Arrested in Pasadena? What to Expect at the Pasadena Courthouse
The short answer: if you were arrested in Pasadena, Altadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, or San Marino, your case will most likely be heard at the Pasadena Courthouse, the criminal courthouse for the Los Angeles Superior Court's Northeast District. Misdemeanors committed inside the City of Pasadena are generally prosecuted by the Pasadena City Prosecutor, while felonies are filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney. Your first court date is the arraignment, and what you do in the days before it, including staying quiet with police, keeping your release paperwork, and getting a lawyer in early, shapes how the case ends. This guide walks through the process from the back seat of the patrol car to the last court date.
Why this guide exists. Most people arrested in the San Gabriel Valley have never seen the inside of the Pasadena Courthouse. They are handed a citation or a bail receipt with a date on it and left to guess what happens next. The Northeast District has its own rhythms: its own prosecutors, its own jail release practices, and its own way of moving misdemeanor and felony calendars. A Pasadena criminal defense attorney who appears there regularly can tell you what a first offer usually looks like and what the judges expect before they will consider diversion or a reduced charge.
Which Cities Go to the Pasadena Courthouse?
The Northeast District. The Pasadena Courthouse generally hears criminal cases arising in Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, and nearby unincorporated areas patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Glendale and Burbank each have their own courthouses in the North Central District, and Alhambra, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, and Rosemead cases often go to the Alhambra Courthouse. Assignments shift as the court reallocates calendars, so confirm your courthouse on the Los Angeles Superior Court website using the case number on your paperwork. If you were arrested in Glendale or Burbank, the same prosecutors' offices and release rules described here generally apply, but the building may differ.
Felonies sometimes move. A felony that starts in Pasadena may stay at the Pasadena Courthouse through the preliminary hearing and trial, or it may be transferred to the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles for specialized calendars. Serious cases such as homicides, gang allegations, and certain sex offenses are the ones most likely to be moved. Your attorney will know from the complaint's caption and the department assignment where the case will be heard.
Who Arrests You and Where You Are Held
Pasadena Police Department. Pasadena has its own police department and operates its own jail. People arrested in the city for misdemeanors and many lower-level felonies are typically booked at the Pasadena jail, where they can be released on a citation, post bail, or be held for arraignment. Old Pasadena's bar district, Rose Bowl events, the 210 and 134 freeways, and the areas around Caltech and Pasadena City College generate a steady stream of arrests for driving under the influence under Vehicle Code section 23152, public intoxication under Penal Code section 647, and simple battery under Penal Code section 242.
Sheriff, Glendale, Burbank, and the CHP. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department patrols Altadena and other unincorporated areas from its Altadena station and books arrestees through the county jail system, which can mean a transfer to the Inmate Reception Center downtown or, for women, the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. Glendale and Burbank police run their own jails as well. The California Highway Patrol handles collisions and DUI stops on the 210, 134, 110, and 2 freeways and usually books into whichever facility is nearest. Where you are held matters because county jail bookings take longer to process, and a person who could have been released in hours from a city jail may spend a day or more waiting for a county booking to clear.
Cite and release. For most misdemeanors, Penal Code section 853.6 directs officers to release the person on a written promise to appear rather than hold them. The exceptions include intoxication, a safety risk, outstanding warrants, domestic violence arrests, and a refusal to sign the citation. The citation lists a court date and a courthouse; keep it. If you miss that date, the court can issue a bench warrant under Penal Code section 978.5, and what happens if you miss court in California is a much harder problem than the original charge.
Bail and Release in Los Angeles County
The 48-hour rule. If you are held, Penal Code section 825 requires that you be taken before a judge within 48 hours of arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays. In practice a weekend arrest in Pasadena often means a Monday or Tuesday arraignment. The United States Supreme Court held in County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (1991) 500 U.S. 44 that a probable cause determination must generally come within 48 hours as well.
Ability to pay. Under In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135, a court cannot set money bail at an amount a person cannot afford without first finding, by clear and convincing evidence, that no less restrictive condition would protect public safety and secure the person's return. Los Angeles County also uses pre-arraignment release protocols that route many lower-level arrestees to release with conditions rather than money bail; the specifics change, so confirm the current protocol with your attorney or on the court's website. For a deeper explanation of bail schedules, own recognizance release, and bail source hearings, see how bail works in San Bernardino County, which applies the same statewide rules. Penal Code section 1270 creates a presumption of own recognizance release for most misdemeanors, and Penal Code section 1275 lists the factors judges weigh, with public safety first.
Who Decides Whether to File Charges?
Three prosecuting offices. This is the detail that surprises people most about the Northeast District. Misdemeanors arising inside the City of Pasadena are generally prosecuted by the Pasadena City Prosecutor's Office, and Burbank and Glendale likewise have city attorney prosecution units for many misdemeanors in their cities. Felonies from every city, and misdemeanors from unincorporated areas and most other cities, are prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney. Confirm which office has your case by reading the caption of the complaint; it determines who your lawyer negotiates with and what diversion programs are realistically on the table.
The filing review. The arrest is not the charge. After booking, the agency sends its report to the prosecutor, who decides whether to file, what to file, and whether to file a felony or a misdemeanor on a wobbler. What prosecutors look at before filing criminal charges explains the review in detail. For misdemeanors, Penal Code section 802 gives the prosecutor one year to file; for most felonies, Penal Code section 801 gives three years. A case that is not filed by your first court date is not necessarily over; it may be filed later and you will receive a notice to appear.
Pre-filing intervention. The window between arrest and filing is where a defense lawyer can sometimes do the most good. A letter to the filing deputy with a witness statement, surveillance video, medical records, or proof of restitution can turn a felony into a misdemeanor or a filing into a rejection. The common Pasadena charge menu, DUI under Vehicle Code section 23152, domestic battery under Penal Code section 243, subdivision (e)(1), shoplifting under Penal Code section 459.5, drug possession under Health and Safety Code section 11377, and resisting an officer under Penal Code section 148, is full of cases where early evidence changes the outcome.
What Happens at Arraignment in Pasadena
The first hearing. Arraignment is where the court tells you the charges, confirms you have a lawyer or appoints the public defender, takes your plea, and addresses release. For most misdemeanors, Penal Code section 977, subdivision (a), allows a private attorney to appear for you so that you do not miss work; domestic violence cases and felonies generally require your personal presence. Expect to plead not guilty at arraignment. That plea preserves every defense while your lawyer obtains discovery under Penal Code section 1054.1, including the police report, body camera footage, 911 audio, and lab results.
Protective orders. If the case involves a family or household member, the prosecutor will ask for a criminal protective order under Penal Code section 136.2 on form CR-160 at arraignment. The default order is no contact. Your lawyer can ask for a peaceful contact order instead, which matters enormously when you share a home or children, as explained in what a criminal protective order is. Violating the order is a separate crime under Penal Code section 273.6.
Speedy trial clocks. A not guilty plea starts the clocks in Penal Code section 1382: 30 days for an in-custody misdemeanor, 45 days out of custody, and 60 days from the felony arraignment on the information. On a felony, Penal Code section 859b entitles you to a preliminary hearing within 10 court days if you are in custody. Most defendants waive time so their lawyer can investigate, but the decision is yours, and what actually happens at a preliminary hearing explains why that hearing matters.
Pretrial Conferences, Offers, and Diversion
How offers move. After arraignment the case is set for one or more pretrial conferences, where the prosecutor and defense exchange evidence and discuss resolution. The first offer in a Pasadena misdemeanor is usually a standard offer tied to the charge; it tends to improve as the defense surfaces problems with the stop, the identification, the chemical test, or the complaining witness's account. What happens at a pretrial conference and should you take a plea deal cover the decision points.
Diversion. For many misdemeanors, Penal Code section 1001.95 lets the judge grant diversion over the prosecutor's objection for up to 24 months; completing it ends in a dismissal. DUI is excluded by Vehicle Code section 23640, and certain domestic violence and registrable offenses are excluded as well. Mental health diversion under Penal Code section 1001.36 reaches many felonies. We explain the mechanics in how misdemeanor diversion works and how mental health diversion works.
Suppression motions. If the stop, search, or arrest was unlawful, a motion under Penal Code section 1538.5 can suppress the evidence and gut the case. Statements taken in violation of Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 can be excluded from the prosecution's case in chief. Pasadena and Glendale DUI stops on the 134 and 210, and pretextual stops in Old Pasadena, are frequent sources of suppression issues; see what a 1538.5 motion is and can police search your car.
The Mistakes That Hurt Pasadena Cases
Talking. Officers at the Pasadena jail and detectives who call later are gathering evidence, not deciding your fate. Decline to discuss the facts and ask for a lawyer. Do not say this to police and can I talk my way out of charges explain why even a true explanation usually hurts.
Contacting the other person. In a domestic violence case, a text to the protected person after an emergency protective order is served is a new crime and the single most common way a defensible case becomes an unwinnable one. The same goes for witnesses: any attempt to persuade someone not to cooperate can be charged as dissuading a witness under Penal Code section 136.1.
The DMV deadline. On a DUI, the court case and the DMV suspension run separately. You have 10 days from the arrest to request a DMV hearing under Vehicle Code section 13558, or the suspension takes effect automatically. How the DMV hearing works after a DUI walks through it.
Social media and the Rose Bowl problem. Pasadena event arrests often come with phone video. Posting about the night, deleting posts, or messaging co-defendants creates evidence and can look like consciousness of guilt. Can the police use your text messages against you explains how prosecutors obtain and use that material.
Immigration, Licenses, and Your Record
Immigration. Under Padilla v. Kentucky (2010) 559 U.S. 356 your lawyer must advise you about immigration consequences, and Penal Code section 1016.3 requires defense counsel and the prosecutor to consider them in plea negotiations. Pasadena, Glendale, and Alhambra have large immigrant communities, and the difference between two similar pleas can be the difference between staying and removal.
Cleaning up afterward. If the case is dismissed or never filed, Penal Code section 851.91 allows you to seal the arrest record. After a conviction and probation, Penal Code section 1203.4 allows a dismissal on form CR-180, and a wobbler can be reduced under Penal Code section 17, subdivision (b). See how to seal an arrest record, how to expunge a criminal record, and how to reduce a felony to a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is my court date if I was arrested in Pasadena?
Usually the Pasadena Courthouse. Cases from Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, and Monrovia are generally heard in the Los Angeles Superior Court Northeast District at the Pasadena Courthouse, while Glendale and Burbank cases often go to those cities' own courthouses and Alhambra area cases to the Alhambra Courthouse. Your citation or bail paperwork lists the courthouse and date. Confirm the department and time on the Los Angeles Superior Court website before you go.
Does the Los Angeles City Attorney prosecute Pasadena cases?
No. The Los Angeles City Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors committed inside the City of Los Angeles. Misdemeanors in Pasadena are generally handled by the Pasadena City Prosecutor, and Burbank and Glendale have their own city prosecution units. Felonies from all of these cities are filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney. The caption on your complaint tells you which office has the case.
Do I have to appear in person at the Pasadena Courthouse?
Not always. For most misdemeanors, Penal Code section 977, subdivision (a), lets a private attorney appear on your behalf at arraignment and pretrial hearings. You generally must appear personally for felony arraignments, for domestic violence misdemeanors where a protective order will be served, and whenever the judge orders it. Check with your lawyer before skipping any date, because a missed appearance can produce a bench warrant.
How long do I have before charges must be filed?
One year for most misdemeanors and three years for most felonies. Penal Code section 802 sets the one-year misdemeanor limit and Penal Code section 801 the three-year felony limit, with longer periods for certain serious offenses. If no complaint is on file by your first court date, the court will typically tell you no case has been filed, but the prosecutor can still file later within the limitations period and send you a notice to appear.
Can I get diversion at the Pasadena Courthouse?
Often, for misdemeanors. Penal Code section 1001.95 allows a judge to grant diversion on most misdemeanors even over the prosecutor's objection, with exclusions for DUI, certain domestic violence offenses, and registrable sex offenses. Mental health diversion under Penal Code section 1001.36 is available for many felonies and misdemeanors when a qualifying diagnosis contributed to the offense. Judges want to see a plan, treatment enrollment, and restitution efforts before they grant it.
Should I hire a lawyer before my arraignment in Pasadena?
Yes, if you can. The days between arrest and arraignment are when evidence can be preserved, the filing deputy can be contacted, and a bail or release argument can be prepared. A lawyer who regularly appears at the Pasadena Courthouse also knows the local prosecutors and what a realistic first offer looks like. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask for the public defender at arraignment; it is a right under Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) 372 U.S. 335.
Gramling Law Group defends misdemeanor and felony cases at the Pasadena Courthouse, the Glendale, Burbank, and Alhambra courthouses, the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, Van Nuys, Pomona, and the courthouses of the Inland Empire, Orange County, and Southern California. Daniel Gramling, Esq. offers flat-fee criminal defense and limited-scope options so you know the cost before the first court date. Call (909) 654-4575 or contact us through this website for a consultation.
This article is educational and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It addresses California law only.
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