Eviction Defense Resources by County Southern California
If you are a tenant facing eviction in Southern California, the information on this page is specifically for you. The unlawful detainer process varies by county — each county has its own courthouse locations, filing procedures, and local rules that affect how your case will proceed.
Tenant Eviction Defense serves tenants throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County. Below you will find county specific information about the unlawful detainer process, courthouse locations, and resources available to tenants in each county.
If you have received an Unlawful Detainer Summons in any of these counties call our office immediately at: (657) 510-6534.
Our staff is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to discuss your situation and help you understand your rights and options.
Orange County Eviction Defense Resources
Orange County is one of the most active counties in Southern California for unlawful detainer filings. If you are a tenant facing eviction in Orange County it is critical that you understand your rights and the specific procedures that apply to your case.
All Unlawful Detainer cases in Orange County fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Justice Center Courthouse in Santa Ana, California. Hearings and trials for Unlawful Detainer cases are primarily held in departments C61, C62, and C66. Departments C61 and C62 hold hearings and trials for Unlawful Detainer Cases where the amount sought by the plaintiff is under $35,000.00. Department C66 holds hearings and trials for Unlawful Detainer Cases where the plaintiff seeks damages of $35,000.0 or more. If there is an overflow of Unlawful Detainer Matters the Court may assign your case to a different department.
The department that serves as the venue to your Unlawful Detainer Case may be found on the first page of your Unlawful Detainer Summons and also the first page of your Unlawful Detainer Complaint. The contact information for the Courthouse, and the contact information for Departments C201, C2102, and C66 is as follows:
Central Justice Center Courthouse 700 West Civic Center Drive Santa Ana, CA 92701-4045 (657) 622-6878
Department C61: (657) 622-5261
Department C62: (657) 622-5262
Department C66: (657) 622-5266
Unlawful Detainer Records are sealed for 60 days from the date of filing CCP § 1161.2 & AB 2819. However, the Central Justice Center Courthouse offers online access to Unlawful Detainer Records only to the parties on the case (the plaintiff and defendant) within the 60 day period during which the records are sealed.
To access the copies of documents filed, and the records of all actions that have taken place for your case online you may follow this link to the Central Justice Courthouse Online Case Access System.
After selecting the link above select “Accept Terms” near the bottom of the webpage. On the following page select the option for “Unlawful Detainer.” A form will expand with spaces for inputting the case number, the names of the plaintiff and defendant, and the address to the property that is subject to the Unlawful Detainer Case.
Important Note: You must input the case information (the names of the parties and the address that is subject to the case into the online form exactly as the information is stated on the first page of your Unlawful Detainer Complaint for the online system to recognize and locate your case. If any spelling, capitalization, punctuation, or abbreviation alters from how the content is stated on the first page of the Unlawful Detainer Complaint the online system may not locate your case. If the online system can not locate your case after you enter the case information on the form exactly as it is stated on the first page of the Unlawful Detainer Complaint it is possible that the Court clerk may have input the case information into the Court’s online system differently than how the case information is stated on the Unlawful Detainer Complaint.
Orange County Tenant Protections: Several cities within Orange County have enacted local tenant protection ordinances that may provide additional rights beyond state law. These include just cause eviction protections and rent stabilization ordinances in certain cities. Call our office to discuss whether any local ordinances apply to your specific situation.
Tenant Eviction Defense proudly serves tenants throughout Orange County including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Orange, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Mission Viejo, and surrounding cities.
Los Angeles County Eviction Defense Resources
Los Angeles County has the highest volume of unlawful detainer filings in California. If you are a tenant facing eviction in Los Angeles County it is essential that you act quickly and understand the specific procedures and tenant protections that apply to your case.
If you believe that an Unlawful Detainer may have been filed against you, but you have not yet received service of an Unlawful Detainer Summons you may consider visiting the Courthouse with jurisdiction over your Unlawful Detainer case to collect a copy of your Unlawful Detainer Summons and Complaint. You may determine which Los Angeles County Courthouse presides over the zip code where your residence is located by referring to this chart.
Los Angeles County Courthouse Locations for Unlawful Detainer Cases:
Stanley Mosk Courthouse 111 North Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90012
Inglewood Courthouse One Regent Street Inglewood, CA 90301
Compton Courthouse 200 West Compton Blvd., Compton, CA 90220
Long Beach Courthouse 415 West Ocean Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90802
Norwalk Courthouse 12720 Norwalk Boulevard Norwalk, CA 90650
Pasadena Courthouse 300 East Walnut Street Pasadena, CA 91101
Santa Monica Courthouse 1725 Main Street Santa Monica, CA 90401
Torrance Courthouse 825 Maple Avenue Torrance, CA 90503
East Van Nuys Courthouse 6230 Sylmar Avenue Van Nuys, CA 91401
All Courthouses listed above are open Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m..
Unlike Orange County, The Los Angeles County Courts do not provide online access to Unlawful Detainer Cases until 60 days after the case has been filed. To gather information about your Unlawful Detainer Case in Los Angeles County you must either call the Los Angeles County Courts Civil Division Call Center or visit the Courthouse presiding over your case in person.
If you would like to speak with a Court Clerk regarding your Unlawful Detainer Case on the telephone you may call the Los Angeles County Courts Civil Division Call Center at: (213) 633-6333. Follow the prompts to connect to a Civil Division Court Clerk. The Court Clerk will require that you provide the names of the plaintiff and defendant, in addition to the address of the property that is subject to the Unlawful Detainer Case, and the Case Number. Without providing these three items of information the Court Clerk will not discuss any information related to the case with you over the telephone.
The names of the parties, the address subject to the Unlawful Detainer Case, and the Case Number may be found on the Notice of Unlawful Detainer that the Court mails to you within 2 or 3 days after the plaintiff files their Unlawful Detainer. This information may also be found on the first page of the Unlawful Detainer Complaint (Form UD-100)
If you believe that an Unlawful Detainer may have been filed against you, but you have neither received a Notice of Unlawful Detainer in the mail from the court, nor have you received service of an Unlawful Detainer Summons, you may consider visiting the Court that presides over evictions that are filed in the zip code where your residence is located (determined by referring to the LA Zip Code Table for Unlawful Detainer Cases). If you visit the Court in person, and provide your name and address to a Court Clerk, the Clerk will search their database for your Unlawful Detainer Case and then discuss information about the case with you and release a copy of the Unlawful Detainer Summons and Complaint to you without your having to provide the clerk with your case number.
Los Angeles County Tenant Protections: Los Angeles County and many of its cities have some of the strongest tenant protection ordinances in California. The City of Los Angeles has its own Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) which provides significant protections for tenants in rent controlled units. The County of Los Angeles also has a just cause eviction ordinance that applies to unincorporated areas of the county. Additional local ordinances exist in cities including Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Inglewood, Pasadena, and others. These local protections may significantly affect your rights and your landlord's ability to evict you. Call our office to discuss whether any local ordinances apply to your specific situation.
Tenant Eviction Defense proudly serves tenants throughout Los Angeles County including the cities of Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Arcadia, Artesia, Avalon, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Bradbury, Burbank, Calabasas, Carson, Cerritos, Claremont, Commerce, Compton, Covina, Cudahy, Culver City, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, El Monte, El Segundo, Gardena, Glendale, Glendora, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, Huntington Park, Industry, Inglewood, Irwindale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Puente, La Verne, Lakewood, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Maywood, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, Norwalk, Palmdale, Palos Verdes Estates, Paramount, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Marino, Santa Clarita, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, Temple City, Torrance, Vernon, Walnut, West Covina, West Hollywood, Westlake Village, and Whittier.
Riverside County Eviction Defense Resources
Riverside County is one of the fastest growing counties in California and has seen a significant increase in unlawful detainer filings in recent years. If you are a tenant facing eviction in Riverside County it is critical that you understand your rights and the specific procedures that apply to your case.
Unlawful Detainer cases in Riverside County are filed at the courthouse closest to where the rental property is located. There are six courthouse locations that preside over Unlawful Detainer cases in Riverside County:
Corona Courthouse 505 S. Buena Vista, Room 201 Corona, CA 92882
Moreno Valley Courthouse 13800 Heacock Street, Building D #201 Moreno Valley, CA 92553
Southwest Justice Center 30755-D Auld Road Murrieta, CA 92563
Banning Justice Center 311 East Ramsey Street Banning, CA 92220
Blythe Courthouse 265 North Broadway Blythe, CA 92225
Palm Springs Courthouse 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
The Courthouses listed above are open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
To discuss your Unlawful Detainer case with a Court Clerk over the telephone you may call the Riverside County Courts Civil Division Call Center at: (951) 777-3147 between the hours of 7:30 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Riverside County Tenant Protections: California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act applies to many rental units throughout Riverside County, providing just cause eviction protections and annual rent increase limits for qualifying tenants. Several cities within Riverside County have also enacted additional local tenant protection ordinances. Call our office at (657) 510-6534 to discuss whether state or local tenant protections apply to your specific situation.
Tenant Eviction Defense proudly serves tenants throughout Riverside County including Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Temecula, Murrieta, Palm Springs, Hemet, Perris, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Indio, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, Banning, Beaumont, and surrounding cities.
San Diego County Eviction Defense Resources
San Diego County is home to more than three million residents and has one of the most active rental housing markets in California. If you are a tenant facing eviction in San Diego County it is critical that you understand your rights and act quickly — the deadline to respond to an Unlawful Detainer Summons is among the shortest in the state.
San Diego County Courthouse for Unlawful Detainer Cases:
All Unlawful Detainer cases in San Diego County are filed in the Civil Business Office at the Hall of Justice, Central Division.
Hall of Justice — Central Division 330 West Broadway, Room 225 San Diego, CA 92101
Effective November 3, 2025, the Unlawful Detainer courtroom was relocated from the 5th floor, Department 501, to the 2nd floor, Department 201.
Civil Business Office Phone: (619) 450-7276. The Civil Business Office phones are answered between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.
The Courtroom where most Unlawful Detainer Hearings and Trials are held is Department 201, on the 2nd Floor.
More information about Unlawful Detainer Cases in San Diego County may be found by selecting this link to the Tenant Frequently Asked Questions section of the San Diego County Courts website.
San Bernardino County Eviction Defense Resources
San Bernardino County is the largest county by area in the contiguous United States and encompasses a diverse range of communities from the Inland Empire to the High Desert. If you are a tenant facing eviction in San Bernardino County it is critical that you understand your rights and the specific procedures that apply to your case.
San Bernardino County Courthouses for Unlawful Detainer Cases:
Unlawful detainer cases in San Bernardino County are filed at the courthouse that serves the area where the rental property is located. The following courthouse locations preside over Unlawful Detainer cases in San Bernardino County:
San Bernardino Justice Center 247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415
Civil Clerk's Office: (909) 708-8678
The San Bernardino Justice Center Courthouse presides over all San Bernardino County Unlawful Detainer cases where the plaintiff is seeking $35,000 or more in combined damages against the tenant/ defendant.
Unlawful detainer matters are heard in the Civil Division of the San Bernardino Justice Center in Departments S-17, S-22, S-23, S-24, S-25, S-27, S-28, and S-29, Monday through Friday beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Fontana District Courthouse 17780 Arrow Boulevard Fontana, CA 92335
The General Civil Department phone line for Unlawful Detainer and Small Claims Matters is: (909) 350-9322. TheDepartments that hear Unlawful Detainer Case Hearings and Trials at the Fontana District Courthouse are Departments: F6, F7, and F8. The phone lines for these departments, and the General Civil Department phone line for Unlawful Detainer and Small Claims Matters, are answered from 8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Their phone numbers for Departments F6, F7, and F8 are listed below.
Department F6: (909) 320-5158
Department F7: (909) 320-5149
Department F8: (909) 320-5153
The Fontana Courthouse presides over Unlawful Detainer Cases where the property owner is seeking less than $35,000 of damages and the property subject to the case is located in one of the following cities: Fontana, Rialto, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Chino Hills, Upland, Montclair, Colton, San Bernardino, Redlands, and Yucaipa.
Barstow District Courthouse 235 East Mountain View Street Barstow, CA 92311
Unlawful Detainer Department B1: (760) 718-3731
Small Claims/Landlord Tenant: (760) 718-3734
Serves: Barstow, Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Adelanto, Phelan, Oak Hills, and surrounding High Desert communities.
Joshua Tree District Courthouse 6527 White Feather Road Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Unlawful Detainer Departments: F6, F7, and M4
Department M4: (760) 974-3007
General Information: (760) 974-3047
Serves: Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Landers, Pioneertown, and surrounding communities.
San Bernardino County Tenant Protections: California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act applies to many rental units throughout San Bernardino County, providing just cause eviction protections and annual rent increase limits for qualifying tenants. Call our office to discuss whether state or local tenant protections apply to your specific situation.
Tenant Eviction Defense proudly serves tenants throughout San Bernardino County including San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Victorville, Rialto, Chino, Chino Hills, Upland, Colton, Redlands, Yucaipa, Hesperia, Apple Valley, Adelanto, and surrounding cities.
Updated June 3, 2026.