What to expect at the Glendale Courthouse in a civil case

Our office is on Brand Boulevard, a short drive from the Glendale Courthouse, and many of the disputes described on our civil litigation page begin with the same question: will this case be heard in Glendale or somewhere else in Los Angeles County? This page explains what the Superior Court's own directory says about the Glendale Courthouse today, how the court decides where a civil case is filed, and what a visit looks like. Court details change, so confirm room numbers and hours with the court before you go.

How does a civil case reach the Glendale Courthouse, step by step?

1. Pick the case type. Every new civil case is filed with a Civil Case Cover Sheet (Judicial Council form CM-010) and the Los Angeles court's addendum, form LASC CIV 109, which lists each case type with the reasons that allow it to be filed in a given district.
2. Choose the filing location. On CIV 109 the filer circles the reason for the courthouse chosen, such as where the cause of action arose, where the defendant lives, or where the property is, and enters the address that supports it. The filer then certifies the district under Code of Civil Procedure section 392 and following and Local Rule 2.3.
3. File and serve. Under California Rules of Court, rule 3.110(b), the complaint must be served on every named defendant, and proof of service filed, within 60 days after the complaint is filed.
4. Watch the response deadline. A defendant generally has 30 days after service to respond, and the parties may agree without a court order to one 15-day extension (rule 3.110(d)). Our page on how long you have to respond to a lawsuit in California explains how to count those days.
5. Case management conference. The court sets an initial case management conference and must give notice at least 45 days before it, unless it orders otherwise (rule 3.722(a), (b)). Each lawyer and each self-represented party must appear, in person or remotely, and be ready to discuss the case (rule 3.722(c)).
6. Trial setting or resolution. The court reviews whether the case should go to alternative dispute resolution or be set for trial (rule 3.722(a)).

What does the court's directory say about the Glendale Courthouse?

The same directory lists a family law courtroom (Department 5) and criminal and traffic departments on the first and second floors, plus a criminal clerk, a traffic clerk and a Sheriff's office. The court also lists court reporter, interpreter, self-help and accessibility services, and public Wi-Fi in the building.

Which civil cases are filed in Glendale and which go elsewhere?

The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is one court with many courthouses. Form LASC CIV 109 (revised April 2026) gives eleven reasons a case may be filed in a particular location, and the reasons allowed depend on the case type:

• Contract disputes. Breach of contract cases list reasons 2 and 5: the Central District, or the place where performance was required or the defendant resides. Our guide to deadlines to sue for breach of contract or property damage covers the time limits that apply before you file anywhere.
• Employment cases. Wrongful termination and other employment complaints list reasons 1, 2 and 3: class actions at Stanley Mosk, otherwise the Central District or the place where the cause of action arose. An appeal from a Labor Commissioner award is filed by the location of the Labor Commissioner office that heard it (reason 10), which our page on the Labor Commissioner's Los Angeles-area offices explains.
• Personal injury. Auto, premises and other injury cases list reasons 1 and 4: class actions at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, otherwise where the injury, death or damage occurred. The Glendale civil clerk's listing expressly excludes personal injury cases, so injury lawsuits are handled through other offices; our Glendale personal injury page explains where those claims start.
• Hub cases. Unlawful detainer (eviction) cases and limited civil collection and non-collection cases have a mandatory filing location (reason 11), so a limited civil case from Glendale may be assigned to a hub courthouse rather than to Glendale. Evictions are also governed by Code of Civil Procedure section 392(b), which sends them to the court location that hears that type of case nearest or most accessible to the property. The court's unlawful detainer ZIP code table assigns every Glendale ZIP code, including La Crescenta (91214), to the Pasadena Courthouse at 300 East Walnut Street; see how fast an eviction case moves in Los Angeles County.
• Class actions. They must be filed in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in the Central District (reason 1), as our page on the Stanley Mosk Courthouse describes.

A "limited" civil case is one where the amount in controversy is $35,000 or less, not counting attorney fees, interest and costs (Code of Civil Procedure section 85). Cases above $35,000 are unlimited civil cases, the kind the Glendale civil clerk's office lists.

What about small claims from Glendale?

Small claims court lets you sue a person, business or government agency that you think owes you money, and the court's small claims page says you can generally sue for up to $12,500, or up to $6,250 if you are a business. Those limits come from Code of Civil Procedure sections 116.221 (natural persons) and 116.220 (other parties). Lawyers may not represent parties at the small claims hearing (section 116.530), and a corporation appears through a regular employee, officer or director rather than a hired representative (section 116.540).

The court's directory lists the Glendale Courthouse for civil, family law, criminal and traffic cases and does not list a separate small claims office there, so do not assume a Glendale small claims case will be heard at 600 East Broadway. The courthouse for a small claims case depends on the court's filing rules for small claims; check the court's small claims pages or call the clerk before filing. Our comparison of small claims and hiring a lawyer for a dispute in Los Angeles County helps you decide which path fits the amount and the complexity of your dispute.

What is a visit to the courthouse like?

Plan for the building, not just the hearing. The court lists these practical details for Glendale:

• Security. Every visitor goes through security screening, so allow extra time. Weapons, recording devices and cameras are not allowed without prior authorization, and food and drinks are not allowed in the courtrooms.
• Parking. The courthouse lot is for employees. Use metered or unmetered street parking around the building, and do not park at City Hall for court business.
• Getting there by shuttle. The court's juror instructions describe the Beeline Route 4 shuttle, which runs every 15 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., boards at Harvard and Louise next to the Glendale Library, and stops at Glendale and Broadway, directly across from the courthouse.
• Accessibility. The ADA liaison is in Room 159. Ramps enter from Isabel Street at the front and from the Glendale Avenue side at the back, and accessible restrooms are on the second floor in the annex by the Department 5 courtroom.

What if a civil case in Glendale goes to a jury trial?

Jurors for the Glendale Courthouse are selected from the jurors summoned to the Burbank Courthouse and may be reassigned to Glendale after orientation, according to the court's juror information. Glendale is a "One-Trial" court: a prospective juror is on call for five days, and service ends when the trial ends or when the juror is not selected that day. Juror parking is validated only at the Marketplace parking structure at 120 South Artsakh Avenue. For the parties, the practical point is that trial planning starts at the case management conference, and the court manages most general civil cases toward disposition goals of 75 percent within 12 months, 85 percent within 18 months and 100 percent within 24 months of filing (rule 3.714(b)). Our article on the civil litigation process walks through the stages between filing and trial.

What changes the answer?

The type of case

CIV 109 assigns different filing reasons to each case type, so a contract case, an employment case and an injury case from the same Glendale address can belong in different places. The reasons are not a free choice: the filer must certify the district under Code of Civil Procedure section 392 and following and Local Rule 2.3.

The amount in controversy

At $35,000 or less, a case is a limited civil case under Code of Civil Procedure section 85, and limited collection and non-collection cases are hub cases with a mandatory location under CIV 109. Above that line, the case is unlimited and follows the case-type reasons. At $12,500 or less for a person, or $6,250 for most other parties, small claims is an option (sections 116.221, 116.220).

Where the property or the dispute is

Actions about real property, including evictions, are tied to where the property is located (section 392). For other cases, the place where the contract was to be performed, the defendant's residence, or the place the cause of action arose can each support a filing location, as CIV 109 lists.

Whether the case is a class action

Class actions must be filed at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in the Central District (CIV 109, reason 1), wherever the parties live, and no address is required on the form for them.

A worked example

For example, imagine a hypothetical Glendale small business owner who hired a contractor to remodel a storefront on Brand Boulevard. The written contract called for the work to be done at the Glendale location, the contractor lives in Glendale, and the owner believes the unfinished work cost about $60,000 to correct.

Because the amount is over $35,000, the case would be an unlimited civil case under section 85. A breach of contract case lists reasons 2 and 5 on CIV 109, so the owner could file in the Central District or where performance was required or the defendant resides, which here points to the Glendale area. If the owner instead claimed $9,000, the case would be a limited civil case, and the hub rules on CIV 109 could send it to a different courthouse; and with a claim of $6,000, small claims would generally be open to the business under section 116.220. The owner would also check the written contract for an attorney fees clause, which our page on recovering attorney fees in a contract case explains, and the time limit for suing. None of this predicts who wins; it shows how the case type and the amount decide where the papers are filed.

Common mistakes with the Glendale Courthouse

• Assuming every Glendale case is heard in Glendale. Personal injury, hub cases and class actions often belong elsewhere under CIV 109.
• Using an outdated limited civil figure. The ceiling is $35,000 under section 85, exclusive of attorney fees, interest and costs.
• Missing the 60-day service rule. Proof of service on every defendant is due within 60 days after the complaint is filed (rule 3.110(b)).
• Parking at City Hall. The court tells visitors not to; use street parking and allow time for security.
• Bringing a camera or recorder. Recording devices and cameras are not allowed without prior authorization.
• Ignoring the case management notice. The conference is mandatory, and the court expects each party to be ready to commit to a position on the issues.

What to do this week

1. Write down the type of dispute, the amount at stake, and the address where the problem arose or the property is located.
2. Compare that information with the case types and reasons on form LASC CIV 109.
3. If you were served, count the response deadline from the date of service and calendar it.
4. If you are suing, calendar the 60-day deadline to serve every defendant and file proof of service.
5. Before any visit, call the clerk or check the court's directory for current room numbers and hours.
6. Gather the contract, letters, photos and receipts, and consider our questions to ask before hiring an attorney.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Glendale Courthouse?

At 600 East Broadway, Glendale, CA 91206, according to the court's directory. The building is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the Clerk's Office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except court holidays.

Can I file a personal injury lawsuit at the Glendale Courthouse?

The Glendale civil clerk's office is listed for unlimited civil cases excluding personal injury. Injury cases are filed where the injury occurred or, for class actions, at Stanley Mosk, under CIV 109; our page on how long an injury case takes in Los Angeles County covers what happens after filing.

Is the Glendale Courthouse where employment lawsuits are filed?

An employment case may be filed in the Central District or where the cause of action arose, so a case from a Glendale workplace may qualify for the Glendale area. Our Glendale employment lawyer page explains the agencies that usually come first.

Can I attend my hearing remotely?

The court's LACourtConnect service allows remote attendance at most hearings, and rule 3.722(c) allows remote appearance at a case management conference as rule 3.672 provides. Read your notice and the department's instructions.

What if I receive a settlement offer before trial?

A formal statutory offer can shift costs if you reject it and do no better at trial. Our page on turning down a 998 settlement offer explains the rule.

Is a verbal agreement enough to sue on?

Often yes, with a shorter time limit than a written contract, but some agreements must be in writing. See whether a verbal business agreement is enforceable in California.

How can Glendale Law help?

We handle civil disputes for individuals and businesses in Glendale and across Los Angeles County, and we can explain where a case belongs and which deadlines are already running. Call (818) 244-9000 or request a consultation.