San Diego

Government Agencies >  Office of Administrative Hearings  >  San Diego

The Office of Administrative Hearings in San Diego is located at 1350 Front Street, Suite 3005, in San Diego, California, 92101. The state building is located on Front Street on the north side of downtown. It is very convenient to access via the “Front Street” exit from the 5 freeway southbound. There are three hearing rooms, all located on the third floor. Occasionally, hearings are held at an appellate courtroom on the fifth floor and in old, converted classrooms in the basement, but this is fairly uncommon. Parking is located at independently operated only parking lots near the building, which can be paid by credit card.

Upon entering the building, visitors are required to sign it at a table immediately facing the entrance/exit. Elevators in the lobby will take you to the third floor, or the stairs across from the elevator. Occasionally, a security guard sits at the hallway on the third floor. The hearing rooms are located in the hallway to the right of the elevators and down the hall. If your hearing is scheduled at OAH, it will be printed on a piece of paper hung outside the OAH main office. There is no “check-in” procedure, the attorneys and respondent go straight to the assigned hearing room. There is a small attorney/witness waiting room located in the same hallway. Hearing Rooms 1 and 2 are on the left-hand side of the hallway, while Hearing Room 3 is at the end of the hall, around the corner.

Hearing rooms at OAH San Diego are technically open to the public, but in practice are very private. Each hearing room has at least a single row of chairs in the rear of the room for visitors and witnesses. The attorneys sit at tables near the back, while the judge and witness sit near the front of the room.

The attorney who represents the agency, either staff counsel or the Deputy Attorney General, will usually be at the hearing room 5-10 minutes before the hearing starts. The judges enter the courtroom from a separate entrance, and can appear anywhere from 10-15 minutes early to 10-15 minutes late. It is important to meet your attorney before entering the courtroom, because the judge who presides over the hearing will be assessing your demeanor and credibility, and making a good impression is important.

The restrooms on the third floor are inaccessible to the public. To use the restroom, you must take the elevator or stairs to the second or fourth floor.

If your hearing stretches through lunch, a lunch break will be taken from approximately 12 to 1 or 1:30. There is a deli within walking distance of OAH San Diego, but food options are otherwise limited. Food and drink are technically not permitted in the courtrooms, but in practice water and bottled drinks are acceptable.

At Ray & Bishop, PLC, we appear at OAH San Diego at least monthly, and have represented clients at more than 100 hearings just since 2012. Put our experience and ability to work on your case if you are facing license discipline.