San Luis Obispo County Court Records Lookup

San Luis Obispo County Courts, CA *

There may be times when the residents of San Luis Obispo County need to visit the county superior court. Perhaps they have a pending criminal case or a traffic citation for running a red light. They might have a civil case pending with the court, such as a lawsuit against another driver for an accident. Business owners may need to look at damage awards in civil lawsuits.

Do you need to visit the San Luis Obispo Superior Court? Then you need to become familiar with how the superior court system works in California.

Overview of the San Luis Obispo County Court System

The California State Legislature and California voters decided to unify state courts, county courts, and municipal courts into one Superior Court system in 1998. Each of the 58 counties in California has a Superior Court for civil and criminal cases. All of the Superior Courts in California are governed by the Judicial Council of California, which means they all have the same forms and procedures.

The San Luis Obispo Superior Court is located in three different locations, so you must know which type of case you have and where the court is located to save you valuable time. You also need to know what to bring, such as documentation and paperwork for court. Information on the procedures the superior court follows is critical.

Types of Courts in San Luis Obispo County, CA

The San Luis Obispo Superior Court comprises 12 courtrooms with 13 judges and 2 commissioners, who hear selected types of cases. It is important to know the types of courts that the county has, so your courthouse trip will be quick and hassle-free.

Civil Court

The Civil Court has courtrooms in the county's main courthouse, as well as the branch in Paso Robles. Civil courts are responsible for hearing cases that result in a damage award, rather than a fine or a jail sentence.

Jurisdictions:

• Unlimited and limited civil cases
• Small claims court
• Restraining orders for harassment or gun violence
• Change of name or gender
• Evictions, also called unlawful detainers

Unlimited civil cases are for personal injury or property damage, and seek damages of $25,000 or more, usually for personal injury or property damage. Limited civil cases seek damages of $25,000 or more. Small claims lawsuits must be for less than $10,000 in damages and are brought by citizens against a person or a business. These usually involve a dispute, such as the return of a security deposit against a landlord.

Criminal Court

Unlike the civil court system, which deals with disputes and monetary damages, criminal court cases involve crimes against people or property that can result in jail time. The Criminal Court is housed in the San Luis Obispo courthouse.

Jurisdictions:

• Misdemeanor crimes
• Felony crimes
• Motions proceeding for a criminal trial, such as an evidence hearing
• Criminal jury trials
• Post-conviction hearings, such as sentencing or diversion hearings
• Traffic and parking citations or violations

Misdemeanor cases usually involve property damage, vandalism, or shoplifting, and involve punishments of fines or short jail time of less than a year. Felony crimes involve crimes such as assault with a deadly weapon, murder, and armed robbery. The punishment for felony crimes can be a large fine and up to life in prison.

Family Court

The county has two family courts, one located in the main San Luis Obispo courthouse and the other in Paso Robles. Family Court hears civil cases about private disputes within families.

Jurisdictions:

• Child custody, visitation, paternity, and support
• Divorces, legal separations, and annulments after marriage
• Modifications to orders regarding child custody or support
• Domestic violence restraining orders

Juvenile Court

The Juvenile Court is responsible for hearing matters related to children under the age of 18 who have committed a crime (juvenile delinquency). They also hear cases that argue for custody for children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned (juvenile dependency). Juvenile delinquency hearings are at the Juvenile Services Center. Juvenile dependency hearings are in the main courthouse

Jurisdictions:

• Crimes committed by children under the age of 18
• Truancy/runaway cases
• Ward of the court hearings
• Custody of a minor child

Juvenile courts hear both misdemeanor and felony cases involving juveniles. Ward of the court hearings involve cases where in cases where a juvenile will not follow the parents' rules, runs away frequently, or is chronically truant at school. Custody of a minor child hearings are due to cases of abuse, neglect, or abandonment of a child by their parent or guardian.

Probate Court

The Probate Court for the county is located in the main San Luis Obispo Superior Courthouse. The court hears cases related to the settling of a deceased person's estate. The probate court also hears cases related to guardianship and conservatorship of adults.

Jurisdiction:

• Wills, trusts, and estates
• Conservatorships
• Guardianships

Probate judges often decide whether a will is valid and authentic after someone dies. They may also rule on estate matters, such as a change of executor or a dispute between beneficiaries. Judges will rule on conservatorships in the case of an adult who cannot care for themselves, as well as guardianships, which appoint someone to care for a child and their property in case of the death of the child's parents or guardians.

How to Access San Luis Obispo County Court Records

Most citizens of the San Luis Obispo area do not want to travel to court to get court records unless they have to. They want to be able to take care of paperwork as quickly as possible with as few headaches as possible. Here is information on accessing the court records in San Luis Obispo County.

Online Access

If you need to look up court records, you can use the improved eFile option called re:Search. You must register for public access to get onto the website. San Luis Obispo is the first county in California to get this new website. It allows you to search several counties in California for case information. Once you register, you can see court filings, public documents, lists of prior and future hearings, and court calendars. Attorneys are able to see court documents for cases.

Alternative Online Options

While the San Luis Obispo Superior Court has a lot of helpful information and tutorials, many people find accessing court documents online difficult, especially if they don't have all of the information about a case, such as a case number or where the case originated. Using a third-party court search tool, such as CourtCaseFinder, involves a simple, streamlined process that allows you to quickly search for court cases across multiple jurisdictions. That way, you may not have to go to the courthouse to search for case information.

In-Person Requests

The San Luis Obispo Superior Court does allow you to visit the courthouse to request copies of court records. However, you need to know that there are two different locations for in-person requests, depending on what type of court record you are looking for. Civil, criminal, and family law court documents are available at the main court location or at the courthouse annex. You can also fill out paperwork to access all cases in the San Luis Obispo Superior Court system at the courthouse annex as well.

Archived Records

If the court records you are searching for are older than the late 20th century, you will most likely have to make an in-person request with the San Luis Obispo Superior Court for copies of court records. The court will charge you a fee for each page you ask for copies of. If the case you need information on is newer than the early 2000s, you should be able to search for case information using the re:Search option.

For Attorneys and Legal Professionals

What if you aren't an attorney who ordinarily practices in San Luis Obispo, and you need information? Attorneys and legal professionals from outside the county are at an advantage because of the streamlined California Superior Court System, governed by the California Judicial Council. The only difference for legal professionals and lawyers in San Luis Obispo and other counties for case research is that the county uses the re:Search tool. However, filing documents and paying filing fees is the same in San Luis Obispo County as in the other counties across California.

Attorneys and legal professionals can use San Luis Obispo County's online system to look up cases in the database, check their court deadlines, and look at the upcoming docket. If a lawyer is unsure about which forms they need to file, the Judicial Branch of California's website has forms and guidance for both civil and criminal cases. By using the Judicial Branch of California's website, legal professionals save their valuable time and money.

How to File a Case in San Luis Obispo County

What if you aren't a legal professional, but you need to file a case in San Luis Obispo County? No problem. You can follow the steps below for a guide on filing a case with the San Luis Obispo Superior Court. This is also the general process that any case filing follows.

Step 1: Choose the Correct Court

Although the San Luis Obispo Superior Court has more than one location, the court itself is the only court in the county for civil and criminal cases. California's laws allow for one superior court per county. However, since San Luis Obispo has three court locations, it is important that you know where you need to file your paperwork. For civil cases or family law cases, you will need to file your paperwork at the main courthouse. Criminal case paperwork should be filed at the main courthouse as well. The Grover Beach location will take traffic court paperwork. The Paso Robles location will take small claims paperwork and limited civil claims paperwork. The Juvenile Services Center handles paperwork for juvenile delinquency and dependency cases.

Step 2: Complete Required Forms

The San Luis Obispo Superior Court site has all the required forms you need to file for your case. You can fill out the forms online or download them to fill out later. The forms are in a fillable PDF format, which makes them easy to save, download, and print. You need to make sure that the forms are filled out correctly to save delays, but what if you are not sure you filled them out correctly? There are self-help tools provided by the court to assist you, no matter what forms you are filing. Help is available in English or Spanish. If you still aren't sure how to complete the forms, you can ask the county clerk for assistance.

Step 3: File Your Case

You can file your case using an e-file provider designated by the county. E-filing is mandatory for civil cases, if you are represented by an attorney. However, for criminal and traffic cases, small claims cases, probate, and family law cases, if you are representing yourself, you are exempt from e-filing, although you can still e-file if you want to. You can file in person, mail the paperwork in, or use the dropboxes for paperwork that are located at all three court locations, but not the Juvenile Justice Center.

Step 4: Pay Filing Fees

While you are filing your case, you will need to pay the filing fees. You can pay using a credit or debit card online, or you can pay in person. If you choose to pay in person, the court accepts cash, check, money order, and credit/debit cards. What if you cannot afford filing fees? You can apply for a waiver of court fees.

Step 5: Serve the Other Party

Once you have filed your case, anyone else named in your case has to get a copy of the filing. The Judicial Branch of California has information on serving people or companies with court case information after you have filed. The state of California does not allow you to serve the papers yourself. Instead, you will need someone over 18 serve the papers. You can also ask the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department or a third-party process server to serve the paperwork for you, but in both cases, there's a fee. No matter who serves the paperwork, you must file a proof of service form with the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.

Step 6: Monitor Your Case

Once you have filed, you'll want to keep track of the progression of your case. You can use the re:Search tool to keep track of the court calendar, court documents, and legal proceedings.

San Luis Obispo County Courthouse Directory

The main court of the Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County is located in the city of San Luis Obispo. The court has branches in Paso Robles and Grover Beach as well.

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

If you are a resident of San Luis Obispo County and you have a low or moderate income, or you need help with your case, there are legal resources available for you to help you through the process.

Free Legal Assistance

The San Obispo County Superior Court offers free legal assistance through its Legal Self-Help Center. Through the Self-Help Center, you can receive help with everything from child custody and visitation to restraining orders to asking for a waiver of misdemeanor criminal charges. Services, including self-help videos, are available in both English and Spanish. You can call the main courthouse line and ask for help as well from 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday.

Local Legal Support

Individuals who need more intense legal support can also receive help with civil and family law cases from the San Luis Obispo Legal Aid Foundation. This foundation specializes in senior law, working with veterans and their families, and the denial of government benefits. You can also contact the California Rural Legal Association. They specialize in housing, health, and education discrimination.

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