| Superior Court | Sacramento Superior Court — Public Case Access System |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Check the county website |
| Phone | Listed on the clerk website |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | 1989 |
| 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 Sacramento is the county's single trial court, with its main downtown courthouse in Sacramento. As in every California county, there is one Clerk of the Superior Court and no separate county clerk.
Sacramento's Public Case Access System covers civil, criminal, family law, probate, small claims, traffic, and unlawful detainer cases, with criminal records reaching back to 1989. Unusually for a large county, the court has discontinued fees for online searches and document downloads, so most online case access is free. Family law participants who want access to case documents (rather than just the docket) must separately file a paper enrollment form with identification.
The common mistake is assuming every case type works the same way online — criminal, civil, and traffic searches are open to anyone, but full family-law document access requires the separate paper enrollment process described on the court's website, not just an online account.
Search Sacramento County court records online
Superior Court
Sacramento Superior Court — Public Case Access System
- Cost
- Free; the court has discontinued fees for online searches and document downloads
- Coverage
- Civil, criminal (from 1989 to present), family law, probate, small claims, traffic, and unlawful detainer case search by name, case number, or filing date
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate, Traffic
One Clerk of the Superior Court serves the whole county; there is no separate county clerk. Full family-law document access requires a separate paper Family Law Case Participant Enrollment Form with photo ID or bar number, filed with the court.
What is available online
The Public Case Access System covers civil, criminal (from 1989 forward), family law, probate, small claims, traffic, and unlawful detainer cases, and the court states it has discontinued fees for online searches and document downloads. Civil and probate case participants can subscribe to automated filing notifications; family-law participants need a separate paper enrollment (with a driver's license or bar number) before they can view court-prepared documents such as findings and orders. We were unable to confirm the main courthouse's address, phone number, or public hours from an official page during this review because the court's website blocked our automated verification; treat those details as unconfirmed until checked directly with the court.
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
Online. Use the Public Case Access System to search by name, case number, or filing date. Civil and probate participants can request a case subscription for filing notifications at no charge.
Family law records. Attorneys or self-represented parties must file a Family Law Case Participant Enrollment Form, along with a driver's license or bar number, to gain access to court-prepared documents such as findings and orders after hearing.
In person or by mail. Contact the Sacramento Superior Court clerk's office for the specific division handling the case; confirm the current mailing address, hours, and any fee before sending a request, as we could not verify those details from the court's website during this review.
Certified copies. Certified copies must be requested from the clerk directly; the online portal provides case information and, for many case types, free document downloads, but not certification.
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
Are there fees to search Sacramento County court records online?
The court states it has discontinued fees for online searches and document downloads through the Public Case Access System, making most online access free.
How far back do Sacramento criminal records go online?
The Public Case Access System covers criminal cases from 1989 to the present.
How do I get full access to a Sacramento family law case online?
Beyond the basic docket, full access to court-prepared family-law documents requires filing a paper Family Law Case Participant Enrollment Form along with a driver's license or attorney bar number.
Is there a separate county clerk in Sacramento County?
No. Like every California county, Sacramento has one unified Superior Court and one Clerk of the Superior Court handling all case types; there is no separate county clerk.
Sources
- Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento — https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/
- Public Case Access System (Sacramento Superior Court) — https://services.saccourt.ca.gov/PublicCaseAccess/
- 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.