Torrance cases don't all land in Torrance. The city has its own courthouse on Maple Avenue, yet Los Angeles Superior Court routes several case types to Inglewood, Norwalk or downtown. Knowing which building your case belongs to shapes the summons, the filing trip and the proof of service. This page sets out what the court's own tools say for Torrance, then what we need from you to serve the papers.
We serve summonses, subpoenas and every other legal document at Torrance homes and businesses. The work is coordinated from our Sacramento office. Start a Service Request or email Service@ValproAttorneyServices.com.
Which courthouse gets a Torrance case?
The court's filing court locator matches a case to a courthouse by community and ZIP Code, and the result depends on the case type. We ran it for Torrance on October 28, 2026. Four different buildings came back.
| Case type | Courthouse the locator returns | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited civil (over $35,000) | Inglewood Courthouse and Torrance Courthouse | 1 Regent Street, Inglewood 90301, or 825 Maple Ave., Torrance 90503 |
| Family law and restraining orders | Torrance Courthouse | 825 Maple Ave., Torrance 90503 |
| Limited civil, collection | Norwalk Courthouse | 12720 Norwalk Blvd., Norwalk 90650 |
| Limited civil, non-collection | Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles 90012 |
| Unlawful detainer | Inglewood Courthouse | 1 Regent Street, Inglewood 90301 |
| Small claims | Inglewood Courthouse | 1 Regent Street, Inglewood 90301 |
| Probate | Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles 90012 |
Every courthouse in that table keeps the same Clerk's Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays. The buildings themselves open at 8:00 a.m., and Stanley Mosk opens at 7:30 a.m. Source: the court's courthouse directory, checked October 2026.
Unlimited civil: two buildings on the list
For a case over $35,000, the locator names both Inglewood and Torrance. It doesn't choose between them, and its own instructions explain why. Falling inside a district "does not necessarily mean your case is or must be assigned to that district." The assignment criteria are in Chapter 2 of the court's Local Rules.
So before a Torrance complaint goes in, read Chapter 2 against the facts of the case, or call the Clerk's Office. After the court assigns it, write the courthouse and the department on your Service Request. Our runner then goes straight to the counter that has the file.
Evictions and small claims are heard in Inglewood
The Torrance Courthouse doesn't take every case type. The court's directory lists Civil, Criminal, Family Law and Traffic at 825 Maple Ave. Small claims and unlawful detainer are missing from that list. The locator sends both to the Inglewood Courthouse at 1 Regent Street.
For a Torrance landlord, that changes the paperwork. The eviction complaint is filed in Inglewood, and the summons the tenant receives names Inglewood. Check the court address printed on the summons before it goes out for service.
One eviction rule changes soon. Starting January 1, 2027, the complaint must state the date, the time and the location where the termination notice was served (CCP § 1166(a)(5)). If you serve a notice in a Torrance apartment this year for a case filed in 2027, keep a record of all three.
Parking is different at each building. Torrance has a public and juror lot on Maple Ave., north of the courthouse. Inglewood has a paid parking garage on its east side.
Collection cases and probate leave Torrance
A limited civil case asks for $35,000 or less. When it's a collection case, the locator sends a Torrance matter to the Norwalk Courthouse at 12720 Norwalk Blvd. A limited case that isn't about collection goes downtown to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, and so does probate.
Watch the department numbers on anything set at Stanley Mosk. A banner on the court's site says that beginning November 2, 2026, several courthouses will switch to a new department numbering system. Stanley Mosk's directory already shows the old number beside the new one, for example Dept 215, formerly Dept 2. A notice printed before the switch may carry the old number.
The Southwest District's buildings
Local Rule 2.2 lists three Southwest District locations: the Torrance Courthouse, the Torrance Annex at 3221 Torrance Boulevard, and the Inglewood Courthouse. The Annex doesn't appear in the court's online courthouse directory, so if a notice names it, confirm the location with the clerk before you go.
Inside 825 Maple, the directory places a Law Library on the 1st floor, Room 110, and the Family Law Facilitator Office in Room 310 on the 3rd. The Traffic Clerk's Office isn't in the main building at all. It works out of a trailer two buildings to the west.
Papers to serve in Torrance?
Palos Verdes Peninsula addresses
Plenty of Torrance cases involve someone up the hill. We ran ZIP Code 90274 through the locator on October 29, 2026, under Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Miraleste and Portuguese Bend. All five matched Torrance exactly, down to the two-courthouse answer for unlimited civil and Inglewood for evictions and small claims. We serve Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills addresses too.
Mailing names and the city line
An envelope that says Torrance may not point to an address inside the city. The locator lists the Torrance community under ZIP Codes 90277, 90501, 90503–90505 and 90507–90510, and El Nido under 90278. The Census Bureau ties four ZIP Code areas to the city: 90501, 90503, 90504 and 90505. In our data, 90277 and 90278 belong to Redondo Beach.
The locator itself warns that a post office community name may not show where a property really sits. It tells filers to check municipal boundaries. For service, the gap rarely matters, because the server goes to the street address. For filing, it can change which courthouse the locator returns, so confirm the boundary before you pick one.
What to send us for a Torrance address
Each detail you add replaces a guess on the server's first visit. A strong request for a Torrance address carries these:
- The full street address, with the unit, suite or space number. For a multi-building complex, add the building number and any call box or entry code.
- When the person is there. Work hours, the time they usually leave, or the days a shop owner is on site.
- A second place to try. A workplace or a relative's home turns one failed visit into a second chance the same day.
- What they look like. A photo or description, plus a vehicle and plate if you know them.
- What already happened. If someone at the door said the person moved, tell us who said it and when.
If the case has a hearing date, give us that date too. Service has to be complete before it, and the method of service affects when that is.
Serving a company based in Torrance
A corporation or LLC is normally served through its agent for service of process. The entity names that agent in its filings with the Secretary of State (Corporations Code §§ 1502 and 17701.13). Search the company on bizfile Online and copy the agent's name and address exactly as listed.
If the named agent can't be found, CCP § 416.10 lets you serve certain officers instead, including the president, the secretary or a general manager. When the agent is a registered agent company, we hand the papers to someone that company authorizes to accept them. Our serving corporations guide explains each option, including companies formed outside California.
Filing a Torrance case, then serving it
Most Torrance civil cases start with a filing. The court's civil e-filing FAQ says attorneys must e-file in civil cases unless they hold a court order for exemption. The request for that exemption uses forms EFS-007 and EFS-008. People representing themselves aren't required to e-file.
We file at the counter or by eFiling, whichever the case allows, and the same request can move to service once the summons issues. Put both steps in the Letter of Instruction. Our Los Angeles County court filing page covers counters, deadlines and records. Our post on court efiling service explains how electronic filing fits a case.
When a Torrance address goes stale
Addresses from an old lease, a loan file or a judgment entered years ago are often out of date. Tell us anything that might point to the person now: a former employer, a family member in the area, a phone number. Skip tracing looks for a current address and sends it to you first.
Once you approve it, the papers go back out on the same request. The updates come to you by email. Our article on how to find a defendant in California covers what you can check yourself before you send the request. For the rules on who may serve, see who can serve court papers in California.
Neighboring South Bay cities
Redondo Beach is 2.2 miles from Torrance in a straight line. Lomita is 3.4 miles away, Hermosa Beach 3.9, and Rolling Hills Estates and Lawndale about 4 each. Eviction and small claims cases from Torrance go to Inglewood. Every other city in the county is listed on our Los Angeles County page.