Rolling Hills, California

Rolling Hills is a 24-hour a day gated community of approximately 1,900 residents on the top of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It is a city marked by horse trails, mature trees, curvy and narrow roads alongside steep canyons. It became an incorporated city only in 1957.

From its relatively high elevation, Rolling Hills residents enjoy great views of the Pacific Ocean, Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Harbor. There are no retail businesses or churches within the small bedroom community. There is only a small tennis club near the Portuguese Bend Road gate.

Real estate prices are steep within Rolling Hills, surpassing its bordering cities of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates. All homes (663 according to the 2010 census) are required to have white exterior paint. According to the 2000 census, it is the fourth richest city in the U.S. based on per capita income for cities of 1,000 or more residents. The city consists of just under 5 square miles.

Many of the homes are built in the “ranch style” that causes the house to seem quite sprawling. Most of the houses were built in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s. Very few of the houses have a second story. Many have pools and tennis courts. The homes have ample space between them, adding to the rural atmosphere of the city.

Rolling Hills has its own fire station and security guards. There is almost no crime, as there are only three gates (Crest Road, Eastfield Drive and Portuguese Bend Road) from which one may drive into and exit the city. However, there are occasional white collar crime cases, incidents of domestic violence, alcohol abuse cases and a rare residential burglary.

The Lomita Sheriff’s station patrols the roads within Rolling Hills. Their station is nearby off Narbonne Avenue, approximately two miles away from the Portuguese Bend gatehouse that allows motorists to enter and exit the city and three miles away from the Eastfield gatehouse.

The population is older and almost entirely Caucasian, although there is a growing number of Asians. The city’s median age is 51.7 years old. There are virtually no first-generation Hispanic or any African American households. There are no schools within Rolling Hills. Families must carpool with other families to take their children to nearby Dapplegray, Miraleste, Peninsula or Mira Catalina schools. To go grocery shopping, residents must travel to nearby Torrance, San Pedro, Rancho Palos Verdes or Rolling Hills Estates.

Legal disputes arising in Rolling Hills are heard in the Torrance Superior Court. Such cases, both criminal and civil, draw jurors from Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale, West Carson, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, Lomita, parts of Harbor City and of course, Rolling Hills.

Our office does the majority of its work in the Torrance courthouse. We are experienced with all of the judges, all of the city prosecutors and almost all of the district attorneys. We like to think of the Torrance courthouse as our “home court.”

Misdemeanor matters arising in Rolling Hills start in Department 3 on the second floor with Judge David K. Reinert (as of May, 2019). If the case is not resolve there, it moves next door to Department 5 with Judge Amy Carter. The Torrance District Attorney’s office then handles the prosecution of the case.

Felony matters arising in Rolling Hills begin in Department 4 of the Torrance Courthouse. Judge Thomas Sokolov presides in Department 4. If the case does not resolve in 4, it proceeds to a Preliminary Hearing in Department 8 with Judge Nicole C. Bershon. After the Preliminary Hearing, the case is randomly assigned to one of about five judges, including Gary Tanaka, Laura C. Ellison, Alan B. Honeycutt, Edmund Willcox Clarke or Hector M. Guzman.

Parking for the Torrance Courthouse is free to the north in a large lot that rarely fills up. One can also park along Maple Avenue.

The Torrance Courthouse has brought back its cafeteria within the building. It also has a law library.

For more information about common cases that one might face if arrested in this city, click on the following articles:

1. What Punishment Do I Face for a First-Time DUI?
2. What Punishment Do I Face for Shoplifting?
3. What Punishment Do I Face for Domestic Violence?

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