Traffic tickets will no longer be handled at the Orange County courthouse in Laguna Hills, effective May 6, for drivers who are cited in the Rancho Santa Margarita area.
County officials blamed the change on reduced funding from the state.
Traffic tickets issued March 18 or later that would normally be heard at the courthouse in Laguna Hills will be instead be assigned to a judge at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, 4601 Jamboree Road.
It wasn't immediately clear if the Laguna Hills courthouse would remain open for other cases or if the county would keep offices there.
In a related move, traffic tickets issued in Costa Mesa as of March 18 will be assigned to the West Justice Center, 8141 13th St., Westminster. Motorists can continue paying citations at any of the county's four courthouses, but trials arising out of tickets issued in Costa Mesa will only be heard in Westminster.
Likewise, misdemeanor and felony charges filed as of March 18 out of Costa Mesa also will be heard at the West Justice Center in Westminster. Cases filed before then out of Costa Mesa will remain at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach.
-- City News Service
