Santa Clara County Jails and Courts

Santa Clara County Court
http://www.sccsuperiorcourt.org/criminal/
190-200 West Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110
Criminal Division (408) 808-6600
Criminal cases range from relatively minor offenses such as traffic infractions to serious ones like robbery and murder. The State, as the protector of all the people, makes the charge against someone accused of committing a crime because a crime is considered an act against society. Only the State, through the office of the District Attorney in each county, can charge individuals with criminal violations. The prosecuting attorney presents the charge against the accused person (defendant) on behalf of the State (plaintiff), and must prove to the judge or jury that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Santa Clara County Sheriffs Department
http://sccsheriff.org/index.html
Administration (408)808-4900
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office was founded in 1850, making it one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the State of California. There have been twenty seven persons serving in the capacity of Sheriff since 1850. The Department is divided into 3 major divisions; Field Operations, Special Services, and Administrative Services. In 1988 the County created a Department of Correction, so the Sheriff's Office no longer maintains the County Jail system. However, the Sheriff does provide supervisory positions within the Jail as well as staffing the Transportation Unit and Perimeter Patrol. Currently, the Sheriff's Office has 635 full-time, sworn, badge staff.

Santa Clara County Public Defender
The mission of the Office of the Public Defender is to provide competent and effective legal defense to indigent clients consistent with the mandates of the state and federal Constitutions and of the courts.

Public Defender Main Office
120 West Mission Street
San Jose, CA 95110
Phone: (408) 299-7700
Office of the Public Defender

Alternate Defender Main Office
4 North Second Street, Suite 1270
San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: (408) 299-7200

Alternate Defender's Office
Public Defender South County
12429 Monterey Hwy.
San Martin, CA 95046
Phone: (408) 686-3626

Alternate Defender Palo Alto
270 Grant Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Phone: (650) 324-6430

Public Defender Sunnyvale
333 W. El Camino Real, Suite 250
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Phone: (408) 739-1750