Downey Courthouse Los Angeles

Once you enter the Downey courthouse the clerk’s office is located down the hall to the right after getting through security. Put your belt back on, find your keys and cellphone and get ready to wait in line. Downey uses the same system as many other courthouses and jails in Los Angeles County, color coded lines! If you want the traffic clerk wait in the blue line, if you want the criminal clerk go red, if you want the civil clerk go yellow.

Note these are not the actual colors utilized by the Downey courthouse so don’t email us saying we got it wrong, it’s just an example people. Like every other courthouse in California, the longest line is for the traffic clerk. Be prepared for wait times in excess of one hour.

If you have a failure to appear, warrant, or license hold for an old traffic citation, do not wait in the regular traffic line. You will be waiting in line for over an hour, only to be told that the clerk can’t do anything with your ticket and you need to get in the GC Services line. Once you get over there they will tell you they can’t let you see a judge, show proof, or go to traffic school, they are simply there to accept your payment in full, any questions get back in the one hour line.

If you manage to make it into court be ready for a busy traffic calendar in department 1. The staff of the traffic court does their best to keep the calendar moving along but we are talking about several hours per appearance. If you have a criminal matter, check in at the clerk’s office to find out which division upstairs has been assigned your case.