First Court Date at the Van Nuys Courthouse: What to Expect
The short answer: your first court date at the Van Nuys Courthouse is an arraignment. The judge tells you the charges, confirms you have a lawyer or appoints one, takes a plea (almost always not guilty at this stage), and decides whether you stay out of custody and on what terms. For most misdemeanors, a private attorney can appear for you under Penal Code section 977 so you do not have to take the day off work. For felonies and most domestic violence charges, you must be there in person. This guide walks through the day step by step for people cited or arrested in Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood, Encino, Reseda, Northridge, Panorama City, Studio City, and the rest of the San Fernando Valley.
Which Cases Go to the Van Nuys Courthouse?
Valley cases, mostly. The Van Nuys Courthouse is part of the Los Angeles Superior Court's North Valley and Northwest districts and handles criminal cases arising in much of the San Fernando Valley, including arrests by the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley divisions. Cases from Burbank and Glendale are often heard at the Burbank or Glendale courthouses, Santa Clarita cases at the San Fernando or Santa Clarita courthouses, and Pasadena cases at the Pasadena Courthouse, but the court reassigns cases between locations from time to time. The courthouse named on your citation, release paperwork, or bail bond is the one that controls, so read that document first and confirm the location on the Los Angeles Superior Court's current website before you go.
Two courthouses share the name. Van Nuys has more than one court building, and the criminal calendars are not in the same place as the civil and family calendars. If your paperwork says Van Nuys but you are not sure which building, check the court's website or call the clerk's office the day before. Walking into the wrong building on the morning of an arraignment is a common and avoidable stress.
Compare the Inland Empire. If your case is in Riverside County instead, see our guide to arraignment at the Riverside Hall of Justice. San Bernardino County readers should see how bail works at the San Bernardino Justice Center and how to prepare for your first court date in San Bernardino. The procedure is similar across Southern California, but each county has its own calendar practices.
Who Prosecutes a Case at Van Nuys?
Two different prosecutors. In the City of Los Angeles, misdemeanors are usually prosecuted by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office, and felonies are prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. Cases arising in other cities and in unincorporated county areas are generally handled by the District Attorney for both misdemeanors and felonies, unless that city has its own prosecutor. This matters because the two offices have different filing standards, different diversion practices, and different plea policies, and an experienced defense lawyer approaches them differently.
Charges can change before the first date. The police report goes to a filing deputy who decides what to charge, and that decision often differs from what the arresting officer wrote on the booking sheet. A felony arrest can be filed as a misdemeanor, reduced under Penal Code section 17, subdivision (b), or rejected outright. Our guide to what prosecutors look at before filing charges explains that process. In some cases, contact from defense counsel before the filing decision changes the outcome.
No filing yet is common. Many people arrive at the Van Nuys Courthouse on the date printed on their citation and learn that no case has been filed. That is not a dismissal. The prosecutor generally has one year to file most misdemeanors and three years to file most felonies under Penal Code section 802 and Penal Code section 801. Keep your address current with the court and the arresting agency, because the notice of a later filing goes to the address on file.
What Happens at the Arraignment Itself
Check in first. Arrive early, go through security, and find your name on the calendar posted outside the courtroom or at the clerk's window. Check in with the courtroom clerk or bailiff and then wait to be called. Calendars at Van Nuys can be long, and in-custody arraignments are often called separately from out-of-custody matters, so be prepared to spend the morning there.
The judge advises you of the charges. The court reads or summarizes the complaint, advises you of your constitutional rights, and confirms you have a copy of the complaint. Under Penal Code section 988, the arraignment consists of reading the accusatory pleading and asking for a plea. If you are in custody after a warrantless arrest, Penal Code section 825 requires that you be brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay and within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays, and County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (1991) 500 U.S. 44 requires a judicial probable cause determination within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest.
You enter a plea. Nearly every defense lawyer enters a not guilty plea at arraignment. A not guilty plea is not a claim of innocence; it is the only way to obtain discovery, evaluate the evidence, and preserve your options. Under Penal Code section 1018, a plea of guilty to a felony must be entered by the defendant personally in open court, and the court must be satisfied the plea is voluntary. Pleading guilty at the first appearance without seeing the police report or the lab results is a mistake we see people make when they come to court alone. Read should you take a plea deal in California before you consider any offer.
Discovery is requested. Your lawyer asks for discovery under Penal Code section 1054.1, which requires the prosecutor to disclose police reports, witness statements, recorded statements, and exculpatory evidence. Body camera video, 911 audio, and dispatch logs usually come later and sometimes only after a written request or a motion. The first court date is where that clock starts.
The court sets the next dates. In a misdemeanor, the next date is typically a pretrial conference. In a felony, the court sets a preliminary hearing, which under Penal Code section 859b must be held within 10 court days unless you waive time, and in any event within 60 days absent a personal waiver. Our guides on what actually happens at a preliminary hearing explain why that hearing matters. Speedy trial rights under Penal Code section 1382 are also addressed at arraignment, and whether to waive time is a strategic decision you should make with counsel, not on the spot.
Bail and Release at Your First Court Date
Release is the first fight. If you were released on a citation or on your own recognizance before arraignment, the judge decides whether to continue that release. If you posted bail, the court can keep it in place, raise it, lower it, or convert it to release on conditions. Under Penal Code section 1270, a defendant charged with a misdemeanor is entitled to release on own recognizance unless the court finds it would compromise public safety or would not reasonably assure the person's appearance. The factors the court weighs are listed in Penal Code section 1275, with public safety the primary consideration.
Humphrey changed the analysis. In In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135, the California Supreme Court held that a court may not set money bail in an amount the person cannot afford without first considering ability to pay and whether less restrictive nonfinancial conditions would protect the public and assure appearance. At Van Nuys, that means arguments about electronic monitoring, stay-away orders, alcohol monitoring, and reporting conditions as alternatives to cash bail. Los Angeles County has also adopted pre-arraignment release protocols for many offenses, and the current rules are posted on the court's website. Our San Bernardino bail guide explains the mechanics of bail schedules and bond, which work the same way in Los Angeles County.
Protective orders are issued here. In domestic violence cases, the court will issue a criminal protective order under Penal Code section 136.2 on form CR-160 at arraignment, and the order is served on you in the courtroom. Violating it is a separate crime under Penal Code section 273.6. If you share a home or children with the protected person, tell your lawyer before the hearing so counsel can ask the court to consider a less restrictive order. Our guide to domestic violence charges in Orange County describes how those orders interact with family court, and our domestic violence restraining order page covers the civil side.
Do You Have to Appear in Person?
Misdemeanors usually no, felonies yes. Penal Code section 977 allows a defendant charged with a misdemeanor to appear through counsel for the arraignment and most other hearings, with exceptions that include domestic violence cases where the court needs to serve a protective order, and cases where the judge orders personal presence. A defendant charged with a felony must be personally present at arraignment, at the preliminary hearing, at plea, and at sentencing. Remote appearance options change with court policy, so ask your lawyer what the Van Nuys courtrooms are currently allowing.
Missing court is expensive. If you fail to appear, the judge issues a bench warrant, any bail is subject to forfeiture, and a new charge can be filed under Penal Code section 1320 if you were released on your own recognizance or under Penal Code section 1320.5 if you were released on bail in a felony case. Our guide to what happens if you miss court in California explains how to clear a warrant. If you already missed a date at Van Nuys, call a lawyer before you walk in, because how you surrender on a warrant affects whether you go home that day.
How to Prepare for the Van Nuys Courthouse
Bring your paperwork. Bring the citation or release form, the bail bond receipt, any police report you were given, and your identification. Dress as you would for a job interview. Turn your phone off inside the courtroom. Do not bring anything that will not pass through security.
Do not talk about the case. The hallway outside a Van Nuys courtroom is full of witnesses, alleged victims, and officers. Anything you say can be repeated. Do not contact the alleged victim, and do not post about the case. Our guides on what not to say to police and whether you can talk your way out of charges apply to the courthouse just as much as to the traffic stop.
Hire counsel before, not after. The most productive work in a criminal case happens between arrest and arraignment: preserving surveillance video before it is overwritten, obtaining the 911 recording, documenting injuries, and sometimes speaking with the filing deputy. If you were arrested last night, that window is short. Gramling Law Group offers flat-fee criminal defense and limited-scope options so you know the cost before the first court date.
Ask about diversion early. Many first-time misdemeanors filed at Van Nuys qualify for judicial diversion under Penal Code section 1001.95, which lets the judge pause the case for up to 24 months and dismiss it on completion, even over the prosecutor's objection. Mental health diversion under Penal Code section 1001.36 and military diversion under Penal Code section 1001.80 are also raised at or soon after arraignment. See our companion guide to misdemeanor diversion under Penal Code 1001.95.
What Happens After the First Court Date
Pretrial conferences. In a misdemeanor, the case moves to one or more pretrial conferences where the prosecutor makes an offer and the defense raises problems with the evidence. Motions to suppress under Penal Code section 1538.5 are common in drug and DUI cases from Valley traffic stops; see our guide to 1538.5 motions. Cases that do not resolve are set for jury trial.
Felony track. In a felony, the preliminary hearing follows arraignment, and if the judge finds probable cause you are arraigned again on an information in the trial court. Offers in felony cases frequently improve after a strong preliminary hearing, and some cases are reduced to misdemeanors at that stage. Our guide to what makes a criminal case weak describes the pressure points prosecutors respond to.
Records later. Cases that end in dismissal after diversion or a not guilty verdict can often be sealed under Penal Code section 851.91, and convictions can frequently be dismissed later under Penal Code section 1203.4 using form CR-180. See how to expunge a criminal record in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer for my first court date at Van Nuys?
Yes, and ideally before it. Arraignment is where release conditions, protective orders, and time waivers are set, and where a pretrial diversion request can first be raised. If you cannot afford counsel, tell the judge and the court will refer you to the Los Angeles County Public Defender or an alternate public defender if there is a conflict. A private attorney can appear for you on most misdemeanors under Penal Code section 977.
What should I plead at arraignment in Van Nuys?
Not guilty, almost always. A not guilty plea preserves every option and triggers discovery under Penal Code section 1054.1. You can change the plea later if an acceptable resolution is reached. Pleading guilty at the first appearance without reviewing the evidence gives up defenses you may never learn about.
Will I go to jail at my first court date?
Usually not if you are already out of custody. The court generally continues the existing release unless there are new facts, and In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135 requires the judge to consider ability to pay and nonfinancial conditions before setting bail you cannot afford. Domestic violence, violation of a court order, and new offenses while on release are the situations where custody at arraignment is a real risk.
How long does the first court date take?
Plan on the morning. Check-in, the calendar call, and the arraignment itself can take two to four hours depending on how many cases are on the calendar and whether in-custody matters are heard first. The hearing itself often lasts only a few minutes once your case is called.
Can my case be dismissed at the first court date?
Rarely, but sometimes no case is filed. Dismissals at arraignment are uncommon because the judge has not yet seen the evidence. What does happen is that the prosecutor declines to file, files a lesser charge, or agrees that the case is a candidate for diversion under Penal Code section 1001.95. Dismissals typically come later, after a suppression motion, a preliminary hearing, or completed diversion.
What if my court date is at a different Los Angeles courthouse?
The process is the same. Arraignments at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles, the Pomona, Long Beach, Torrance, Compton, and Pasadena courthouses, the Airport Courthouse, and the Antelope Valley courthouse in Lancaster follow the same statutes, though local calendars and diversion practices vary. Confirm the courthouse and department on the Los Angeles Superior Court website and read what happens next in California criminal court.
Gramling Law Group defends misdemeanor and felony cases at the Van Nuys Courthouse, the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, the Pomona, Long Beach, Torrance, Compton, and Pasadena courthouses, and the Antelope Valley courthouse in Lancaster, as well as the Riverside Hall of Justice, the San Bernardino Justice Center, and the Orange County justice centers, serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Southern California. Daniel Gramling, Esq. offers flat-fee criminal defense and limited-scope options for arraignments, pretrial motions, diversion requests, and trial. 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.
Related Guides From Gramling Law Group
Learn more about our criminal defense practice serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, and Southern California.
Gramling Law Group defends clients at the Van Nuys Courthouse and throughout the San Fernando Valley. See our Los Angeles criminal defense page, our Glendale and Burbank criminal defense page, our Santa Clarita criminal defense page, and our Inland Empire criminal defense guide.
Gramling Law Group
3600 Lime St, Bldg 2, Riverside, CA 92501
Phone: (909) 654-4575
Serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and all of Southern California except San Diego in family law and criminal defense.
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