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Los Angeles County is large enough that its bankruptcy filers are divided between courthouses. Most residents are assigned to the Los Angeles Division, which sits in the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building at 255 East Temple Street in downtown. Others, mainly in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley, go to a different division, and a few western communities go to the Northern Division. This page covers the downtown courthouse: who belongs there, what the filing process involves, how the trustee meeting is held, and where people park when a visit is unavoidable.
Los Angeles Division, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California — court details
Is your Los Angeles County address a downtown case?
The court's area guide says the Los Angeles Division serves Los Angeles County except for the ZIP codes assigned to two other divisions. That wording matters, because it means the answer comes from your ZIP code and not from the fact that you live in the county. The San Fernando Valley Division takes a list of Valley-area and northern county communities, and the Northern Division, based in Santa Barbara, takes Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, and Malibu.
For that reason, someone with a downtown, South Bay, or San Gabriel Valley address generally lands here, while someone in Van Nuys, Lancaster, or Santa Clarita does not. Our San Fernando Valley Division page lists the communities the court assigns there. Enter the ZIP code of your street address (not a P.O. box) into the search tool at the court's website before you decide where a petition goes. A few cities near the Valley edge are worth checking individually rather than assuming.
The local rules call for filing in the "applicable division," based on where the debtor lives or where a business has its principal offices or most assets. A misfiled case can be moved by the judge or left where it is. Our Los Angeles County page shows the areas we serve.
From counseling to discharge: the sequence for a downtown case
Chapter 7 starts well before a petition is signed. A credit counseling course from an approved provider is required before filing, and the U.S. Trustee Program warns that a case can be dismissed without it. After the case opens, a separate debtor education course is required to receive a discharge.
In between, the work is preparation. A petition lists income, expenses, property, and every creditor, and the schedules are signed under penalty of perjury. Our guide on the California means test helps you see whether your income puts you in Chapter 7 territory at all, and the Chapter 7 versus Chapter 13 comparison covers the other route.
Electronic filing is the rule in this district. Attorneys file through CM/ECF, and people without lawyers can use the court's eSR tool for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 petitions. The court fee is $338. Individuals who cannot pay it all at once may ask for up to four installments over no more than 120 days, but the local rule requires a declaration and a personal appearance for that request. A fee waiver is a separate form for households under 150 percent of the poverty guidelines.
Your creditors meeting will not be in the courtroom
The U.S. Trustee Program says it implemented virtual meetings of creditors by Zoom for all Chapter 7, 12, and 13 cases. Its Los Angeles office page adds that in-person meetings may be approved when extenuating circumstances prevent video attendance, and calls that rare. Chapter 11 cases are handled differently, which does not matter to most individuals.
The routine is simple: the court sends a Notice of Bankruptcy Case, it names your trustee, and the trustee's Zoom details are on the U.S. Trustee Program's local meeting page. You send ID and proof of your Social Security number ahead of time. The program asks for those documents at least 14 days before the meeting. Our 341 meeting article describes the questions people are usually asked.
Getting to the Roybal building
The court page says the courthouse has no public parking on site. It names two nearby choices: the Aiso Parking Garage, about a half block away, at $1 per hour for the first two hours and $3 for the third, and Los Angeles Mall public parking at $2.75 per 20 minutes with a $17 daily maximum, open from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Prices are the court's published figures and may have changed.
Every visitor goes through a metal detector. In-person help from the intake office is by appointment, scheduled through the online system, and it covers tasks that cannot be done electronically. Because the building is a federal courthouse, allow extra time for lines.
The U.S. Trustee for Region 16 is a separate office at 915 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1850, and it does not represent debtors.
Where to go with questions
The court's main site lists live chat during court hours and self-help desks with pro bono legal access in each of its five divisions. The Law Office of Ron Chini works from Irvine. Clients speak with Ron directly about their own finances, and he speaks English and Farsi. A first call is a chance to find out whether Chapter 7 fits your situation, and nothing on this page promises a result.
Which counties file here
Most of Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Division serves Los Angeles County except the ZIP codes assigned to the San Fernando Valley Division (Valley communities, Santa Clarita, and the Antelope Valley, among others) and the Northern Division (Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, and Malibu). It does not serve Orange County (Santa Ana Division), Riverside or San Bernardino County (Riverside Division), or San Diego County (Southern District of California).
Los Angeles Division FAQ
Do all Los Angeles County residents file at the Roybal courthouse?
Is my 341 meeting held at 255 East Temple Street?
Where do people park for an intake appointment?
What happens if my case is filed in the wrong division?
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Ron has practiced bankruptcy law from his Irvine office since 2009. Clients work directly with him — not a paralegal or a call center.
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