I was summoned for jury duty and then chosen as a member of the jury, so I was here for a few days…read morein a row. I honestly didn't have a bad experience at all. Parking is definitely a hassle. I got dropped off every morning, so that I didn't have to worry about parking. I do know that many people like the Alco park garage, but spots can fill up fast. When you first go in, there's security check. Nothing too crazy, but was told by a deputy to never bring metal forks in (if you were to pack your lunch), because security will stop you. I did pack my own lunch every day. If you needed a fork, you could go to the snack bar located lobby level. This was my first jury duty, so I didn't know what to expect. After security check, I went to a large room where I sat and wait. They played a video for us, and then had us fill out a questionnaire. The lawyers and judge then came down to speak to us a bit. You then have a chance to fill out a form in case of hardship, where the judge can excuse you. Everyone who is not filing for hardship goes upstairs to a courtroom and wait. A random number of people were then called to be questioned by both attorneys. This basically went on until both attorneys were okay with the panel. Now for my experience as a juror...it honestly wasn't that bad. I thought this was a great experience and very educational. My favorite part was definitely getting to know the rest of my fellow jurors. We had great conversations during breaks. Your experience is definitely depended on how you view being on jury duty. I hated missing work, but my fellow jurors made it fun. And the trial itself was nice to watch and take part of.

I got called in for jury duty and had to report at 8:30 am on a Thursday morning. Parking is…read morelimited so I took uber as I didn't have to worry about parking or car break in. When I arrived, you have to go to a metal detector like when you go to through airport security. Then there was a line to the jury assembly room. There is also a snack bar on the way to the jury assembly room. After about 2 hours of waiting in the assembly room, the judge came down to talk to all of us rather than in the courtroom to save time and gave us the details of the trial, which would last for 2 months, and if we couldn't attend for two months and it was a hardship, he asked those who couldn't commit to write a hardship request and he even posted the dates we would have to be in court. I had a hardship due to caregiving duties and a trip planned so I was excused for another year. We also had to complete a 10 page questionnaire rather than answering all these questions one by one verbally in front of the court. The process took the whole morning and expect to spend some time waiting for each step.

Wow.. super friendly and efficient service! I was really amazed at how happy and courteous everyone…read morewas! Did they all just get a raise today? I was here to get an extra birth certificate, and yeah you do have to wait a few minutes (10-15) but it's nothing like the DMV where you set up camp for a few days it seems! 1) Once through the double doors, meet with the friendly receptionist FIRST to get a form to fill out for the birth/death/marriage certificate or license you are trying to get. 2) Fill out the form, go back to the receptionist and give her your completed form. You'll then get a number. PRO TIP: Bring your own ID, and your own pen or pencil to fill out the form for a birth/death/marriage certificate! The tiny pencils here just barely get the job done. lol 3) Wait 5-10 minutes for your number to be called. 4) Go up to the window you are assigned and the clerks will get you what you need. On my way out, a different receptionist was just as friendly as the first one I met earlier! I'd never thought I'd say this, but Great job, Alameda County Clerks! Getting here: Super easy as it is just across the street from AC Transit bus lines. The Lake Merritt BART Station is just two blocks away. Street parking and a big county-run parking garage is next door too.

I'm pleasantly surprised with how easy it was so get a marriage license…read more We applied online, set up a zoom interview, and received our license in the mail with clear instructions on how to return. You're able to return it by mail but I wanted to hand it in so I can have the license right away. Parking can be a challenge but it's not too bad a block away from the building. The place is clean and organized. I came at around 930 on a Friday. Greeted quickly and handed a number. Sat for about ten minutes and had my license!

Nice little courthouse by the water. Friendly staff, easy security. It looks aged in the hallways…read morebut the court rooms are nice, renovated and modern.

Bring a coat and warm pants, I brought lightweight versions of each just in case and was still…read moreshivering, along with many others. They say to come at 8:30, but the only thing worth coming before that is to get parking in the small lot next to the courthouse. If you find yourself with extra time beforehand, there's a path and a beach just across the street. Airport style security does not involve removing shoes. They let me in with my salad and chopsticks without a second glance. Also my poi made it in, a performance art prop, that I take with me everywhere. If you're at the end of the line entering the building (because you were off on a fun walk and not standing in line for half an hour to enter the building), you may be told that the jury assembly room is full and that you'll had to wait outside on some benches. This happened to me. The sounds of voices down the hallway are semi muted and semi echoey. There's no explanation for what comes next, when you're sitting outside the room, just the instructions to wait outside the room. I haven't been to any other courthouse in the Bay Area, so I can't compare. I have to say, expectations have not been set appropriately for the 8 of us sitting outside the room right now. And we still have no idea of the time we are summoned for today. Some time later into orientation... the group of us waiting outside the room have been let into the room to stand. There was a long introduction speech that contained about 10% useful information. It felt like we were getting a review of the courthouses in Oakland (learned that it is 7$ parking over there). Now the TV / DVD isn't working and we're all sitting around while potential jurors volunteer to try to debug the system. 5 minutes and counting... the potential juror trying to help just slapped the DVD player... Apparently the video is just to tell us about the first day. If not selected for today, dismissed for 12 months. Otherwise, depends on judge and case. 3 hours after start time, I've effectively completed one questionnaire and now we are released until tomorrow morning. Day 2 update! Line up to enter at 8:40, get in at 8:50, they've run out of work slips. Told to wait outside jury summons room, attendant will collect us and bring us to court before 9am start time. 8:58am and attendant hasn't come, a group of us walk downstairs and enter courtroom just before 9am. Sometime around 9:10am, roll call is taken to figure out who the missing person is. Sometime later judge enters. Everyone stands, everyone sits. 9:40am: judge explained that they had to call in another pool of potential jurors and asks us to return 9am next day to be selected with the other pool, and dismisses us for the day. Why couldn't they just give us a call? There's only 20 of us left in the pool.

This organization is so defunct, it is beyond explanation…read more Got a ticket? Cool, try paying it... Gotta work with the city? As a sole proprietor or fortune 500? Get to the back of the que, which is five hours long... Oh, and our automated phone system? State of the art in 1997. It's a perfect labyrinth, there is no actual way out except hanging up on the minotaur after you starve yourself to death and give up in abject apathy... We like to think of ourselves as the personification of government irresponsibility. We have realized final metamorphosis of organization. We are perfection and YOU have no chance. One less cog in the wheel affects us none the less. Good luck and goodbye, ~Alameda City Hall

Hayward City Hall located at 777 B Street is the best place to go for Passport Services. Briea in…read morethe passport office was friendly and very helpful. She provided clear information and reviewed my application, resulting in a quick turn-around time. I received my new passport that expires in 2035.

Hayward City Hall is now at this location. within a mile, there are 2 former city hall locations…read more with this and other new developments in the area, Hayward hopes to slower increase it's share of go to destinations. it's been a few years, downtown is coming around with new business openings. there are road construction everywhere. hopefully, new businesses and jobs will follow. Hayward has the lowest home prices in the area, expect speculators to swoop up the bargains.

Went to drop off my ballot at the Alameda County Courthouse drop box. The Registrar of Voters set…read moreup a couple of drive up ballot drop off stations at 13th St. and Fallon. They were ready, PPP and tongs. No doubt they anticipate a rush but also given the FAKE ballot boxes put up by the GOP motherfuckers, this is added security. Nicely done. Give them credit for doing an excellent job and protecting democracy.

The Registrar of Voters has got the right message for a government entity: they train their…read moretemporary election workers that the objective is for the voters to have a positive experience! Obviously also, the Registrar insists upon an honest election conducted within the laws allowing all qualified voters to cast their secret ballot, and also the Registrar seeks to give the taxpayers value for their money. In increasingly many ways, the Registrar puts advancing technology to work delivering cost effective services.

I'm up at 2 am with a morning full of clients ahead of me because some jerk religiously chooses to…read morerage to some crazy belly dancing music 5-7 nights a week and I suffer. Welp, just called the APD Non-emergency line and they had someone out here near immediately to shut them up. I work hard, I work often so I need my beauty rest. So thank you APD!

We are on our own. This has become more and more evident as…read morewe see APD just not handling calls seriously. When someone calls regarding an issue it is serious and should not be taken lightly. Hence, put down your coffee and donut and check out the complaint in person. Find out what is going on. Talk to the parties involved in person not by a phone call. Show up in person. It's amazing the impact an officer at your door has. There is no way to investigate via phone calls. I know, I know dealing with people face to face can be confrontational but that's your job. And if someone needs to be detained then cuff them and haul them off. And if you the police don't intevene in conflicts, the peeps will, and it more than likely is not going to turn out well. I'm not sure when the shift happened but it did. Not too long ago Alameda Police would be showing up promptly, banging on doors, and getting problems solved. Not any more. Not sure if it's part of this upside-down 'criminals and other troublemakers are the victims' mentality, or what. But there has definitely been a shift in how things are handled. I do see a lot of police presence at South Shore though. And there is a lot of crime there but we have criminals and troublemakers in the residential areas also that need to be dealt with. Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge supporter of the police. I have multiple friends on the force in different cities and counties so this isn't random cop bashing. But from what I've seen, APD has abandoned their responsibilities to the law abiding citizens of Alameda and that needs to change now.

I love Oakland drivers safety. It's now on oak port street, but you get from them what you give…read more Best advise, SMILE!

There's a very rude "Karen" lady working at the window number 8, appointment window…read more I went to renew my DL. Did the eye exam, my right eye was perfect, but left right wasn't so good. So she told me to go to window number 23 to do another eye exam looking thru something that looks like a binocular. First, I did it without my eyeglasses on but failed. I asked the lady I want to try with my eyeglasses on. She said in that case you're gonna have to go back in line and wait. WtH. It probably takes about a minute to finish. I don't know why she told me to get back in line. That's like you walk into a bank and tell the teller that you want to deposit a check and withdraw some cash, but saying you can deposit your check, but you're gonna have to get back in line to withdraw your cash. No wonder this place has a lot of bad reviews. A few days later I went to the DMV in Hayward. I was able to renew my license in 10 minutes without any problems. If you want to get a job at this Oakland location, be sure to put. I am very good at coping an attitude, giving people a hard time, unprofessional, rude and yelling at people as a job skill, you will be hired on spot 100%.

Alameda County rules! Its outstanding climate and proximity to San Francisco make it an excellent…read moreplace to live. But please move somewhere else instead, we have enough traffic and jacked-up housing costs.

Latoya and Henry are very professional for their doing, I am impressed with their service to get…read morejob done efficiently.

they have good reviews but when the guy answered the phone he asks me the city and the type i say…read morerestraining order his immediate response was "can't touch it" and then he goes on to tell me he has too many. Overall i just think it was unprofessional a simple i'm so sorry at this time we are not accepting any more restraining orders you can try back in x amount of time even if it's a year long there's a professional way to go about things. I had to ask and clarify myself that they do in fact handle restraining orders but they just can't right now.