San Gabriel sits between two Northeast District courthouses. The Pasadena Courthouse, about 4.5 miles north, takes almost every San Gabriel case a landlord, a small claims plaintiff or a family law petitioner will file. The Alhambra Courthouse, about 1.6 miles west, takes the larger civil suits because a local rule sends them there. Knowing which building is which saves a rejected filing and a summons with the wrong address on it.
The other thing to know is the ZIP Code. Half of 91775 isn't in San Gabriel at all, and the difference changes the housing rules that apply to a rental.
We serve summonses, complaints, subpoenas, restraining orders, family law papers and eviction notices at San Gabriel homes, apartments and businesses. Start a Service Request with the documents attached, or email Service@ValproAttorneyServices.com.
San Gabriel's courthouses, case by case
We ran 91775 and 91776 through the Superior Court's Filing Court Locator in October 2026. Under 91775 the locator lists three communities, San Gabriel, East San Gabriel and Temple City. Under 91776 it lists San Gabriel only. Every row returned the same buildings. Distances are straight-line from the Census center point of the city.
| Case type | Courthouse | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Limited unlawful detainer | Pasadena Courthouse, 300 East Walnut St. | 4.5 mi |
| Small claims | Pasadena Courthouse | 4.5 mi |
| Family law | Pasadena Courthouse | 4.5 mi |
| Restraining orders | Pasadena Courthouse | 4.5 mi |
| Unlimited civil | Alhambra Courthouse, 150 West Commonwealth, or Pasadena | 1.6 or 4.5 mi |
| Probate | Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles | 8.9 mi |
| Limited civil, not collections | Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 8.9 mi |
| Limited civil, collections | Chatsworth Courthouse, 9425 Penfield Ave. | 28.8 mi |
Local Rule 2.2 lists just two buildings for the Northeast District, Pasadena and Alhambra. Alhambra's directory shows only civil and criminal divisions, which is why the eviction, small claims and family columns all point north.
One ZIP Code, three governments
The Census Bureau's 2020 file matching ZIP Code areas to places shows how unevenly San Gabriel fills its two ZIP Codes:
- 91776 is about 84.5% San Gabriel. About 12.8% is East San Gabriel, with small pieces in Rosemead, Temple City and Alhambra.
- 91775 is about 42.0% San Gabriel and about 50.1% East San Gabriel. Temple City has about 7.0%, and San Marino a sliver.
Turned around, about two-thirds of the city's land is in 91776 and about a third in 91775. East San Gabriel, a Census-designated place with no city government, sits mostly in 91775, with smaller parts in 91776 and 91007.
For service, the street address is what counts, and the server goes wherever you send us. For the case itself, the line can matter a great deal, especially for rentals.
East San Gabriel rentals and the County ordinance
East San Gabriel is unincorporated, so Los Angeles County provides its local services and writes its housing rules. The County's Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) runs the Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance, which limits rent increases on covered units and allows evictions in unincorporated areas only for listed just causes.
Three points from DCBA's program page affect eviction paperwork:
- The non-payment threshold. Since April 16, 2026, a landlord can terminate for unpaid rent only when the past-due amount exceeds two months of the Fair Market Rent for the unit's size.
- What the notice must say. A termination notice based on that threshold must state the Fair Market Rent amount and the number of bedrooms.
- How to check coverage. DCBA points to the Registrar-Recorder's "District Map Look Up By Address" tool to confirm whether a property is unincorporated, and to its Rent Registry to check whether the unit is covered.
A unit inside San Gabriel's city limits isn't governed by the County ordinance. Your attorney should confirm which rules apply before the notice is drafted. When you send us a notice to serve, give the full address and tell us whether it's in the city or in East San Gabriel, so the proof of service and the notice match.
Expect a tenant in East San Gabriel to have help, too. DCBA runs a Tenant Right to Counsel program that provides free legal services to eligible tenants in unincorporated areas during unlawful detainer proceedings. It also offers free mediation between landlords and tenants and refers tenants who receive a notice to pay or quit to Stay Housed L.A. A represented tenant is more likely to examine the proof of service, so accurate dates, times and descriptions on it matter.
Evictions and small claims on Walnut Street
Pasadena's directory groups the eviction and small claims counters together. The Unlawful Detainer Hub clerk and the Small Claims Clerk's Office share Room 102 on the first floor, with clerk hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. When a San Gabriel landlord or tenant needs an urgent order in an eviction, the directory says ex parte matters are called at 1:30 p.m. in Department R on the second floor.
Driving to Walnut Street takes some planning. The directory describes a fee parking structure at the southeast corner of Marengo Avenue and Walnut Street, entered from 240 Ramona St., with a ceiling clearance of 6 feet 6 inches. It warns that large trucks and sport utility vehicles may not fit, and notes other pay lots next to the courthouse.
Small claims trials are heard in Department A, Room 410B, on the fourth floor. A San Gabriel defendant who lives in Los Angeles County must be served at least 15 days before that hearing. A defendant in another county must be served at least 20 days before it. If you expect to need substituted service, build in 10 more days, since it has to be done before the personal-service deadline.
Tenants answer on a shorter clock. After personal delivery they have 10 court days. After substituted service or posting followed by mailing, they have 10 calendar days plus 10 court days, counted from the mailing.
Papers to serve in San Gabriel?
Family law and restraining orders in Pasadena
Divorce, custody, support and restraining order papers for San Gabriel parties are filed in Pasadena. The directory places the Family Law Clerk's Office in Room 100 on the first floor, open from 8:00 a.m., and lists the restraining order counter in the same room.
Timing matters for restraining orders. According to the directory, any restraining order application has to be filed before 3:30 p.m. to be heard the same day. If a temporary order is granted in the afternoon, send it to us that evening with the hearing notice, so the attempts can start the next morning. A family law summons is usually proved on form FL-115. A domestic violence order is proved on form DV-200, and a civil harassment order on form CH-200, each signed by the person who made the delivery.
Custody disputes add one more appointment. The directory lists Family Court Services mediation in Room 100, where court mediators help parents build a custody and visitation plan, and a separate evaluation service that recommends parenting plans. A notice setting a mediation date is served with the rest of the family law papers, so include it in the upload.
Larger civil suits on West Commonwealth
Local Rule 2.3(a)(1)(C) is what sends most big San Gabriel civil cases to Alhambra. When an unlimited case may be filed in either the Northeast District or the Central District, and the plaintiff chooses the Northeast District, the rule says it must be filed at the Alhambra Courthouse.
The Alhambra directory puts the Civil Clerk's Office in Room 234 on the second floor, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Four departments hear general civil matters, numbered 3 and lettered T, V and X, on the third and fourth floors. A pay lot sits on the south side of the building.
Personal injury follows its own rule. Under Local Rule 2.3(a)(1)(A), an unlimited case for bodily injury, wrongful death or damage to personal property must be filed in the district where the incident happened. A collision on a San Gabriel street is a Northeast District case. Every new complaint includes form LACIV 109, and a copy is served with the summons.
Alhambra also hears criminal cases. Its directory places the Criminal Clerk's Office in the same Room 234 as the civil clerk, with the District Attorney, Public Defender and Sheriff's Office on the first floor. If you need a witness subpoena served for an Alhambra criminal matter, send the subpoena with the department, the hearing date and any instructions from the issuing attorney about when the witness must be reachable.
Probate, collections and the e-filing clock
San Gabriel probate matters and limited civil cases other than collections are filed at Stanley Mosk downtown. A limited collection case travels much farther, to Chatsworth, almost 29 miles from the city.
Most of these filings happen online. Represented parties must e-file in civil cases unless they've obtained an exemption order, which outside the Central District is requested from the supervising judge of that district. The court's FAQ adds a useful detail: e-filings are accepted around the clock, and one received before midnight is deemed filed that business day if accepted. Self-represented parties can still file at the counter, and we can take papers there for you.
Making the first San Gabriel attempt count
Whether the San Gabriel address is a house, a condo unit or a storefront, the Letter of Instruction is where you give the server what the address alone doesn't say:
- Unit, suite or space number, and the building letter if there's more than one.
- Whether the address is in the city or East San Gabriel, if you know.
- The best hours to find the person, or the shift they work.
- A workplace or second address, such as a business in Alhambra or Rosemead.
- A photo or description, and a vehicle with its plate if known.
- Earlier attempts, including who answered and what they said.
- The court date, so the attempts finish with time to spare.
For a business, start with the Secretary of State's agent for service of process. Our serving corporations guide covers agents, officers and registered agent companies. If an address is stale, skip tracing looks for a current one, and the papers go back out only after you approve it. We make no guarantees for service.
Filing, records and proof
Many San Gabriel cases start with a filing, then move straight to service on the same request. Our Los Angeles County court filing page covers counters and eFiling across the county, and document retrieval pulls conformed copies and case records. Get each update by email. Our proof of service guide explains the form that comes back to you, and our post on how to serve a subpoena in California covers witness and records subpoenas.
Around San Gabriel
Rosemead is 2 miles away in a straight line, San Marino 2.1, Alhambra 2.3 and Temple City 2.4. Monterey Park is 3.8 miles southwest. The rest of the county starts from our Los Angeles County page.