Before you leave the house
- Dress as if for a job interview: collared shirt, clean shoes, no hats, no sunglasses, nothing with slogans or logos about drugs, alcohol, or law enforcement.
- Leave weapons, knives, pepper spray, and anything sharp at home. Every courthouse screens at the door.
- Bring your case number, your paperwork, and a form of ID.
- Arrange childcare. Some courtrooms will not admit young children, and a hallway is a poor place to spend a morning.
Arrive early — the real reason
Security lines at the larger LA courthouses can run 20 to 40 minutes, and calendars are called at the top of the session. A defendant who is not present when their name is called risks a bench warrant and, for anyone out on bond, a forfeiture. Aim for an hour before your time. Find your courthouse in the LA County or San Diego County directory and check its address the night before — several counties have multiple buildings with similar names.
Inside the courtroom
- Phones off, not silent. A vibrating phone on a wooden bench is audible.
- No food, drink, or gum.
- Stand when the judge enters and when your case is called.
- Address the judge as 'Your Honor.' Answer 'yes' or 'no,' not 'yeah' or 'nope.'
- Speak only to the judge or through your attorney. Do not argue with the prosecutor across the aisle.
- No reaction — no sighs, no laughing, no muttering — while another case is being heard.
For family and supporters
Sit quietly in the gallery. Your presence is often noticed and it does help — employed, supported defendants with people in the room read differently at a bail or sentencing hearing. What does not help is commentary, phones, or reacting to a ruling. If there is a protective order in the case, know exactly who you are permitted to be near before you sit down.