Lost Criminal Cases Expose Crisis in California Courts

The Los Angeles County Superior Court Discovers a Major Data Gap

A recent revelation from the Los Angeles County Superior Court has brought to light a significant issue in the state’s criminal records system. Nearly half a million criminal cases, dating back to 1965, were never properly reported to the state due to what the court described as a “technical error.” This backlog of unreported cases could have far-reaching implications for individuals and employers across California.

According to an FAQ page on the website of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the Los Angeles County Superior Court (LACSC) identified a backlog of approximately 464,005 criminal cases that went unreported between 1965 and 2023. As a result, people arrested in Los Angeles County may find that their dismissals or convictions are not reflected in their criminal records in the statewide repository.

A System Upgrade Gone Awry

The LACSC began modernizing its Trial Court Information System (TCIS) in 2016, aiming to replace the legacy system installed in the 1980s. The upgrade was intended to bring about “significant efficiencies and features to court operations.” However, the full implementation of the new criminal case management system, including updated automated transmission processes and weekly exception reporting, did not begin until November 2023.

Nearly two years later, in June 2025, the court discovered a “potentially large number of unreported” cases. The root cause was traced back to a lack of technical programming in TCIS, which failed to flag reporting errors with individual Arrest Disposition Reports (ADRs). This made it impossible for court staff to identify instances where ADRs were not properly reported.

Understanding Arrest Disposition Reports

ADRs are official records of how a criminal case concluded, such as conviction or dismissal. Courts are required to submit these reports to the state Department of Justice (DOJ) for updating criminal history records. The investigation into the backlog began in 2025 and reduced the number of unreported cases, but a significant backlog still remains.

Once the backlog was identified in January 2026, the DOJ immediately began working with the LACSC to resolve the error. All delinquent ADRs are currently being transmitted to the DOJ, and the agency is processing them into its system. The LACSC also reevaluated its current case management system to ensure that similar issues do not occur in the future.

Breakdown of the Backlog

The court has provided a breakdown of the backlog on its website. Of the estimated 464,000 criminal cases, the ADRs represent approximately 408,000 individuals, including those with both felony and misdemeanor convictions and dismissals.

As of Tuesday, the court’s data shows:- 147,631 felony convictions- 61,075 felony dismissals- 233,003 misdemeanor convictions- 22,238 misdemeanor dismissals

Among individuals with felony convictions in the backlog, 28,225 had prior DOJ records and 49,069 had subsequent DOJ records. For misdemeanor convictions, 43,879 had prior DOJ records, and 52,236 had subsequent DOJ records.

Implications for Employers

The implications of this backlog extend beyond the courts and affect employers across California who rely on state DOJ background checks for hiring decisions. Many individuals with felony or misdemeanor convictions may have passed Live Scan fingerprint screenings unscathed, potentially landing jobs in sensitive fields like education, healthcare, or security.

As the DOJ processes the delinquent records, employers could face sudden updates through the Applicant Agency Justice Connection portal. This could trigger reevaluations of current employees and potential terminations if newly revealed convictions violate company policies or state laws.

Resolving the Backlog

While it is unclear when the backlogs will be fully resolved, the FAQ page states that most of the records will be handled through an automated process within a six-week time frame. However, there is anticipation that an estimated 10 percent of the total backlog will require additional analysis, which could take months to complete before the updates are made to the state summary criminal history information.