How to Find California Court Records (2026)

In person. Go to the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the case was filed. Most courthouses have a public terminal or window where you can look up a case by number or party name at no charge, though a few counties (Riverside, San Bernardino) charge a fee for a name search. Bring the case number if you have it; if not, the full names of the parties and an approximate filing year.

By mail. Write to the clerk with the case number (or party names and year), exactly which documents you need, whether you need a plain or certified copy, and a check or money order for the fee — call first to confirm the amount, since fee schedules vary slightly by court. Many Superior Courts also accept requests by fax or email; check the specific court's records page.

Online. Most of the ten largest counties publish a case-search portal covering at least civil, family, and probate cases, and several also cover criminal and traffic. Coverage, whether registration is required, and whether documents (not just the docket) can be downloaded varies court by court — some charge a per-page fee for name searches or document downloads even online. Certified copies almost always require an in-person or mail request to the clerk.

Records older than the online index. Superior Court case-management systems generally only go back a couple of decades online. Older paper files may be in archives or destroyed under the court's records retention schedule (California Rules of Court, rule 10.855); ask the clerk what is available.

California court records are presumed open under the common-law right of access and the First Amendment, as applied by the California Supreme Court in NBC Subsidiary (KNBC-TV), Inc. v. Superior Court (1999). California Rules of Court, rules 2.550–2.551, set the standard and procedure a party must meet to have a court seal a record: the court must find an overriding interest that outweighs the public's right of access, a substantial probability that interest will be harmed without sealing, that sealing is narrowly tailored, and that no less restrictive alternative exists. A record is not sealed merely because the parties agree to it.

Outside of civil sealing motions, California has two distinct criminal-record remedies. Sealing an arrest under Penal Code section 851.91 is available to a person who was arrested but never convicted; if granted, the arrest is treated as if it never occurred and the record is sealed from public view (and later destroyed under Penal Code section 851.92, subject to retention rules). Expungement under Penal Code section 1203.4 applies to a conviction after probation was successfully completed: the court allows a change of plea and dismisses the case, but the record is not sealed or destroyed — a member of the public researching court records may still see the original conviction and the later dismissal.

Juvenile court records are confidential under Welfare and Institutions Code section 827, with access limited to specified parties and agencies. Family law records are public, but sensitive information (Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, minors' addresses) is subject to redaction rules under California Rules of Court, rule 1.201, and its related forms.