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Central Courthouse
San Diego County's consolidated downtown courthouse — criminal, probate, family, appeals and administration for the Central Division, blocks from the jail where the bond is actually posted.
Table Of Contents
Courthouse Overview
What Central Courthouse handles and who it serves.
Hours & Contact
Calendar days, counter hours, and the 24-hour jail window.
Reviews
What San Diego County families say about working with us.
Bail Options & Charges
What a bond costs and the charges we handle.
Parking & Directions
Getting there, screening, and what to bring.
Departments & Case Types
Arraignment, misdemeanors, felonies, and traffic.
How To Post Bail
The legal framework and the practical steps.
Nearby Jails
Where the bond is actually posted.
Related Courthouses & Cities
Other San Diego County court locations and the cities served here.
Courthouse FAQs
Straight answers to the questions we get most.
Central Courthouse — The county's consolidated Central Division courthouse
Central Courthouse opened in late 2017 and is the largest project funded under the state's Senate Bill 1407 court construction program. It is a full-service consolidated facility handling criminal, probate, family court, appeals and administration for San Diego Superior Court's Central Division.
The Central Division covers crimes in central San Diego city itself. Traffic matters for the same division are heard at Kearny Mesa rather than here, and the Hall of Justice sits alongside this building as part of the same downtown court complex.
The practical point for a family: the courthouse and the jail are two different transactions. The hearing happens here on a weekday calendar. The bond is posted at San Diego Central Jail on Front Street, at any hour, and does not wait for the court to open.
At A Glance
- Address
- 1100 Union St, San Diego, CA 92101
- Opened
- Late 2017 — the largest project funded under California's SB 1407 court construction program
- Case Types
- Criminal, probate, family court, appeals and court administration
- Division
- Central — crimes in central San Diego city itself
- Nearest Jail
- San Diego Central Jail, 1173 Front St — a few blocks away
- Related Locations
- Hall of Justice (same complex) and Kearny Mesa (traffic for this division)
Hours & Contact
Court Calendar
Monday to Friday, excluding court holidays. Departments start at different times — the notice to appear prints the department and the time.
Public Counter
Weekday business hours. San Diego Superior Court does not publish an identical counter schedule for every location, so call before making the drive.
Weekends & Holidays
Closed. No filings, no counter, no hearings.
Jail Release Window
The Sheriff's detention facilities process bail around the clock, including every hour this courthouse is dark.
Contact
- Court information: See sdcourt.ca.gov for the current department and phone directory
- 1100 Union St, San Diego, CA 92101
- A closed courthouse does not stop a release. A bond posted at 2am on a Sunday is posted — the courthouse simply is not part of that transaction.
- If someone is arrested Friday evening and no bond is posted, the first appearance generally waits for the next court day. That is the single biggest reason families post before the hearing rather than after it.
- Court holidays follow the court's own list, not the federal one. Check sdcourt.ca.gov before assuming a Monday is open.
What We Have Not Confirmed
- — San Diego Superior Court is one unified trial court. Which location hears a case depends on where the arrest happened, not which jail the defendant was booked into — and a felony can be reassigned to another courtroom in the county for trial.
What Families Say
“Our son was booked downtown on a Saturday and the courthouse was closed until Monday. They posted the bond that night and explained exactly which courthouse the case would be heard at.”
Marisol R. · San Diego County, CA
“I had no idea the jail and the courthouse were two different places in two different cities. One phone call and they handled all of it. No office visit, everything signed from my kitchen table.”
David K. · San Diego County, CA
“Straight answers about what it would cost before I paid anything, and they put the court date in writing so we could not miss it. That mattered more than anything else.”
Angela T. · San Diego County, CA
Bail Options & Charges We Handle
California bail premiums are set by statute under Insurance Code §1800 and run 10% of the face amount of the bond. Qualifying cosigners can start with as low as 1% down on a written payment plan.
| Bail Amount | 10% Premium | As Low As 1% Down |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $500 | $50 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 | $100 |
| $25,000 | $2,500 | $250 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 | $500 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $250,000 | $25,000 | $2,500 |
DUI / DWI Bail Bonds
24-hour bail for drunk-driving arrests under Vehicle Code §23152.
Domestic Violence Bail Bonds
Bail and protective-order guidance for PC §273.5 and §243(e)(1) cases.
Drug Possession & Drug Charge Bail Bonds
Bail for possession, sales, trafficking, and prescription-related cases.
Theft Bail Bonds
Bail for petty theft, grand theft, shoplifting, and receipt of stolen property.
Burglary Bail Bonds
Bail for first-degree, second-degree, and auto burglary under PC §459.
Robbery Bail Bonds
Bail for armed and unarmed robbery charges under PC §211.
Warrant Bail Bonds
Clear bench warrants and arrest warrants fast without unnecessary jail time.
Elder Abuse Bail Bonds
Bail for financial, physical, or neglect-based elder abuse charges.
Manslaughter Bail Bonds
Bail for voluntary, involuntary, and vehicular manslaughter under PC §192.
Murder Charge Bail Bonds
Bail for first-degree and second-degree murder charges under PC §187.
Misdemeanor Bail Bonds
Bail for misdemeanors with quick release and flexible payment plans.
Felony Bail Bonds
Bail for felony charges and serious criminal allegations.
Traffic & Vehicle Code Bail Bonds
Bail for reckless driving, hit-and-run, and suspended-license arrests.
Assault & Battery Bail Bonds
Bail for simple battery, assault, and aggravated assault cases.
Failure To Appear (FTA) Bail Bonds
Bail for FTA warrants and missed court dates.
Probation Violation Bail Bonds
Bail for technical and substantive probation violations.
Weapons Charge Bail Bonds
Bail for illegal firearm, concealed carry, and weapons allegations.
Federal Charge Bail Bonds
Bail for federal court charges and pretrial release.
Immigration Bonds
Bonds for ICE detainers and immigration court proceedings.
Parking & Directions
Getting There
1100 Union Street sits in the downtown San Diego civic core, between Broadway and C Street, walking distance from the Hall of Justice and the County Administration Center. Metered street parking fills early; the paid downtown structures are the reliable option.
Security Screening
Every San Diego Superior Court location is a secured building — everyone passes through weapons screening at the entrance. Arrive early enough that the line is not the reason a hearing is missed.
What To Bring
Photo ID, the notice to appear or case number, and any paperwork the court sent. If you are meeting us to sign bond paperwork, we tell you exactly what we need before you leave the house.
Confirm Before You Drive
The court's own case index at sdcourt.ca.gov is the authoritative source for the next date and department. A third-party records site is not. Confirm there, or call us and we will confirm it for you.
Departments & Case Types
Arraignment
The first appearance. Charges are read, a plea is entered, and a judicial officer reviews the bail figure set at booking — leaving it, raising it, reducing it, or granting release on own recognizance.
Misdemeanor Calendars
Most misdemeanor cases assigned to this location are heard, tried and resolved here from arraignment through disposition.
Felony Preliminary Hearings
The hearing where the court decides whether the case proceeds. Bail is frequently revisited here, particularly if the charges change.
Felony Trials
San Diego Superior Court is one unified trial court. A felony filed in one division can be assigned to a courtroom elsewhere in the county depending on trial availability.
Traffic & Infractions
Vehicle code matters, including the cases that can carry a bail figure and a warrant if they are ignored.
Warrants & Failure To Appear
A missed appearance can produce a bench warrant the same day and a forfeited bond. There is a statutory window to bring a defendant back before forfeiture becomes a judgment against the cosigner.
How To Post Bail For A Central Courthouse Case
Bail Is Set At Booking
Under California Penal Code §1269b, the county bail schedule sets an amount at booking, before anyone sees a judge. That is the figure a bond is written against.
Penal Code §1269bThe Court Can Change It
Penal Code §1270.1 requires a hearing before release on certain serious charges, and the judge can raise, lower, or set conditions at arraignment.
Penal Code §1270.1The Premium Is Regulated
Insurance Code §1800 governs bail premiums in California. Ten percent of the bond, with as low as 1% down for qualifying cosigners on a written plan.
Insurance Code §1800Ability To Pay Matters
In re Humphrey (2021) requires courts to consider whether a person can actually afford the amount set, and Article I §12 governs when bail can be denied outright.
In re Humphrey (2021)Bail can be denied entirely in a narrow set of cases under Article I, §12 of the California Constitution. In every other case there is an amount, and an amount can be bonded.
Nearby Jails — Where The Bond Is Posted
A bond is filed at the facility physically holding the defendant, not at the courthouse. In San Diego County that is a Sheriff's Department detention facility — most often San Diego Central Jail downtown, where booking and release run around the clock.
San Diego Central Jail
1173 Front St, San Diego, CA 92101
The county's downtown intake jail, a short walk from the downtown court complex. Most adult male arrests in the central part of the county are booked and released here.
Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility
451 Riverview Pkwy, Santee, CA 92071
The county's women's facility. Women arrested anywhere in San Diego County are generally housed here regardless of which courthouse hears the case.
George F. Bailey Detention Facility
446 Alta Rd, San Diego, CA 92158
A large housing facility on the Otay Mesa complex. People are usually moved here after intake rather than booked here first.
Central Courthouse Bail FAQs
Can I post bail at Central Courthouse?
No. A bond is posted at the Sheriff's facility physically holding the defendant — usually San Diego Central Jail, Vista Detention Facility or Las Colinas — not at the courthouse. The courthouse is where the case is heard.
How do I confirm my case is really at this courthouse?
The notice to appear names the courthouse and the department. If you do not have it, the court's own case index at sdcourt.ca.gov is the authoritative source. In San Diego County the venue follows where the arrest happened, not which jail the defendant ended up in.
What does a bail bond cost in San Diego County?
California bail premiums are regulated under Insurance Code §1800 and run 10% of the face amount of the bond. Qualifying cosigners can start with as low as 1% down on a written payment plan.
Should we wait for the hearing to see if the judge lowers bail?
Usually not. Waiting means days in custody for a reduction that may not come. Posting first means the defendant is home for that hearing — and if the judge does reduce bail, they were released for the days in between rather than sitting in a cell.
What happens if a court date here is missed?
The court can forfeit the bond and issue a bench warrant the same day. There is a limited statutory window to return the defendant to court before forfeiture becomes a judgment against the cosigner — call us immediately rather than waiting.
Is the courthouse open at night or on weekends?
No. San Diego Superior Court runs a weekday calendar and closes for court holidays. The jails do not. A bond can be posted at any hour, and release does not require the courthouse to be open.
What is the difference between Central Courthouse and the Hall of Justice?
They are two buildings in the same downtown complex, a few blocks apart. Central Courthouse is the newer consolidated building opened in 2017; the Hall of Justice on West Broadway operates alongside it. The notice to appear names which one.
Talk To A Licensed Agent Right Now
We answer around the clock, we tell you what it costs before you pay anything, and we put the next court date in writing so nobody misses it.