Justice Center. His wife uses the Sheriff's "Who's In Jail" search to confirm where he will be heard and asks a California attorney to visit him at the jail. At the arraignment he is released, and the case is set for a preliminary hearing at the Central Justice Center. On that day his family parks in a paid Civic Center lot, clears screening, and his mother waits in the cafeteria on the third floor of the East Wing during the morning recess.

He had planned a trip to Iran for a family wedding. A pending felony and the terms of his release can limit travel, a question explained on the page about bail and release conditions in California. Readers who want to know who would be beside him at the preliminary hearing can read about Sourena Sarbazevatan.

Mistakes that cost families a wasted trip to Santa Ana

• Going to the main courthouse for an in-custody arraignment. Department CJ1 on Flower Street hears misdemeanor and felony complaint arraignments inside the jail complex, with its entrance off 6th Street.
• Assuming the case stays in the home city. A felony from Irvine or Mission Viejo can have hearings in Santa Ana.
• Bringing a knife, scissors or pepper spray. Both the courthouse and CJ1 are full security facilities.
• Arriving after 8:00 a.m. to clear a warrant. The court requires warrant appearances at Criminal Operations by 8:00 a.m., Monday to Friday.
• Talking about the case on jail calls. Keep calls to logistics and save details for a private conversation with the defense attorney.
• Relying on a relative to interpret. Ask for the court's free interpreter.

What to do this week

1. Confirm which building and department the next hearing is in, using the court's online case access or the Sheriff's "Who's In Jail" search.
2. Plan parking in the Civic Center lots or metered streets, and arrive early for screening.
3. Ask the courtroom or the clerk for a Persian interpreter, and note the date you asked.
4. If the person is not a U.S. citizen, contact an immigration attorney before any plea.
5. Gather proof of work, address and family responsibilities for release and later hearings.
6. Work through the page on the first week after an Orange County arrest and bring the documents to the attorney.
7. Contact a California criminal defense attorney through the contact page before the preliminary hearing date.

Guides for Central Justice Center clients

• Assault and battery charges in California
• What a domestic violence charge means for your case, your home and your children
• What a criminal protective order means for your home and children
• Theft or fraud charges in California and their penalties
• Weapon and firearm charges in California
• Why the 10-day DMV deadline matters after a DUI arrest
• Clearing a criminal record with a dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4
• Where Irvine criminal and family cases go
• What to expect at the Lamoreaux Justice Center for a family case

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Central Justice Center?

At 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. The general number is (657) 622-6878 and the felony and misdemeanor line is (657) 622-8459.

Is the jail courtroom in the same building?

No. Department CJ1 is in Building 50 at 550 N. Flower St., Santa Ana, inside the Men's Central Jail complex. Its entrance is off 6th Street, across from the stadium parking structure.

Is there free child care at the Central Justice Center?

Yes. The Children's Waiting Room offers free child care for children from 2½ to 16 who are fully potty-trained, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at (657) 622-7485. A parent or caregiver must register the child; no reservation is needed.

What happens at a preliminary hearing?

A judge hears evidence and decides whether there is enough to hold the defendant to answer. If so, an information is filed and the defendant is arraigned again.

What is the Community Court?

A court building at 909 N. Main St., Santa Ana, that opened in October 2008 and houses collaborative courts such as Drug Court, DUI Court, Veterans Treatment Court and the mental health programs. Participation is voluntary and requires eligibility.

Can a felony be cleared later?

A conviction that ended in probation may qualify for dismissal under Penal Code § 1203.4 after probation, with listed exceptions (§ 1203.4(b)). The page on dismissal under 1203.4 explains the steps.

The Law Office of Sourena Sarbazevatan represents people in Orange County and San Diego in criminal defense matters, in English and Persian (Farsi). Call (949) 591-9596 or use the contact page.