| Superior Court | Fresno Superior Court — Public Portal |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | B.F. Sisk Courthouse, 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721-2220 |
| Phone | (559) 457-2000 |
| Hours | Clerk's Office: Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Building: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. |
| 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 Fresno is the county's single trial court, headquartered at the B.F. Sisk Courthouse in downtown Fresno. As in every California county, there is one Clerk of the Superior Court and no separate county clerk.
Fresno's public case-management portal covers civil, criminal, family law, probate, juvenile, traffic, small claims, and appeals cases, letting the public search by name, business name, or case type and see case activity. The court is explicit that the portal's information "does not constitute the official record of the court," so anyone who needs a certified or official record still has to request it in person or in writing.
The common mistake is entering a civil case number exactly as printed on paperwork — Fresno's portal instructs users to drop the last three letters from civil case numbers before searching, a quirk of the court's case-numbering system that trips up first-time users.
Search Fresno County court records online
Superior Court
Fresno Superior Court — Public Portal
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Civil, criminal, family law, probate, juvenile, traffic, small claims, and appeals case search by name, business name, or case type
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
One Clerk of the Superior Court serves the whole county; there is no separate county clerk. Unlawful detainer (eviction) cases are unavailable online for 60 days after the complaint is filed. Attorneys and parties with confidential cases must visit in person rather than search online.
What is available online
The Public Portal covers civil, criminal, family law, probate, juvenile, traffic, small claims, and appeals cases without registration, but the court states the information "does not constitute the official record of the court" and is provided "as is." Unlawful detainer (eviction) cases are withheld from the portal for 60 days after filing. Civil case numbers must be entered without their last three letters to search successfully. Confidential case types and attorneys of record on sealed matters must use in-person access instead of the public portal.
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
Fresno County clerk offices
B.F. Sisk Courthouse, 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721-2220
Phone: (559) 457-2000
Hours: Clerk's Office: Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Building: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Online. Use the Public Portal at publicportal.fresno.courts.ca.gov to search by name, business name, or case type; no account is required. Remember to drop the final three letters of a civil case number before searching.
In person or by mail. For certified or official copies, or for unlawful detainer cases within 60 days of filing, contact the clerk's office at the B.F. Sisk Courthouse, 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721-2220, during clerk's-office hours (Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Friday 8 a.m.-noon). Include the case number, the documents needed, and whether certification is required.
Certified copies. The Public Portal explicitly is not the official record; certified copies must be requested from the clerk directly.
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 my Fresno civil case using the number on my paperwork?
Fresno's Public Portal requires you to remove the last three letters from a civil case number before searching — entering the full number as printed on court documents will not return a result.
What are the Fresno court clerk's office hours?
Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Friday 8:00 a.m. to noon. The courthouse building itself is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Can I get an official copy of a Fresno court record from the online portal?
No. The court states the Public Portal does not constitute the official record. Certified or official copies must be requested in person or in writing from the clerk's office.
How soon can I find an eviction case in Fresno County online?
Unlawful detainer (eviction) cases are unavailable on the Public Portal for 60 days after the complaint is filed. Contact the clerk's office directly for earlier information.
Sources
- Superior Court of California, County of Fresno — https://www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/
- Public Portal (Fresno Superior Court) — https://publicportal.fresno.courts.ca.gov/public-portal/
- Locations & Contact Info (Fresno Superior Court) — https://www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/general-information/locations-contact-info
- 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.