Orange County Harbor Justice Center Newport Beach Courthouse

Orange County Harbor Justice Center and Newport Beach Courthouse Information – including what you need to know if you have to go to Court in Newport Beach.

The OC Courthouse in Newport Beach was built in 1967 as part of the Orange County Superior Court system.  It has 14 courtrooms. Its average daily pedestrian traffic is 2,406 persons entering and exiting the currently one entrance to the courthouse.

The Court in Newport Beach handles DUI cases, and other criminal cases, from any arrests within the following cities:

• Irvine
• Newport Beach
• Mission Viejo
• Laguna Beach
• Laguna Niguel
• Laguna Woods
• Rancho Santa Margarita
• Foothill Ranch
• Corona Del Mar
• Monarch Beach
• Dana Point
• Costa Mesa (DUI cases before March 2013 only)

Harbor Justice Center Traffic Cases

This court has exterior traffic windows, which reduce the number of people entering the court, and makes it easy to pay fines, get information, and have the court provide a copy of documents without having to wait in the security check line.

Harbor Justice Center Parking

Parking is free.  There is a lot attached to the courthouse.

Your Court Appearance in the Newport Beach Courthouse.

If you have been arrested for DUI and are appearing at the Harbor Justice Center, you will typically be given a court date on a document, for your arraignment.

Arraignment

Your arraignment will be in Department H-8, upstairs on the second floor of the courthouse.  

Department H-8 is run by Judge Brett London, who only does arraignments.  He will attempt to make an offer to settle your case and resolve it on the first court date.  After your arraignment, your case proceeds to pretrial.  In that department, you will be required to check in and will be given an information sheet with your rights.

For Second Time (or more) DUI cases

For a second time DUI case, or any multiple offender DUIs, the court requires arraignments to be in Department H-4, Judge Matthew Anderson (as of 2017). Judge Anderson runs the Orange County DUI Court for this location.

Pretrial

Misdemeanor pretrials are all heard in Department H-1, upstairs on the second floor of the Newport Beach Courthouse.

Department H-1 runs as the master calendar, or “air traffic control” for all misdemeanor cases.  Most of your appearances through the case process will be here.

Harbor Justice Center Trials

If you have a case that has already been set for a trial at a previous date by a judge, then misdemeanor trials start in H-1, where they can be assigned to any courthouse in the courthouse, or anywhere in Orange County. H-1 does not do trials but instead assigns them elsewhere.

Persons Held in Jail for their Court Date in Newport Beach: If you are in court for a case where someone is in custody, they are usually held in the custody of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on the first floor and brought up to court when ready, as needed by the court.

Approximately 2,000 or more inmates are transported, by bus, to the Harbor Justice Facility each month from various Orange County Jail facilities. The holding facility at the Harbor Justice Facility has a rated capacity of 253 inmates. However, those in custody are required to be kept separated (by gender, by ethnicity, gang affiliations, health, or protective custody), and as a result, the Newport Beach Court detention facility cannot safely hold more than 150 inmates.

Only the lawyers and attorneys that are a member of the California Bar Association and members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department are allowed to visit persons in custody in the courthouse.

Orange County Harbor Justice Center Newport Beach Courthouse

The address to the courthouse is as follows:

Harbor Justice Center

4601 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(657) 622-5400 

Newport Beach Courthouse Parking is available for free, and parking is available in the courthouse lot, or anywhere on the streets as allowed near the courthouse.

The list of telephone numbers for the courthouse is available here: http://www.occourts.org/locations/general-phone.html

The Orange County District Attorney has an office on the first floor of the courthouse building.  The phone number is (714) 896-7261.  Website: Orange County District Attorney Harbor Justice Center

The Orange County Public Defender’s Office is in the same building near the DA’s office. (714) 896-7281.  Website: Orange County Public Defender Harbor Justice Center

There is a Victim’s and Witnesses Office in the Newport Beach Courthouse also, which can help victims or those testifying, with questions and support.  Phone: (714) 896-7188, Witness Coordination: (714) 934-4634.  Website: Orange County Victims Services Harbor Justice Center

Orange County Harbor Justice Center Court Newport Beach Courthouse Children’s Court

The courthouse has a “Children’s Court”, which is a Children’s Waiting Room, that provides free child care at the Harbor Justice Center.  The flyer above from the court states, “Does your child need a safe, fun place to stay while you handle courthouse business?  We offer:

• Professionally trained staff
• Engaging educational activities
• Your kids can play while you conduct court business
• Safe and secure environment.

The instructions are as follows:  “Obtain a referral from the court department bailiff or the help desk near the front entrance.  Age 2 1/2 to 16 years old.  Children must be fully potty trained (no diapers or pull ups).  Snacks provided.”

The hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., and from 1:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Earthquake Safety: The Newport Beach Courthouse has received a Seismic Rating Level V, mainly because of its skylight roof construction and its plaster ceilings.

Our office is across the street from this courthouse.  If you need to speak with a DUI lawyer in Orange County that has years of experience in the Orange County Newport Beach Courthouse, contact our firm or call us anytime at (949) 682-5316.