Court Questions
How can I find my court date/hearing/location?
https://portal.scscourt.org/search
How do I get directions or a phone number for a specific courthouse?
What happens at the first court appearance?
A defendant will go to court within a few days of their arrest if they are still in custody (and within 60 days if they are out of custody). This 1st court appearance is called an arraignment.
The defendant will learn what crimes they are being accused of committing and the judge will decide whether to release the individual from custody or set bail if they are still in custody. A future court date will then be set.
An attorney from the Public Defender will be there to represent people who are in custody but have not hired an attorney.
Our staff assist with this process by preparing reports for the court about the defendant. These reports help a Judge decide whether to release someone and with what conditions of release. Our staff may also be present during this hearing to answer questions from the Judge.
How can someone get out on O.R after they were denied a release at Arraignment (the first court appearence)?
The Defense attorney handling the case can make a further motion(s) for O.R., Supervised O.R. release and/or bail reduction. Please consult with the defense attorney for further information.
Are the Court hearings open to the public?
Yes.
How do I find out who my Public Defender or Alternate Defender is?
Public Defender: https://pdo.santaclaracounty.gov/home
Alternate Defender: https://ado.santaclaracounty.gov/home
Can Pretrial Services answer legal questions for me?
No. You must speak with your attorney.