Whether an arrest happens in downtown Stockton, along Highway 99 in Lodi, in the growing suburbs of Manteca, Tracy and Lathrop, or out in the Delta, the criminal case is heard by the Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin. Cities here do not run their own criminal courts. Around 2000, California merged its municipal and superior courts into one trial court per county, so this court takes everything from traffic misdemeanors to capital murder. Its main building is the Stockton Courthouse, 180 E. Weber Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202, where the Criminal Department occupies the second floor and the criminal clerk can be reached at (209) 992-5691. Lodi to the north and Manteca to the south each have a branch that hears criminal cases too:

• Stockton Courthouse, 180 E. Weber Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202: the county’s central criminal courthouse, handling felony and misdemeanor arraignments, preliminary hearings and jury trials. Criminal clerk: (209) 992-5691
• Lodi Courthouse, Department L-1, 217 W. Elm Street, 2nd Floor, Lodi, CA 95240: criminal calendars for the Lodi area, along with small claims and civil harassment. Criminal clerk: (209) 992-5521
• Manteca Courthouse, 315 E. Center Street, Manteca, CA 95336: criminal and traffic matters for the south county. Criminal and traffic clerk: (209) 239-1316

The notice to appear or the court’s online case search will tell you which building and department to report to. Through October 30, 2026, the court has temporarily shortened clerk counter and phone hours to 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on weekdays. Open the San Joaquin charge group below to trace a case from arrest to the end.

A citation, not a jail booking, is how most San Joaquin County misdemeanor cases begin. A deputy or officer fills out the ticket, the person signs to show up, and the court date is usually set in Stockton, Lodi or Manteca depending on where the incident occurred. Anyone who is taken to the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp and held there has to see a judge within 48 hours, a period that does not include Sundays or holidays. Charging decisions for misdemeanors across the county, including arrests by the Stockton, Tracy and Lodi police, are made by the San Joaquin County District Attorney.

At arraignment, the court reads the complaint, takes a plea (typically “not guilty”) and sets release conditions. Counsel is part of that first hearing: when a person facing possible jail time lacks the money for a private lawyer, the court appoints the San Joaquin County Public Defender, at no charge, since the state ended fees for appointed defense. On many small charges, the defendant need not personally attend because the lawyer can appear on his or her behalf.

Next come pretrial conferences, and that is where most San Joaquin cases are settled by plea, by dropping to a smaller charge, or by dismissal. The court can also order misdemeanor diversion, which leads to dismissal once the person completes counseling, treatment or classes; DUI, domestic violence and offenses that carry sex-offender registration are not eligible. The court’s collaborative courts offer treatment-focused paths for some defendants as well. If a case is tried, it goes to a 12-member jury. Someone held in French Camp may insist on trial within 30 days, and someone free within 45 days, though those rights are frequently waived.

Six months and a $1,000 fine is the ceiling for most of these charges, and a few can mean a full year. Far more often, San Joaquin judges order probation, fines, service hours or classes. Plan on one to several months for the case.

The San Joaquin District Attorney brings every felony, and concentrated at the Stockton Courthouse on Weber Avenue. Anyone held at French Camp must be arraigned on the felony charges inside 48 hours. At that hearing the judge addresses bail, and the California Supreme Court’s 2021 In re Humphrey decision requires the judge to consider the person’s ability to pay before setting an amount. In re Kowalczyk (2026) also requires San Joaquin judges to keep money bail within reach.

For defendants without the means to retain an attorney, the Public Defender’s Office on South San Joaquin Street in Stockton is appointed from the first appearance. When a conflict, like a co-defendant already on its books, keeps that office out, the judge uses Court Assigned Counsel, which provides private attorneys for those defendants.

A preliminary hearing comes within 10 court days, unless his lawyer gives up that limit, as the court’s preliminary hearing to decide whether enough evidence exists to require a trial. Occasionally prosecutors obtain a grand jury indictment instead, which eliminates the preliminary hearing. If the case moves on, he is arraigned a second time on a filing called an “information,” and trial must begin within 60 days unless time is waived. Most felony defendants do waive time, and plea deals settle far more San Joaquin felonies than juries do.

After a conviction, San Joaquin Probation writes a report for the judge, and the sentencing date is generally held within 20 court days of the verdict. Thanks to California’s 2011 realignment, plenty of lesser felony terms are now served at French Camp, not in a state prison. “Wobbler” crimes can start as misdemeanors or be cut down to one along the way. San Joaquin felonies often take many months, and some go past a year.

Custody is often the first thing that sets these cases apart. California’s constitution allows no-bail holds on violent and sex-assault felonies, but only on clear and convincing evidence that release would likely mean grave harm to others. So many of those charged with such crimes in San Joaquin County remain at the French Camp jail until the case is over. The court steps themselves mirror any felony: arraignment, preliminary hearing or indictment, and trial in Stockton.

All three crimes are strikes under state law. A defendant with one strike already on his record faces twice the usual term, and one with two faces as much as 25 years to life. At least 85% of the prison term is served by anyone convicted of a violent felony.

• Murder: second-degree murder is punished by 15 years to life, first-degree by 25 years to life. A murder with “special circumstances,” like one during a rape or robbery, brings death or life with no parole. San Joaquin’s prosecutor makes the call on seeking death, but no one in the state has been put to death under the hold that began in 2019.
• Armed robbery: the base robbery term tops out at nine years. A firearm adds 10 years if used, 20 if fired, and 25 years to life if it causes great bodily injury, though judges have been allowed to strike these enhancements since 2018.
• Rape: eight years at most, longer with aggravating facts, and listing on the top sex-offender registry tier.

The Public Defender assigns experienced trial lawyers to homicide and other serious cases, and a death-penalty case must have two specially qualified defense lawyers. Marsy’s Law gives San Joaquin victims hearing notices, a chance to speak before sentencing, and repayment of losses, with help from the District Attorney’s victim-witness staff. Most of these prosecutions run between one and three years, and five years or longer for many murder prosecutions.

• Stockton courthouse: 180 East Weber Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202 · 209-992-5691
• Lodi branch: 217 West Elm Street, Lodi, CA 95240 · 209-992-5521
• Manteca branch: 315 East Center Street, Manteca, CA 95336 · 209-239-1316
• Juvenile justice center: 535 West Mathews Road, French Camp, CA 95231 · 209-992-5698

Federal crimes from Stockton, Lodi and Tracy are prosecuted in Sacramento by the Eastern District of California. A magistrate judge at Sacramento federal courthouse, 501 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 handles the first step; Pretrial Services and a detention ruling follow. Marshals: U.S. Marshals Service, 501 I Street, Suite 5600, Sacramento, 916-930-2030.

Stockton judges don't change the case for a detainer. SB 54 controls release; ICE gets a date only after a serious or violent conviction. Ask defense counsel about status before a plea. ICE: San Francisco ICE field office, 630 Sansome Street, Room 590, San Francisco, CA 94111, 415-365-8800; sites:

• Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center: 425 Golden State Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301
• Golden State Annex: 611 Frontage Road, McFarland, CA 93250
• California City detention site: 22844 Virginia Boulevard, California City, CA 93505

• San Joaquin County Inmate Search: county jail.
• VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/): statewide.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/): federal; pretrial 916-930-2030.
• CDCR Inmate Locator (https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/): prison.
• ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/): A-number or name and birth country; 415-365-8800.

Call the criminal clerk at 209-992-5691 with the case number before driving to Stockton, Manteca or Lodi. Ask which courthouse, department and start time. If he is still held at French Camp, the 24-hour jail line, 209-468-4562, can confirm transport.

Sheriff's deputies serve them alongside the city police in Lodi, Manteca, Ripon and the county seat. One call to the Sheriff at (209) 468-4400 settles whether a name is wanted here or anywhere else in California. To read the case, use the Superior Court's case management search. The courthouse clerk at 180 East Weber Avenue handles new dates. With counsel, you can surrender at the jail complex, 7000 Michael Canlis Boulevard in French Camp, or request a recall and skip the booking line.