The Long Beach courthouse handles traffic tickets, DUI cases, civil matters, and criminal law issues. This is a high-volume courthouse and like all things run by the government, it’s going to take you hours if you need to go there. To avoid the hassle associated with a trip to the Long Beach courthouse, you may want to consider hiring a Los Angeles Attorney to appear on your behalf
Located near the Southern tip of the 710 freeway south of downtown Los Angeles, the Long Beach Courthouse serves the greater Long Beach area. Traffic getting in and out of downtown Long Beach can be terrible. It really doesn’t matter what time you are going; you can count on it taking you a while to get there. The 710 provides the most direct route, but if you are coming from the South you can also exit from the 405 or take the 22 West till it ends and turns into 7th street.
There is a lot right next to the court that charges in excess of $10 a day for parking. Parking in the area is more difficult than ever due to the ongoing construction for the new Long Beach courthouse. In years past, the vacant lot where the new courthouse is currently being built was the best option for cheap parking. You had to park in the dirt, but it was close and cheap, or sometimes even free. That’s over now so be prepared to pay to park or be prepared to do some walking.
Security is tight so you are looking at a long line to get through a metal detector. Be prepared to remove everything from your pockets and remove your belt. Prohibited items include lighters, cameras, and anything that could be perceived as a weapon. It seems like people would be prepared for this in a post 911 world, but somehow people end up going through the metal detector to the Long Beach Courthouse with illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons, and other illegal items. These people are literally walking themselves into custody.
The final battle is locating the right line for your needs at the Long Beach Courthouse whether it’s the traffic clerk’s window, GC Services, the criminal clerk, the health office for DUI program referrals, one of the courtrooms, or any of the numerous clerk’s offices hidden throughout the Long Beach courthouse. If you are looking for the traffic clerk, head for the 2nd floor and look for the long line of angry people. Before you go, you may want to consider reading this blog post from a California lawyer who practices in the Long Beach Traffic Court on a regular basis.
