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    East County Courthouse Public Defender

    4.0 (1 review)

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    2 years ago

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    San Diego Superior Court East Division - Courthouse

    San Diego Superior Court East Division

    2.8(39 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    Tried to pay my ticket online several times and every single time I get an server issue telling me…read moresession has timed out and to try again, i literally typed my info in less than 3 mins what the hell do you mean session timed out. I live several hours away from San Diego and can't just drop everything to attend the court so it's just real great to know that I might end up with a warrant because of there terrible servers Heaven forbid somebody drives 10 over the speed limit on an empty high way

    In my opinion I feel that my experience with my current divorce case is everything I have heard…read moreabout how horrible Family court systems are. Judges, lawyers and legal staff are purveyors of truth and they are supposed to be ethical and follow professional standards per the state bar. I was originally going to mediation with my ex but then she suprisingly hired a lawyer name Willim Benjamin who quickly changed our situation from amicable to nasty, dishonest smears and allegations and subordination of perjury. This guy has been a lawyer for over 40 years and in my opinion he is treated much differently in Judge Bell's E-05 courtroom than others. These guys filed for divorce July 2023 which is clearly over two years with no end in sight. In my opinion Mr. Benjamin has many reviews about the way he drags on simple cases because it is a constant source of money and for some insane reason all of our money from the sale of our house is in a trust account with this guy which makes me have to request my own money every month which hasn't gone too smooth due to all the games this guys plays. Last year we attempted to negotiate in good faith and conceded all things they wanted including money that my ex put in for a ADU. I only requested my down payment on my house back and to valuate my ex's business which was community and I offered for them to take the business and I would take the small part of my retirement she was entitled to and we could resolve this. No way was their answer. Mr. Benjamin claimed that the business was worth 0 and was just swap meet/yard sale material which was super dishonest. He claimed my ex was a one man team which also was untrue because while she was telling us that and lying in court about what she pays for mortgage she was actually building up a medical group with her colleagues and sharing the lease together. She and Mr. Benjamin then made up a lie about why the down payment was hers so they denied my request for my money back. So these two areas that Mr Benjamin wanted to not negotiate in good faith then headed to trial the next year. This should have been resolved by accepting our fair offer for the business and giving me my downpayment, which I have supporting evidence for. On day 1 of trial Mr. Benjamin and my ex show up with 0 evidence or anything supporting their claims except more lies.In my opinion this is where Judge Bell and his unprofessional and unethcial behavior begins. while I was on the stand Judge Bell began to attack me and refer to me has liar and that he couldn't visualize anything I am saying as the truth. Judge Bell continued this attack on me and did all the litigating for Mr. Benjamin. In fact Mr. Benjamin never asked me one question about this down payment sitatuion that they were lying about. Since he didn't have any evidence he bought the transcript and rested the next day from asking me anything about the downpayment. In my opinion he now had what he needed, a transcript where the Judge decided to have a viral moment and change the direction of the case instantly. While Judge Bell attacked me on the stand for thinking I was lying, which I was the only person in that courtroom not lying. I began to have a tramatic physical reaction and began to sweat, spin, get dizzy, and want to throw up and Judge Bell began to attempt to walk his attack back but it was too late. The damage was done. My lawyer at the time was super nervous about the case and she kept telling me that Mr. Benjamin is allowed to lititgate differently. I didn't know what she was talking about until it began to be obvious that Mr. Benjamin is treated much differently than others. Judge Bell allows Mr. Benjamin a very long leash and was super polite to him as was the courthouse clerk who nearly jumped out of her seat to welcome Mr. Benjamin, say good morning which was very strange. In my opinion I am not sure if Judge Bell also should check his bias towards other men of different races because he treated me so disrespecful and unethically. So Judge Bell attack on me directly benefitted Mr. Benjamins subordination of perjury where his client was lying and he knew it and put her on the stand anyways. In my opinion when a lawyer will ignore all standards and lie and cheat and put their repuatation on the line for a client it usually shows some sort of conflict of interest and I am not sure if that is in the court or outside of court with my ex's family. I feel that both Judge Bell and Mr. Benjamin need to have multiple complaints filed on them and I am going to do that. I feel that what Judge Bell did was over the top and unethical that wasn't the only thing this guy pulled in his courtroom and not the only scandelous act Mr. Benjamin continues to pull in our case. This Judge began to have a side conversation with a document guy who walked in while I was giving testimony. I stopped talking and he yells, I am listening? No one should walk in while I am on the stand.

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    San Diego Superior Court East Division
    San Diego Superior Court East Division
    San Diego Superior Court East Division - Actual cross streets for courthouse

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    Actual cross streets for courthouse

    Hall of Justice - Superior Court Judges

    Hall of Justice

    3.1(133 reviews)
    13.3 miDowntown

    I am currently updating my Review for this San Diego County Courthouse, Hall of Justice . I had to…read moreattend a hearing date on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 9 AM in Department 61. I was dressed in a professional business outfit and I also brought all of my personal documents with me to prove my case that I was really physically assaulted by this person named Richard G. his nickname is Travis. I also brought my witness her name is Michelle with me . She was properly prepared to testify for me regarding this court case. This person Travis has committed 2 crimes on me that have resulted in 2 Felony charges against himself. The first criminal charge is called Elder Abuse and the second charge is called Physical Assault with Elder Abuse. Travis is a former tenant who was renting out a room in this Aging and Independent Living House for (6 months). I am currently working as the House Manager and I also live at this location in San Diego, CA. I believe that Travis was taking these illegal drugs on the date this horrible incident happened to me in this house. I filed for a temporary Restraining Order against Travis to protect myself from him in him trying to attack me again at a later date. The owner also filed a permanent restraining order against Travis so he isn't allowed to enter her property at all. When I arrived at the San Diego Hall of Justice Building with my witness Michelle on October 5, 2025 at 9 AM in Department 61, I saw the courthouse chairs in the back was completely full with 100 people waiting for their cases to be heard by the judge. I had to check in first with this San Diego Sheriff who was sitting at the Check-In Desk at the front in the courtroom. I told him I have an 9 AM hearing with this judge that date. Afterwords, when I was checked in by this Sheriff Deputy. Me and Michelle sat on the left hand side in the first row in these comfortable padded chairs waiting for my name to be called by the judge. After I waited about one hour later, I was the 5th person's name that was called by the judge. The case was called Frances versus Travis is his nickname or Richard is his real name. Then this judge asked me "Frances are you ready to testify against Travis for your court case?" I said Yes your honor. Then I turned around and I saw that Travis was standing up at the very back of the courthouse with his stepfather Joe. The judge asked "Travis are you ready and prepared to plead this case against him?" The judge waited for Travis's response back . Then I saw Travis said with his very nervous voice that he wants a CONTINUANCE. That means Travis wants to push back and delay my Hearing Date for another month. The Judge said that Travis and everyone who is in his courtroom is allowed only one continuance per case. The judge also said that Travis and nobody is allowed to have a public defender or an attorney help someone defend them in court. Everyone has to present their evidence with witnesses and their proper documentation to him the judge. The judge said "Frances is it okay with me that Travis has asked him for a CONTINUANCE? " Then my response was Yes it's okay with me. But in my opinion It was not okay with me. I wanted to get this hearing over with that date. The Judge set up another court hearing date on Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 9 AM in Department 61. The location is at the same Hall of Justice Building location. I was very disappointed because Travis should have just pleaded guilty to his 2 felony crimes that he has committed to me on Friday September 5, 2025 . Now I have to wait again one month later to plead my court case . That's the reason I gave this review a (3 stars) as being okay. In my opinion, I believe that people like Travis should not delay the time in asking for a CONTINUANCE. Travis is guilty of the crime he has committed against me. Travis should have accepted his punishment by the judge instead of pushing back my Case until October 30, 2025. I Googled the Punishment for committing 2 Felonies against me on Physical Assault Charges. The punishment is serving time in a CA State Prison for 6 to 7 years and that person has to pay a $10,000.00 Fine to the victim for Restitution. I hope that Justice will be served on October 30, 2025. Travis needs to be punished for these charges he has committed against me

    This has to be one of the most inefficient businesses I've ever dealt with. They direct you to the…read moresmall claims legal advisory, where a lawyer filled out my paperwork, but used the wrong case number. It then took 2-3 months for them to mail it back to me. On top of that, the lawyer mistakenly filled out a box he shouldn't have, causing another 2-3-month delay. The third time I sent it in, they told me my fee waiver had expired after six months--something I wouldn't have had to deal with if they hadn't taken so long to return my paperwork. When I finally made it to the sheriff's office, they hadn't checked off a required box, forcing me to go upstairs for reprints, which added another 30 minutes to the process. Now, with new laws and protocols for bank levies, even the staff seems unsure about the procedures. While all the employees have been friendly and helpful, the overall government system is extremely disorganized, making the entire process frustrating and inefficient.

    Photos
    Hall of Justice - Escalator to go down to the first floor in the Hall of Justice Building,

    Escalator to go down to the first floor in the Hall of Justice Building,

    Hall of Justice - Hall of Justice

    Hall of Justice

    Hall of Justice - Photo in Hall of Justice Building.

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    Photo in Hall of Justice Building.

    Central Courthouse - Yay for jury duty... :(

    Central Courthouse

    3.6(49 reviews)
    13.2 miDowntown, Little Italy

    Jury duty was a good learning experience. The whole process was very well organized, and I felt…read moreproud to be doing my civil duty to give someone a right to a fair trial. I would want to be treated with that dignity. I was selected to be in an initial pool of 71 jurors for a long trial. We spent two days on the 19th floor, listening to the judge. Explain the law explain the charges, and then have detailed questions asked of each of us regarding our biases and the questions pertaining to the law and the trial itself. Then the prosecutor and the defense team asked us questions And they selected the 12 people plus for alternates on Tuesday. The two days that I spent there were worth it. There's a cafeteria on the third floor where the jury room is and you can get plenty of snacks there and fresh water. They give you plenty of breaks and sometimes the lunch hours can be really long, depending upon what The attorneys need. Our second day we had a 2 1/2 hour lunch break before we came back and they let all of us go that weren't selected. Plenty of time and places to eat lunch or you can bring your own and eat in their cafeteria or outside while you're enjoying your break. You can find parking for $15 a day or you can park a mile away and escape the meters and just walk in for free. And of course there's always public transportation if you have a lot of extra time on your hands. They also have a small lounge with vending machines with snacks and drinks and a microwave and a refrigerator for the daily use of all the jurors.

    I've seen some impressive disorganization in my life, but the San Diego County Courthouse really…read morewent for a high score today. First, they announce they are looking for jurors for a 20 day trial, naturally prompting about three quarters of the room to immediately file hardship forms. Shockingly, people with jobs, families, and functioning lives aren't lining up to disappear for a month. Who could have predicted that? Then, to really underline the tone deafness, we were treated to a CASA advertisement encouraging us to foster a child. Because clearly what every potential juror wants while they're mentally preparing for a three week trial is a moral nudge to take on parenthood. And just when you think it can't get more off key, they roll into 20 more minutes of recruitment ads trying to hire for the courthouse itself. At that point it felt less like jury duty and more like being trapped in a low budget career fair. The facilities didn't help their case either. The men's bathrooms were dirty, which is about the level of care you'd expect given everything else. And the cherry on top? The cafe on the third floor was closed until further notice. So even the bare minimum consolation prize of a coffee or snack was off the table. Overall, it was a master class in how to waste time, ignore common sense, and hope no one notices. Spoiler: we noticed.

    Photos
    Central Courthouse - WALL OF PHOTOS of SUPREME COURT JUDGES FOR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.

    WALL OF PHOTOS of SUPREME COURT JUDGES FOR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.

    Central Courthouse - View looking up from the light pole

    View looking up from the light pole

    Central Courthouse

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    Superior Court Family Law

    Superior Court Family Law

    2.8(16 reviews)
    12.7 miDowntown

    If you are a father and want to be in your child's life, going to family court in San Diego is the…read moreworst decision you can make. Unless you personally know a trustworthy family court lawyer, I would not recommend hiring any family lawyer from San Diego. They often work with the court against fathers. Women can lie to the mediators--who are most often women themselves--by claiming there has been violence or abuse without providing any proof. As a result, they may be excused from showing up, while those same lies are included in court documents to influence the judge. They are allowed to lie under oath in front of the judge, and even if you provide evidence proving they're lying, the judge often does nothing about it. There is so much illegal, unconstitutional, and unethical behavior happening--it's truly disgusting and exhausting, especially when you're a father simply trying to be involved in your child's life. I strongly urge any man to think carefully and make the right decisions before having a child. Let me know if you'd like to adjust the tone (more formal, more emotional, etc.) or tailor this for a review site like Yelp or Google.

    If you're going through a divorce, and a tax payer, read this review…read more The people at the Family Law court, SPECIFICALLY, are rude and disrespectful. DO NOT go there with any kind of expectation of being helped (especially if you're a male or identify as such). Unfortunately, going here to get a divorce is the only option. So this is really just a heads up. The people here are rude and act like they're not getting paid to be there to do a public service. Good luck!

    Photos
    Superior Court Family Law - No line

    No line

    Superior Court Family Law - On 6th Ave. heading south at Cedar St.  Family Court Building is red brick just past Cedar St. on left side of street.

    On 6th Ave. heading south at Cedar St. Family Court Building is red brick just past Cedar St. on left side of street.

    Superior Court Family Law - Front

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    Front

    East County Courthouse Public Defender - courthouses - Updated May 2026

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