| Superior Court | Alameda Superior Court — Public Portals |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | René C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612 |
| Phone | 510-891-6000 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.50 per page (Government Code § 70627) |
| Certified copy fee | $0.50 per page plus a $40 certification fee (Government Code §§ 70626–70627) |
The Superior Court of California, County of Alameda is the county's single trial court. Its main courthouse, the René C. Davidson Courthouse, is in downtown Oakland and hears many of the county's civil and criminal matters, alongside other Alameda County courthouse locations.
Alameda splits its online records across several separate systems rather than one combined portal: the eCourt Public Portal covers civil, family law, and probate cases and requires a free account for any function; a separate Odyssey-based portal covers criminal case searches; and a distinct eFileCA system handles criminal and juvenile e-filing rather than public search. Traffic matters have their own ticket portal for payments and lookups.
The common mistake is trying to find a criminal case on the eCourt Public Portal — that portal explicitly excludes criminal, juvenile, and traffic cases, which live on different systems entirely.
Search Alameda County court records online
Superior Court
Alameda Superior Court — Public Portals
- Cost
- Free registration for the eCourt Public Portal; free half-page document previews, with credits required for further pages
- Coverage
- eCourt Public Portal for civil, family law, and probate case records and documents; a separate criminal records portal (Odyssey) for criminal cases
- Records
- Civil, Family, Probate
One Clerk of the Superior Court serves the whole county; there is no separate county clerk. Criminal, juvenile, and traffic cases are not part of the eCourt Public Portal and must be searched on separate systems linked from the same page.
What is available online
The eCourt Public Portal (civil, family law, probate) requires a free account and offers name search, case-number search, calendar search, and document access; a free half-page preview is available before a credit purchase is required for full documents. Criminal cases are handled through a separate Odyssey portal that also requires registration. Traffic matters have their own payment and lookup portal. We could not confirm public clerk's-office hours for the Davidson Courthouse from an official page during this review.
Which clerk has your record
In California, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the California page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Courts (58, one per county) | Felony and misdemeanor criminal cases; Civil lawsuits of any amount, including small claims; Family law, including divorce and custody | Clerk of the Superior Court of the county |
| Appellate Division of the Superior Court | Appeals from misdemeanor, infraction, and limited-jurisdiction civil cases decided in that county's Superior Court | Clerk of the Superior Court of the county |
Request records in person or by mail
Alameda County clerk offices
René C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-891-6000
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Online. Use the eCourt Public Portal for civil, family law, and probate cases (free account required) or the separate criminal records portal for criminal cases. Traffic citations have their own online payment and lookup system.
In person or by mail. Contact the clerk's office at the René C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612, or the specific branch courthouse that heard the case. Include the case number, the documents needed, and whether certification is required.
Certified copies. Certified copies must be requested from the clerk in person or by mail; the online portals provide previews and purchasable document images, not certified copies.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in California |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.50 per page (Government Code § 70627) |
| Certified copy | $0.50 per page plus a $40 certification fee (Government Code §§ 70626–70627) |
These are the statewide fees set in the Superior Court fee statutes (Government Code, Title 8, Chapter 5.8). Individual courts may also charge separately for a records search that takes more than ten minutes ($15, Government Code § 70627) or for name searches and document downloads on their online portals, which vary by county. Confirm the total with the specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
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.
The California guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I find a criminal case on Alameda's eCourt Public Portal?
Because that portal only covers civil, family law, and probate cases. Criminal cases are on a separate Odyssey-based portal, and juvenile and traffic cases have their own systems entirely.
Do I need an account to search Alameda County court records?
Yes, for the main portals. Both the eCourt Public Portal and the criminal records (Odyssey) portal require free registration before you can search.
Where is the main Alameda County courthouse?
The René C. Davidson Courthouse at 1225 Fallon Street in Oakland. Alameda County also has other courthouse locations for specific case types and branch areas.
Can I view Alameda County court documents for free online?
A free half-page preview is available on the eCourt Public Portal, but viewing full documents requires purchasing credits after registering an account.
Sources
- Superior Court of California, County of Alameda — https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/
- Public Portals (Alameda Superior Court) — https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/public-portals
- eCourt Public Portal (Alameda Superior Court) — https://eportal.alameda.courts.ca.gov/?q=Home
- Judicial Branch of California — About California Courts — https://courts.ca.gov/about
- California Courts Appellate Court Case Information — https://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/
- California Department of Justice — Record Review (Criminal History) — https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review
- California Rules of Court, Rule 2.550 — Sealed Records — https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_550
- California Rules of Court, Rule 2.551 — Procedures for Filing Records Under Seal — https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_551
- Penal Code § 851.91 — Petition to Seal an Arrest Record — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=851.91
- Penal Code § 1203.4 — Withdrawal of Plea and Dismissal (Expungement) — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=1203.4
- Government Code § 70626 — Certification Fee — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=70626
- Government Code § 70627 — Copy and Records-Search Fees — https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=70627
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all California counties.