Criminal Court

Appearing in Court

Court appearances are mandatory.

If you fail to appear, a bench warrant can be issued for your arrest.  If you are released on bail, you may forfeit your bail or bond.  The Court may impose a $300 civil assessment fee pursuant to Penal Code section 1214.1. Remote appearances are allowed in some cases.

Adding or Changing a Court Date

If you wish to add or change a court date, contact your attorney. If you do not have an attorney, please call the Criminal Division Clerk's Office at the appropriate court location for assistance.  If you posted a bail bond, you may want to contact the bail company as well.

What to Wear in the Courtroom

For courtroom appearances, the following rules are enforced:

• Upon entering the courthouse, everyone must pass through metal detection/weapon screening.
• Plan to dress as you would for a business meeting. Shirt and shoes are required. 
• Cell phones and electronic communications devices must be turned off in the courtroom.

Documents to Bring to Court

Please bring the following items with you when you come to court:

• Proper Identification (driver's license, passport, or other photo identification)
• Copy of citation
• Notice of Hearing or courtesy copy of hearing letter
• Bond Receipt, cash bail receipts, et cetera
• Jail release paperwork
• Sentencing order, probation order
• Money to pay fines, fees, and restitution

If a warrant for your arrest has been issued, you may contact the courthouse that issued the warrant for instructions on how to clear the warrant or you may contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.

If you are a victim of or a witness to a crime, and you have reason to request that the defendant have no contact with you, you may seek a criminal protective order in court.

The judge will review the appropriate documents and if there appears to be good cause, the judge will, on its own motion and/or at the request of the District Attorney's Office, order the issuance of a protective order to protect the victim(s) and/or witness(es) in the case. 

The arresting agency is notified of the issuance of the protective order and the automated warrant system is updated with information from the protective order.

If you have further questions about criminal protective orders, please contact the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

Fines, including restitution fines, are due on the date set by the Court. 

The judge may either order you to pay your fine by a specific date or will grant you monthly payments.  Fines that are paid by monthly installments must be paid directly to Central Collections.  Fines must be paid on time.

If you are ordered to pay your fine to the Court, you must pay the fine in person or by mail at the court facility you appeared in.  You may pay by cash, check, money order, or cashier check.  Please do not mail cash.  Make checks payable to the Clerk of the Superior Court and include your court case number on your check.

If you have questions, please contact your attorney, probation officer, or the Criminal Clerk's Office.

Victims of crime may be entitled to restitution under certain circumstances. 

If you are a victim of a crime in which you may be owed restitution, please contact the Alameda County District Attorney's Office to determine your options. 

If you are a victim of a crime in which restitution was ordered, you may contact the Alameda County District Attorney's Office or your own attorney for assistance.

If you have been ordered to pay victim restitution and have questions, please contact your attorney or probation officer before contacting the Court.

The California Penal Code allows some defendants that meet certain requirements to file a petition for dismissal/expungement. 

Please note that even if the Court orders dismissal/expungement, it may still count as a prior felony offense.

The local form, Petition for Dismissal pursuant to 1203.4, can be obtained from any court location.  The petitioner may be ordered to pay for it.  If you have questions, please check with your attorney.

The federal and California state governments are jointly promoting the expansion of "drug treatment courts." Drug courts combine the close supervision of the judicial process with resources available through alcohol and drug-treatment services. The goals are to reduce recidivism of drug-related offenses and to create options within the criminal justice system to tailor effective and appropriate resources to offenders with drug problems.

For more information, contact the Alameda County Superior Court Drug Court Services Office at (510) 272-1216.

Visit the Alameda Collaborative/Treatment Court webpage.

Please view Records page on this site.

The clerk must charge fees for the cost of providing copies and doing record searches to help pay for the Court's cost of doing business per Government Code section 680. Fees for these services are detailed in the Fee Schedule.

For fee information regarding motions to set aside bail forfeiture/motions to set aside summary judgment, please see the Court's Fee Schedule.

1. Judicial Council of California
   Website of the Judicial Council of California. This link takes you to the California judicial branch website. Once there, choose "Self Help Center" on the main menu for statewide rules and forms.
2. Superior Court of California County of Alameda Local Rules
   Current local rules for the Superior Court of Alameda County.

New Forms Adopted for Petitioning to Reduce a Felony to a Misdemeanor. 

For persons who have already completed their sentences: CRM-051; New Form Adopted for Petitioning to Reduce a Felony to a Misdemeanor Under Penal Code Section 1170.18 (aka "Proposition 47"). For more information and to obtain the new form, click here. 

Prop 47 classifies certain crimes as misdemeanor reduced from a felony, unless the defendant has prior convictions for murder, rape, and certain sex offenses or certain gun crimes. 

Orders regarding Genetic Marker Typing 

Defendants in criminal cases may be ordered to submit two (2) blood samples and one (1) saliva sample for the purpose of Genetic Marker Typing pursuant to Section 296 of the Penal Code.  Samples will be obtained in a medically approved manner.  If the defendant is in custody, samples will usually be taken before the defendant is released. 

If the defendant is out of custody, the defendant should report to the Alameda County Sheriff's Criminalistics Laboratory (2901 Peralta Oaks Court, 3rd Floor, Oakland) with a copy of the order from the judge on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM.  Please note that you must arrive by 3:00 PM to ensure time for sampling.  The Sheriff's Office will conduct the prescribed sample collection for all qualifying out of custody defendants. 

For more information, please contact the Alameda County Sheriff's Office at (510) 382-3300 (main). 

Prop. 64: The Adult Use of Marijuana Act

Effective November 9, 2016, Proposition 64 (the Adult Use of Marijuana Act) legalizes specific personal use and cultivation of marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older. 

The Act also: 

• reduces criminal penalties for specific marijuana-related offenses for adults and juveniles; 

• authorizes resentencing or dismissal and sealing of prior, eligible marijuana-related convictions; and 

• provides for the regulation, licensing, and taxation of the legalized use and cultivation of non-medical marijuana. 

Forms 

The Judicial Council of California is developing forms for Prop. 64-related applications, including petitions and applications for:

• dismissal and sealing, 

• re-sentencing, and  

• re-designating specific marijuana-related offenses. 

See Form CR-403

See also: Overview of Proposition 64: The Adult Use of Marijuana Act.

Please visit California Courts Criminal Law page for more information.

California Courts Self-Help on Criminal Law