| Superior Court | San Diego Superior Court — Accessing Court Records |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Central Courthouse, 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Phone | (619) 844-2700 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | 2015 |
| 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 San Diego is the single trial court for the county; there is no separate county clerk office. The court's main downtown location is the Central Courthouse at 1100 Union Street in San Diego, which houses the civil, criminal, and several other divisions.
San Diego's online case search is the Register of Actions (ROA), which lets the public view non-confidential case data and, for many civil, small claims, and probate cases filed on or after August 24, 2015, document images. A separate family-law ROA search covers family cases filed after that same date. Older or unimaged cases generally require an in-person or mail request.
The common mistake here is expecting one search box to cover everything: family law records are on a separate Register of Actions from civil, small claims, and probate, and criminal records are not part of either public ROA — those must be requested from the criminal division directly.
Search San Diego County court records online
Superior Court
San Diego Superior Court — Accessing Court Records
- Cost
- Free to search; a fee applies to download most documents beyond the first page
- Coverage
- Register of Actions (ROA) for civil, small claims, and probate cases, and a separate family-law ROA, generally for cases filed on or after August 24, 2015; older files require an in-person or written request
- Records
- Civil, Family, Probate
There is one Clerk of the Superior Court for the whole county; there is no separate county clerk. Criminal case records are not included in the public Register of Actions and must be requested from the criminal division.
What is available online
The civil/small-claims/probate Register of Actions and the family-law Register of Actions are separate search tools, both generally limited to cases filed on or after August 24, 2015; documents for most civil, small claims, and probate cases can be previewed (first page free) and downloaded for a fee. Criminal case information is not part of either public ROA and must be requested directly from the criminal division. Business-office and phone hours vary by division; the court's Hours and Holidays page is the best source for the specific office you need to call.
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
San Diego County clerk offices
Central Courthouse, 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 844-2700
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Online. Use the civil/probate Register of Actions or the family-law Register of Actions depending on case type, both linked from the court's "Accessing Court Records" page. Most documents can be previewed for free and downloaded for a per-page fee.
In person or by mail. For criminal records, or civil/family/probate records older than the ROA's coverage, request records at the Central Courthouse (1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101) or by mail to the same address, care of the appropriate division's records unit. Include the case number, the documents needed, and whether you need a certified copy; call the division first to confirm the fee.
Certified copies. Certified copies must be requested from the clerk in person or by mail; they are not available for download through the online ROA.
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
Is San Diego Superior Court's online search complete?
No. The Register of Actions generally covers civil, small claims, probate, and family-law cases filed on or after August 24, 2015. Criminal cases are not included, and older files typically require an in-person or written request.
Where is the main San Diego courthouse?
The Central Courthouse at 1100 Union Street in downtown San Diego houses the civil division and several other court functions. Other case types, including some family and juvenile matters, are heard at branch courthouses elsewhere in the county.
How do I search a San Diego family law case?
Use the family-law Register of Actions, a separate search tool from the civil/probate ROA. It generally covers cases filed on or after August 24, 2015.
Can I get a criminal record from the San Diego court's website?
Not through the public Register of Actions. Criminal case information must be requested from the criminal division directly, in person or by mail.
Sources
- Superior Court of California, County of San Diego — https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/
- Accessing Court Records (San Diego Superior Court) — https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/generalinformation/accesscourtrecords
- San Diego Register of Actions (civil, small claims, probate) — https://odyroa.sdcourt.ca.gov/
- 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.