How long does an unlawful detainer case take in Los Angeles, California? Or, to rephrase, how long does it take before the landlord can get his house back?
The answer to these frequently asked questions are both good and bad. On the good side, eviction cases in Los Angeles are still some of the fastest types of court cases. Unlawful detainer eviction cases take priority over other types of civil cases.
On the bad side, earlier in 2013, the courts severally reduced the number of courthouses in Los Angeles county that will actually handle an unlawful detainer eviction case. Today, only 5 courts in LA county handle evictions! Wait times and delays are inevitable and are increasing. Furthermore, the length of time it takes to resolve an unlawful detainer case in Los Angeles depends on which of the five unlawful detainer hub courts your case is assigned to (you do not get to select the courthouse).
Today, average times to remove a tenant on a non-contested (non-disputed) unlawful detainer case is 5-7 weeks. Average times to remove a tenant on a disputed unlawful detainer case is 2-3 months (longer if the tenant files for bankruptcy or files motions).
The Law Office of David Piotrowski represents landlords throughout southern California and can assist with a tenant eviction.
Read Attorney Piotrowski’s “Landlord Best Practices and Eviction Overview” book.
