Before you start
This guide walks through the order of tasks for someone in Stockton or elsewhere in San Joaquin County who needs, or simply wants, an anger management class. It assumes nothing about your case. Skip the steps that don't apply to you, and keep in mind that only the court or your probation officer decides whether a given class fits an order.
Step 1: Find out which part of the court sent you
Pull out whatever document mentions the class: a minute order, plea form, probation conditions or a family law order. Look for the courthouse name and department. The San Joaquin County Superior Court lists its main Stockton Courthouse at 180 E. Weber Ave, with other courthouses on W. Elm Street in Lodi and E. Center Street in Manteca, and a Juvenile Justice Center in French Camp.
If the requirement came from a criminal case, the court's Criminal Department on the 2nd floor of the Weber Avenue building is the office that holds the record. Its page says the criminal courts hear misdemeanors, preliminary felony hearings and felony trials. If it came from a family case, the court's Family Law & Support office is two floors up, on the 4th floor of the same address, and handles filings such as dissolution of marriage, paternity and family support.
Step 2: Read the exact wording
Underline every detail the order gives: number of sessions or hours, a deadline, whether the class must be in person, and where proof should go. Orders vary. Some name a number of weeks, some say "as directed by probation," and some leave the details open. Write down anything you don't understand as a question for the next step.
Step 3: Talk to probation or the clerk before you pay
If you are on supervised probation, contact your officer. The county's Adult Probation office is at 24 S. Hunter Street, a short walk from the courthouse, and lists walk-in hours of 8AM to 4:30PM on weekdays. Ask your officer:
- Do I choose my own provider, or is there a list I must pick from?
- Is a live video class acceptable, or must it be in person?
- How should completion proof reach you?
If you are not on supervised probation, the clerk's office in the department that issued the order is the place to ask about filing proof. Clerks can explain procedure, though they cannot advise you on your case.
Step 4: Shortlist two or three providers
Use the listings on this page to pick a few independent providers near home or work. A class close to your job may be easier to keep than one close to home if you work long shifts. Note each provider's format, meeting day and language options.
Step 5: Ask each provider the same questions
Asking the same list makes the answers easy to compare:
1. Total number of sessions and the length of each. 2. Group or individual, in person or video. 3. Start dates, and whether you can join mid-cycle. 4. Policy for missed sessions and make-ups. 5. What attendance and completion records you receive, and whether they can go directly to your officer with your written consent. 6. Every fee, including intake and certificate charges.
Be cautious with any provider that insists its class will count for your case. That decision belongs to the court and probation, not to the provider.
Step 6: Confirm, then enroll
Bring your shortlist back to your probation officer, or check the clerk's guidance, before signing up. Once you have a green light, enroll and get the schedule in writing.
Step 7: Keep a paper trail from day one
Start a folder with a copy of the order, the provider's written description, receipts, and a sign-in slip for each session. If you appear at hearings in more than one courthouse, a single folder you carry each time saves repeated trips. Scan or photograph each page as a backup.
Step 8: File proof on time
When you finish, get the completion document promptly and deliver it the way your officer or the order requires. Keep a copy and note the date you turned it in. If the deadline is close and you are still a few sessions short, tell your officer early rather than after the date passes.
If you are going voluntarily
Steps 4, 5 and 7 still help. Choose a format you can keep up with, give it a fair number of weeks, and switch providers if the fit is wrong. No one needs to approve a voluntary choice but you.