Specialty Courts
Specialized Courts
Night Courts
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Mobile Municipal Court

In addition to extended weeknight hours, the court is open from noon-9 p.m. on weekends and holidays for filing DV petitions.

The court is considering expanding hours into the early evening (e.g. 6-7 p.m.) in another court located in a community with a significant commuting population. The thought is that "after work" court hours would be popular option for court customers in that community. Among the hearings being considered for "night court" are traffic, small claims, dissolution (uncontested divorce), routine uncontested adoption, and access for filing DV petitions.

The Superior Court of Maricopa holds Family Court and Juvenile Court proceedings on evenings and Saturdays. The court will hear and conduct decree on demand; support modification; support enforcement; parenting time enforcement; order of protection hearings; parenting conferences; child interviews; mediation; early resolution conferences; self-service center matters; educational seminars; supervised/neutral parenting time exchange. Employees who regularly work at the Night and Saturday Court are on a flex schedule. New positions approved and funded were a bailiff, court conciliator, judicial assistance, judicial clerk lead, judicial clerk associate, commissioner, and security officers. Judge pro tems may hear matters during these alternative hours. See the press release explaining the new hours.

Pinal County Justice Courts (Precinct 6 judge) holds night court.

Tucson City Court does not have night court, but does hold sessions Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Butte County Superior Court offers small-claims court one night each month.

Calaveras County Superior Court holds peer court one night/month.

Colusa County Superior Court holds peer court two nights/month.

Fresno County Superior Court holds small-claims court one night/month from May to September and one Saturday/month from October to April.

Inyo County Superior Court holds night court once a month.

Kern County Superior Court holds small-claims and traffic-metro divisions two nights/month.

Los Angeles Superior Court has night court in almost every district in at least one court. Court is usually held on Monday or Tuesday, and only once a week. A survey is currently being undertaken of night court hours and is expected to be completed in December 2003. Adoption Saturdays are held a few times a year, as well.

Madera County Superior Court holds night court one night a month.

Marin County Superior Court holds night court.

Modoc County held traffic court twice a month on Saturdays but stopped due to lack of interest. Peer court is held after 5:00 p.m. on as as-needed basis.

Napa County Superior Court holds night court.

Nevada County Superior Court holds peer court two nights/month.

Orange County Superior Court holds night court each Tuesday for traffic cases. Small claims are heard during night court once a month. There are no weekend hours.

Placer County Superior Court has peer court outside normal court hours.

Plumas County Superior Court hears adoptions outside normal court hours as needed.

Riverside County Superior Court holds night court one time/month at five locations: Blythe on third Wednesday of month; Corona on second Wednesday; Palm Springs on first Wednesday; Indio on first Tuesday; and Moreno Valley on third Wednesday. No weekend hours.

Sacramento County Superior Court holds traffic and small claims one night/month each, and peer court two nights/month. Annual adoption day held outside normal court hours.

San Diego holds night court:  East County, one time/week on Wednesdays; Chula Vista/South Bay, one time/week on Thursdays; North/Vista, one time/week on Thursdays; Central, Monday-Friday. The court holds a "Stand Down" on one weekend each year for old warrants.

 San Joaquin County Superior Court holds small claims one night/month and Adoption Saturday annually.

San Luis Obispo County Superior Court holds night court for small claims on the second Thursday of each month.  No weekend hours

San Mateo County Superior Court holds night court.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court holds night court for traffic cases on second Tuesday of each month and night court hours for small-claims/civil cases. No weekend hours.

Santa Cruz County Superior Court holds night court.

Sonoma County Superior Court holds night court.

Stanislaus County Superior Court holds small claims one night/month.

Tulare County noted that a night/weekend court was pending, but nothing had been implemented.

Tuolumne County Superior Court holds peer court in the evenings five times/year

Ventura County Superior Court holds night court at Ventura and Simi Valley locations.

Yolo County holds night court for small claims once a month.

Yuba County Superior Court began small-claims night on a trial basis in January 2003.

Arapahoe County Court holds small-claims court on Monday nights and Saturday mornings. However, the plan is to discontinue night court at the end of August 2003 due to budgetary deficiencies.

Denver County has night court.

Lakewood County closed all night court sessions at the municipal court as a cost-cutting measure. Night court had traditionally dealt with traffic violations.

The Justice of the Peace Court in Rehoboth Beach hears criminal cases via videophone from 8:00 a.m.-midnight.

Georgetown Justice of the Peace Court hears criminal cases (mostly misdemeanor and traffic) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Seaford Justice of the Peace Court operates from 8:00 a.m.-midnight.

Dover Justice of the Peace Court hears criminal and truancy cases 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Middletown Justice of the Peace Court (criminal and civil cases) is open later on Wednesdays, from noon-8:00 p.m.

Price's Corner Justice of the Peace Court hears criminal and truancy cases Monday-Saturday, 8:00 a.m.-midnight.

New Castle Justice of the Peace Court hears criminal cases 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Wilmington Justice of the Peace Court hears criminal cases 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Orange County’s night court program has been scaled back (from one night per week in each justice center to one night per month). This change in policy was agreed upon by the presiding judge and each of the outlying justice center supervising judges and is the result of the budget crisis the courts are currently facing. When the court’s money woes ease up at some point in the future (hope springs eternal) the night court sessions will be increased.

Clay County offers night court sessions for simple divorce cases.  Night court meets in evening sessions a few times each month.

The Cook County Circuit Court established night courts to deal exclusively with drug-related cases in response to an upsurge in drug arrests and a local legal culture that tacitly accepted delay in processing drug cases.

The Macon County Circuit Court is open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-noon.

Clark County District Court holds drug court proceedings one night each week from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. District Court also hears uncontested divorce matters one night monthly from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Las Vegas Justice Court hears traffic matters one night weekly from 5:00 p.m until 8:00 p.m.

Lacey Township Municipal Court has night court sessions on the first Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m.

Mountainside Municipal Court holds night court the last Wednesday of each Month at 5:00 p.m. 

Plainfield Municipal Court holds night court Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

Summit Municipal Court holds night court for first appearances the first Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m.

New York City Civil Courts have some after-hours arrangements. These are mostly the small claims offices and landlord/tenant offices; extended hours are usually into the early evening one night/week.

New York City Criminal Courts are open later for arraignments: Monday-Sunday, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.

In Wake County, the court heard victim-initiated cases such as domestic and neighborhood disputes that did not involve law enforcement. The cases were calendared separately Monday, Tuesday, and Friday in the daytime, and Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

In Buncombe County, night court replaced the “administrative court,” which handled first appearances for traffic and criminal matters. The night court heard misdemeanors and infractions, resolved representation issues, determined early dismissals or reductions in charges, and took pleas. Court was held Monday to Thursday evenings, but was later cut back to three days a week.

The AOC favorably evaluated the pilots in 1993. However, the Wake County court was discontinued. For more information, please contact Miriam Saxon at (919) 733-7107.

Akron Municipal Court Criminal and Traffic Divisions are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Canton Municipal Court holds night court the first and third Wednesdays of every month at 6:00 p.m. for minor misdemeanors.

Lakewood Municipal Court holds night court. Night court sessions are held the first and third Mondays of each month for landlord/tenant cases

Mahoning County, Ohio, operates night courts weekly in at least three of the four county area courts (misdemeanor criminal and small-claims civil jurisdictions).

New Philadelphia Municipal Court holds night court. Night arraignments are held Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 4:15 p.m. and continue until all cases are heard. However, the entrance is locked at 4:30 p.m.

Ottawa County Municipal Court holds night courts on the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m.

The Union County Common Pleas Court, located in Marysville, Ohio, holds night court. Judge Richard Parrott and his magistrate currently have three night court sessions per month. There is no cost for rent, employees are paid with comp time, and mileage is paid for the court reporter and judge (minimal). Litigants reportedly appreciate not having to take time off work to appear in court.

Xenia Municipal Court operates a night court from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., Mondays and Tuesdays. Jurisdiction is over traffic cases and criminal cases up to first-degree misdemeanors. Civil jurisdiction includes cases up to $15,000. Regular court hours re 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Youngstown Municipal Court still has an evening session (although it may be every other week now).

Douglas County Drug Court is in session two days a week and every other Tuesday night to accommodate those who are working, or in school, and serves approximately 100 clients at any one time.

Justice Court, Reedsport, Douglas County, Oregon, offered night court as an alternative to day court for traffic, both major and minor infractions, misdemeanor arraignments (maximum one year jail, $5,000 fine in Oregon). Few people used the night court. Night court ended a number of years ago, and the court has not had any inquiries about restarting it.

District 6 (Lebanon-Sweet Home) holds night court each Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the city of Lebanon.

The two Linn County Oregon Justice Courts regularly hold night court sessions for first appearances on violation and misdemeanor offenses. "Violations" are offenses punishable by fines only (primarily traffic offenses, such as speeding).

District 4A court (Central Linn Justice Court or Harrisburg-Tangent Justice Court) holds night court Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in Tangent.

Tillamook County Courthouse tried night courts for six months, once a month, but ended the project due to lack of interest from the public.  The project was publicized, and officers advised defendants of the option, but only two to three people/month, out of 700 tickets/month, took advantage.  Tillamook County has a population of 23,000.

Several jurisdictions in Pennsylvania operate limited jurisdiction night courts. In instances where they must preside over cases outside of their jurisdiction, their orders (usually) are only valid until the close of the next business day, and the case must be refiled in a court of general jurisdiction.

Lehigh County district justices are assigned to a rotating schedule of night court. The Pennsylvania Rules of Court require that a district justice be available at all times after the established business hours of the court of common pleas. A schedule indicates the on-duty district justice for nights, weekends, and holidays.

Texas Rural Legal Aid in Webb County proposed a night court program in May 2003. The court would be held once a month for a few hours in the evening, presided over by judges who would work on a rotating basis.

Houston Municipal Courts offer night court Monday through Friday from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m.; 12 (Thursday and Friday only).

Clark County District Court holds night court on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Traffic infractions are heard the second Monday of the month beginning at 5:00 p.m. The court implemented night court in July 2002 to allow extended accessibility to the public

Genoa City Municipal Court is held the second Wednesday of every month. Juvenile matters begin at 6:00 p.m.; pretrial begins at 6:30 p.m.; adult matters begin at 7:00 p.m.

Kenosha Municipal Court hears arraignments and pretrials the last Tuesday of the month starting at 5:00 p.m.

Milwaukee Municipal Court is open until 6:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday.

Shorewood Hills Municipal Court convenes once a month; court starts at 5:30 p.m. OW-related cases are heard starting at 6:30 p.m.