How to Search California Court Records (Start Here)

California court records are filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court in each county. The Superior Court handles trial-level cases. California does not have a single statewide court search portal — you must go to the county where the case was filed.

What this page covers: California state court case records. What it does not cover: Federal court cases (PACER) or sealed/juvenile records.

Where to start: Identify the county where the case was filed, then contact the Clerk of the Superior Court in that county. Some counties courts offer online case search on their individual websites.

Common mistake: Without a statewide portal, many people search the wrong county. If you are unsure where a case was filed, start with the county where the defendant lived or where the incident occurred.

Trial court of general jurisdiction
California Courts - Home | Judicial Branch of California
Highest court
Home | Supreme Court of California
Statewide civil case search
California Courts - Home | Judicial Branch of California
Statewide criminal docket search
Docket Search | Supreme Court of California
Federal courts
California Central District Court | PACER: Federal Court Records
Number of counties
58 counties
Population
39,431,263
Households
13,548,091
Median Income
$95,521
Median Home Value
$734,700
SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all California court URLs verified against the official .gov / state-judiciary publisher on the review date. 6 primary .gov / .uscourts.gov sources cited below.

California Court Records — Key Numbers (FY2024-25)

California's Superior Courts processed 5,306,078 filings and 3,551,165 dispositions in the latest reported year — by far the largest state system.
5,306,078
California filings
FY2024-25
3,551,165
Cases disposed
FY2024-25
1,755
Authorized judges
Latest reported
Free
Public access
Most case records
June 04, 2026
Last reviewed
By SearchSystems editorial

What California court records actually cost

Looking up a case is free at most California superior courts, though several large counties charge to view document images online — a fee-per-page model unique to a handful of courts. Certified copies are billed by the clerk per document, and expungement (1203.4) filings carry county-set fees, often waivable for low-income petitioners.

Exact amounts are set by each court's current fee schedule — check the official source before you order.

What Changed in 2026 — California Court Records

2026
California FY2024-25 caseload report active
The Judicial Branch of California publishes its current FY2024-25 case filings, dispositions, and trends on the official statistics portal.
2026
California statewide case-access portal live
Judicial Branch of California's public case-access portal continues to operate at courts.ca.gov with statewide coverage.
2026
Latest California judiciary annual report
The most recent annual report from the Judicial Branch of California is publicly available with full statistical addenda.
2026
California courts main directory
California's primary judicial-branch directory at courts.ca.gov continues to be the canonical entry point for all state court matters.

The 4-Step California Court Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Identify the court level
In California, civil and criminal trial cases sit in Judicial Branch of California trial courts. Appellate matters go to the state's appellate courts.
2
Step 2 — Use the state case-access portal
Start at https://courts.ca.gov/find-court — the official public case-access for California.
3
Step 3 — Federal cases are separate
Federal cases involving California parties live on PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov), not the state system.
4
Step 4 — Sealed / expunged records
Records sealed or expunged under California law are NOT searchable on public portals. To verify, contact the originating court clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About California Court Records

MYTH"California court records are on PACER."
FACTPACER only has federal cases. California state court records live on courts.ca.gov.
MYTH"All California case files are free."
FACTPartly true. Searching and viewing dockets is usually free. Downloading full documents or certified copies often costs $1-$5 per item.
MYTH"Sealed = deleted in California."
FACTSealed records still exist — they're just hidden from public search. The court clerk and law enforcement can still access them.
MYTH"Third-party search sites are official."
FACTOnly courts.ca.gov and the linked official portals are authoritative for California.
MYTH"Same-day filings show online immediately."
FACTMost California courts have a 24-48 hour processing lag before new filings appear in public search.

Primary Sources and Official Record Portals

Related Court Records Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Court records
Sample California counties: Alameda · Alpine · Amador · Butte · Calaveras

Court Records Databases

64 official California court records sources.

Court Records

Opinions | Judicial Branch of California
Official Free
This is the court-records channel for California: case searches and docket details. If a link breaks, the office homepage at courts.ca.gov carries the new path.
🌐 courts.ca.gov
California Courts - Home | Judicial Branch of California
Official Free
Californians looking for information on case types or to represent themselves in court can find step-by-step instructions, court forms, and other resources on the Self-Help Guide.
🌐 courts.ca.gov
Superior Court of Los Angeles
Official Free
This site allows you to search by name for litigants in Civil, Small Claims, Family Law, and Probate cases in the Los Angeles Superior Court via our secure web server. The search returns a list of litigant names, corresponding case types, filing dates, filing locations, and number of available imaged documents. This site is updated daily.
🌐 lacourt.ca.gov
Public Portals | Superior Court of California | County of Alameda
Official Free
The Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, provides the public with online access to Civil, Family Law and Probate case records (documents and information) through eCourt Public Portal .
🌐 alameda.courts.ca.gov
Alameda Superior Court - Criminal Case Portal
Official Free
You can access Smart Search and Search Hearings by clicking on the Alameda Superior Court - Criminal Case Portal in the upper left hand corner. If you select a role and are not an active California state licensed attorney or a local Alameda County Justice Partner you will be denied.
🌐 publicportal.alameda.courts.ca.gov
The Superior Court of California
Official Free
View a calendar Court Calendars are now available thru the eCourt portal after login .
🌐 amadorcourt.org
SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF AMADOR
Official Free
Court case information for California. Hearing calendars on the same system show what is coming up, not just what happened. Juvenile, adoption, and sealed matters are excluded by rule everywhere.
🌐 amadorcourt.org
AMADOR SUPERIOR COURT CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE TENTATIVE RULINGS Civil Cases
Official Free
Case records from the California courts serving California surface through this system. It sits outside government; official offices remain the record of authority.
🌐 amadorcourt.org
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Butte
Official Free
The mission of the Butte County Superior Court is to create a court environment deserving of community respect by: resolving disputes according to law; ensuring and protecting peoples' rights; taking a leadership role in preserving order in society; and providing exceptional.
🌐 butte.courts.ca.gov
Butte County Superior Court – Online Calendar Guide Effective 1/1/2026 APPEALS
Official Free
Court case information for California. Juvenile, adoption, and sealed matters are excluded by rule everywhere. Civil, criminal, probate, and traffic divisions may index separately — check each if a search runs dry.
🌐 butte.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Calaveras
Official Free
Public Notice: Calaveras County Superior Court to Offer Online Ability To Pay Tool For Infractions. For eligibility information, click here. Request a fine reduction for your eligible infraction offense using the new MyCitations tool.
🌐 calaveras.courts.ca.gov
Court Calendar | Superior Court of California | County of Colusa
Official Free
Online Calendar Search Notice: Colusa Superior Court’s Online Calendar Portal is temporarily unavailable until further notice. This calendar is updated routinely and lists the next 2 weeks of court cases being heard in Colusa Superior Court.
🌐 colusa.courts.ca.gov
Civil | Superior Court of California | County of Colusa
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. It is an official government source.
🌐 colusa.courts.ca.gov
Online Case Information | Superior Court of California | County of Contra Costa
Official Free
Look Up Cases Online You can use the links below to look up civil, small claims, or probate cases, as well as daily court calendars. Unlimited and Limited Civil case documents and minutes are available on the Courts Public Portal below. The documents can be downloaded for no fee from the Public
🌐 contracosta.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of El Dorado
Official Free
Case records from the California courts serving California surface through this system. Searching the official side is free.
🌐 eldorado.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Fresno
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. Searching the official side is free.
🌐 fresno.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Glenn
Official Free
As provided in amended Glenn County Superior Court Local Rule 2.5: Effective January 1, 2026, the Court requires electronic filing of documents pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure sec. 1010.6 and California Rules of Court, Rule 2.250 et seq.
🌐 glenn.courts.ca.gov
Court Calendars | Superior Court of California | County of Imperial
Official Free
Calendars are updated at 4:30 pm for the following calendar day. View Superior Court provides access to 5 days of (General, Criminal, Traffic, Small Claims, Juvenile and Mental Health Cases).
🌐 imperial.courts.ca.gov
Court Records | Superior Court of California | County of Kern
Official Free
Summary list ("table of contents") of documents filed and actions taken in a case is available on the Civil Case Information and Calendars. To view the contents of a court file, you may either come to the court and view the original file (and if needed request photocopies of documents in the file) or you may mail a request for photocopies. Requests to look up a case number are not taken over the telephone and information regarding a specific case cannot be given by telephone. Associated fees: (checks are payable to Kern County Superior Court)
🌐 kern.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Kings
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. If a link breaks, the office homepage at kings.courts.ca.gov carries the new path.
🌐 kings.courts.ca.gov
Public Booking Log - County Of Marin
Official Free
Current inmate roster for California, published by the sheriff's office. Booking information is public record in nearly every state, and this feed comes straight from the jail's system.
🌐 apps.marincounty.gov
eCourt Online Portal | Superior Court of California | County of Marin
Official Free
If for any reason you are unable to view court records via ePortal, you can still access court records at the Court Records Division located in room 113 in the courthouse, 3501 Civic Center Dr., San Rafael, CA 94903. You may also submit Records Requests for copies of court documents.
🌐 marin.courts.ca.gov
Search Assessor records and maps | County of Marin Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk
Official Free
Property assessment records for California. Tax amounts and payment status typically link from the same record. Records show assessed values, property characteristics, and several years of history.
🌐 apps.marincounty.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Mendocino
Official Free
Forms that support the business processes Mendocino County and are for use only in Mendocino County.
🌐 mendocino.courts.ca.gov
tentative rulings
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. It is an official government source.
🌐 portal.monterey.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Napa
Official Free
Court Facility Equal Access Policy Courthouse Tours How to Safely Turn in Firearms and Ammunition Juvenile Justice Commission Limited English Proficiency Plan Temporary Judge Program Civil, Estates, and Family Law Voluntary Mediation · Judicial Council of California City of Napa County of Napa Department of Motor Vehicles Napa Law Library Guide & File
🌐 napa.courts.ca.gov
Case Lookup and Self Service | Superior Court of California | County of Napa
Official Free
Court case information for California. The docket is the official chronology; news accounts and third-party sites derive from it. Fee waivers and forms usually live on the same court site.
🌐 napa.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Nevada
Official Free
Court case information for California. Judgment and disposition entries here are what background screeners verify against. Civil, criminal, probate, and traffic divisions may index separately — check each if a search runs dry.
🌐 nevada.courts.ca.gov
Superior Court of California - County of Orange
Official Free
Select the Case Category from the drop down menu (Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Probate, Small Claims, or Traffic) · If you know your case number, enter the number in the Case ID field. Enter the year the case was filed (Civil, Probate, and Small Claims cases only).
🌐 courtcalendar.occourts.org
Case Access | Superior Court of California | County of Orange
Official Free
County of Orange · If you would like to search for case information by Person or Business Name, please try our Case Name Search application · The court provides many online resources to meet your needs. To review information regarding a public case, please select one of the case categories below.
🌐 occourts.org
Online Case Access | Placer County Superior Court
Official Free
Online Portal Disclaimer: The purpose of this system is to provide the ability to research and locate Superior Court of California, County of Placer Criminal, Civil, Traffic, and Family Law matters for a particular case / citation number. The most current filings may or may not be in the system.
🌐 placer.courts.ca.gov
Court Calendars | Superior Court of California | County of Plumas
Official Free
Effective January 1, 2025 REVISED 05/20/2025 Judge Douglas Prouty | Department 1 Day Time - Calendar 1st and 3rd Monday 9:00 – Pre-Trials 10:00 – Prop 36 Court 10:30 – Collaborative Justice Court 11:00 – AB1810 Court/CARE Court 2nd and 4th Monday 1:00 pm – Juvenile Dependency Every
🌐 plumas.courts.ca.gov
Public Access | Riverside Superior Court
Official Free
View court calendars for the current day and future calendar dates up to 7 days. A request for certified copies (Civil, Family Law, Probate, Criminal or Traffic) can be made by filling out local form Request for Certified Copies (RI-MC011) and submitting the form online through eSubmit .
🌐 epublic-access.riverside.courts.ca.gov
Sacramento Superior Court's Public Case Access System
Official Free
Sacramento Superior Court has discontinued all fees associated with online searches and document downloads.
🌐 services.saccourt.ca.gov
Court Calendars and Judicial Assignments | Superior Court of California | County of San Benito
Official Free
Court Calendars Important: The court calendars posted on this website are for the convenience of the attorneys, parties and the public. Although we make every effort to insure their accuracy, they are prepared seven to ten days prior to any court appearance.
🌐 sanbenito.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of San Bernardino
Official Free
Learn about the Inland Counties Judicial Mentorship Program. San Bernardino Superior Court offers interpreters for courtroom proceedings in all case types, as long as resources are available. View information for the media, notices for attorneys, and public notices. The Probate Department of the Court handles CARE Act proceedings, wherein qualified persons can seek Court assistance with mental health treatment.
🌐 sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov
Court Index
Official Free
The Court Index is a list of cases that have been filed with the court. The index does not provide information on the charges and disposition of cases filed with the court · The index is retained pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 10.851.
🌐 courtindex.sdcourt.ca.gov
Register of Actions
Official Free
The Register of Actions (ROA) is intended to assist the public in accessing non-confidential case data and documents for imaged cases without having to visit the courthouse .
🌐 odyroa.sdcourt.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of San Francisco
Official Free
View records in person or online. View electronic filing (e-filing) information. The ACCESS Center can give you legal information and/or referrals to other resources to help you represent yourself. CARE: The Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act. The CARE Act seeks to provide mental health services, support, and accountability for Californians living with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders.
🌐 sf.courts.ca.gov
Online Services | Superior Court of California - County of San Francisco
Official Free
Contact Us · Follow the prompt so that the Court can verify that a person is seeking to view case information and not an automated computer program. This helps prevent program abuse and ensures that the Court can continue to provide public access to case information
🌐 webapps.sftc.org
FullCourt Enterprise - Login
Official Free
Welcome to the Public Access Portal for the Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin.
🌐 cms.sjcourts.org
Tentative Rulings | Superior Court of California | County of San Luis Obispo
Official Free
The San Luis Obispo County Superior Court launched re:SearchCA, a web-based platform that grants registered users remote access to public court records and documents. Please follow the link to register or sign in with your eFileCalifornia account. Several judicial officers provide tentative rulings on the Court’s website for the convenience of attorneys and parties.
🌐 slo.courts.ca.gov
Viewing Court Records | Superior Court of California | County of San Mateo
Official Free
You may view public case files at the Records Management Division on the 1st Floor, Room A of the Hall of Justice, 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 .
🌐 sanmateo.courts.ca.gov
Superior Court of California County of Santa Barbara
Official Free
Court case information for California. The docket is the official chronology; news accounts and third-party sites derive from it. Hearing calendars on the same system show what is coming up, not just what happened.
🌐 santabarbara.courts.ca.gov
Smart Search - Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara - Civil Portal
Official Free
Court case information for California. Coverage is deepest for recent decades and thins out further back — check the stated start dates. Dockets list every filing and hearing, usually enough to follow a case without ordering documents.
🌐 portal.sbcourts.org
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Clara
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. Searching the official side is free.
🌐 santaclara.courts.ca.gov
Case Information Online | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Clara
Official Free
Include the case number, full names of the parties, document title(s), and filing date(s), if known · Click for courthouse locations and mailing addresses. You can request a CD of case information downloaded from our public portal - see requesting a CD of civil case data or criminal case data.
🌐 santaclara.courts.ca.gov
Smart Search - Santa Cruz Superior Court
Official Free
Court case information for California. Try surname-only searches when a full name returns nothing; spelling variations are common. Case numbers speed searches considerably, but party names work.
🌐 portal.santacruzcourt.org
Criminal Division | Superior Court of California | County of Shasta
Official Free
If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will appoint one at the time of arraignment if you meet the qualifications. You can search our Case Index online or submit a written request for a criminal background search .
🌐 shasta.courts.ca.gov
Home | Superior Court of California | County of Siskiyou
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. If a link breaks, the office homepage at siskiyou.courts.ca.gov carries the new path.
🌐 siskiyou.courts.ca.gov
Solano Superior Court | Portal
Official Free
Court case information for California. The docket is the official chronology; news accounts and third-party sites derive from it. Civil, criminal, probate, and traffic divisions may index separately — check each if a search runs dry.
🌐 portal.solano.courts.ca.gov
Daily Criminal Calendar | Superior Court of California | County of Sonoma
Official Free
Case records from the California courts serving California surface through this system. Searching the official side is free.
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Civil Calendar | Superior Court of California | County of Sonoma
Official Free
Court case information for California. Hearing calendars on the same system show what is coming up, not just what happened. For copies the site doesn't display, the clerk fills requests at a per-page rate.
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Case Portal | Superior Court of California | County of Sonoma
Official Free
Sonoma Superior Court has moved into the 21st century with a new web-based case management system that transitions the court off a decades-old database and ensures improved access to justice for the citizens of Sonoma County over the years to come.
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
1 TENTATIVE RULINGS: CIVIL LAW & MOTION Friday, February 13, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.
Official Free
If the tentative ruling is accepted, no appearance is necessary unless otherwise indicated .
🌐 sonoma.courts.ca.gov
Criminal Calendar | Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus
Official Free
Criminal Court Calendar Keyword Hearing Type - Any -1372 Certification of Mental Competency Hearing995 PC Motion HearingAB 109 Violation Hearing (1170)Arraignment HearingArraignment on Information HearingCase Management ConferenceCourt TrialDiversion/Defer Judgment Completion HearingDiversion/Defer
🌐 stanislaus.courts.ca.gov
Online Services | Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus
Official Free
On this site you will be able to search certain court records, locate case names and view some filed documents.
🌐 stanislaus.courts.ca.gov
Court Calendar | Superior Court of California | County of Sutter
Official Free
Court case information for California. Attorneys of record appear on the docket, useful when you need to contact a party. Try surname-only searches when a full name returns nothing; spelling variations are common.
🌐 sutter.courts.ca.gov
Court Calendars | Superior Court of California, County of Tehama
Official Free
Department Assignments "Trials and Hearings" means that the time is open for assignment of any variety of hearing or trial, including jury trials. Department 1 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri 8:00 a.m. Felony Law & Motion: Judge Bottke 9:00 a.m. Prelim Settlement Conference Calendar: Judge Skillman 1:15 p.m.
🌐 tehama.courts.ca.gov
1 (Revised 1/1/2022) TULARE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT LOCAL RULES VISALIA
Official Free
Court case information for California. Fee waivers and forms usually live on the same court site. Juvenile, adoption, and sealed matters are excluded by rule everywhere.
🌐 tulare.courts.ca.gov
Official records
Official Free
Log on to Tuolumne County Juror Online Services · Find and enter your Juror ID Number from your summons. Juror ID: Enter your Last Name exactly as it appears on your summons.
🌐 apps.tuolumne.courts.ca.gov
Docket Information Payment Page
Official Free
You can review the entire docket or select a specific date to review only the docket entries for that date
🌐 courtservices.venturacounty.gov
Family Law | Superior Court of California | County of Ventura
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. It is an official government source.
🌐 ventura.courts.ca.gov
Home | County of Yolo
Official Free
Court case information for California — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. Searching the official side is free.
🌐 yolo.courts.ca.gov

California Counties

58 California counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Los Angeles San Diego Orange Riverside San Bernardino Santa Clara Alameda Sacramento Contra Costa Alpine Amador Butte Calaveras Colusa

Which California counties publish court dockets online

10 of California's 58 counties run their own online source for court dockets, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above — click a county for its full records page.

Frequently Asked Questions

California's trial courts publish case lookups through the Judicial Branch of California. Start at courts.ca.gov — most case dockets, filings, and hearing calendars are searchable by name, case number, or filing date. County-level clerks publish additional searches; see the cards below for direct county court links.

The Judicial Branch of California operates California's official statewide judicial portal at courts.ca.gov. Basic case lookups are typically free of charge; certified copies and bulk-data exports may incur a per-document or per-search fee. Federal cases for California residents are searched separately through PACER.

Trial courts in California handle the original filing of civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic matters. Appellate courts review questions of law from trial-court decisions. The Judicial Branch of California publishes the full court structure, judge rosters, and jurisdiction maps at courts.ca.gov.

Online coverage varies by court and case type. Most California county courts have digitized records from approximately the late 1990s or early 2000s forward; older case files may require an in-person clerk visit or a written record request. Check the Judicial Branch of California portal at courts.ca.gov for each court's coverage window.

No. California courts redact or remove sealed, expunged, juvenile, and certain confidential records from public-facing searches as required by state statute and court rule. If a record was previously visible and has since been sealed, it will no longer appear in the Judicial Branch of California portal. For verification you can contact the county clerk where the case was filed.