San Diego County Court Records Lookup

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San Diego County Courts

San Diego County is the second-most populous county in California. Its population of 3.2 million represents about 8.1% of the state's population. San Diego, the county seat, is its largest and most populous city. The county runs a unified court system, with the San Diego County Superior Court being the sole court in the county. To facilitate the residents' easy access to justice, the court is divided into divisions handling specific cases and spread across four cities within the county. Court divisions in San Diego County include:

Civil Division - Generally hears complex, limited, and unlimited civil cases, including landlord/tenant matters, foreclosures, personal injury cases, torts, professional malpractice, contract breaches, employment matters, and small claims appeals.
Criminal Division - Typically handles felonies, lesser-included offenses, and misdemeanors.
Small Claims Division - Generally handles civil cases with claims under $12,500 for individual cases and under $6,250 for businesses and partnerships.
Family & Children Division - Typically hears domestic relations matters, including annulments, divorces, legal separation, termination of parental rights, spousal support, child custody, adoptions, visitation rights, paternity, spousal, and restraining orders.
Juvenile Division - Usually handles truancy, dependency, juvenile delinquency, status offenses, child abuse or neglect, and juvenile traffic offenses.
Probate Division - Generally handles admission of wills, appointment of conservatorships and guardianships, and management of estates and trusts.
Traffic/Minor Offenses Division - Usually hears traffic, municipal ordinance violations, and minor offenses.
Appellate Division - Generally handles appeals from misdemeanor, traffic, and limited civil cases.

Each year, over 300,000 cases are filed with the San Diego County Superior Court. These cases include approximately 13,000 felonies, 15,000 misdemeanor-nontraffic cases, 10,000 misdemeanor-traffic cases, 2,500 probate cases, and 2,000 juvenile matters. Civil cases filed with the court include 25,000 limited civil cases, 22,000 unlimited cases, and 6,000 small claims cases.

How To Access San Diego County Court Records

San Diego County court records are generally accessible to the public. The California Public Records Act gives individuals the right to examine and obtain records of court cases in the county, provided they are not exempt from public disclosure by law or court orders. Exempt records generally include juvenile records, expunged/sealed court records, child protection orders, and adoption records. Other exempt court records include those related to cases involving parental rights, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health commitment.

Furthermore, portions of court records may be redacted if they contain restricted information. Such restricted information may include Social Security Numbers, trade secrets, license plate numbers, information that may affect personal or public safety, and financial statements.

Typically, a case number is required to find a court record in San Diego County, but the party's full name may also be used. A record seeker may need to provide a valid government-issued photo ID to obtain court records in the county. San Diego County court records may be accessed in the following ways:

Online

San Diego County court records may be accessed through the Online Case Search portal provided by the Superior Court. Records of cases heard in the Superior Court, including family, civil, criminal, probate, and mental health cases, may be accessed on the portal. Court records may be searched by case number or party name.

Also, interested individuals may use CourtCaseFinder to access publicly available San Diego County court records. The resource offers an easy way to search for court records across various counties nationwide. In addition, records of federal cases heard in San Diego County may be accessed through the PACER Case Locator. The platform allows registered users to retrieve federal court records across the United States.

In-Person

Anyone may access San Diego County court records in person by visiting the courthouses where the case was heard. They may inquire about the requirements for in-person access to court records by contacting the court before the visit.

Record seekers may be required to pay certain fees when obtaining these records. Records that take the court clerk more time to find may attract additional searching fees. Furthermore, the county's court records may be viewed at no cost through the public access terminals available at the court premises.

Old and Archived Court Records

The San Diego County Superior Court maintains old court records that may not be available on the online search platform. Requesters may visit the courthouses with a valid ID to access them. Furthermore, old and historic court records from counties across the state are maintained by the California State Archives. Persons interested in accessing such court records may contact the state archives at:

California State Archives

1020 O Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 653-2246

Phone: (916) 653-7715

Fax: (916) 653-7363

How To File a Case in San Diego County

A lawsuit may be filed with the San Diego County Superior Court if at least one of the opposing parties (defendants) resides in the county, or in cases of contract breaches, the contract was signed within the county boundaries. The case must typically be filed within the applicable statute of limitations.

To file a case in San Diego County, one must first identify the appropriate division and court location that has the authority to hear the case. Once the division has been identified, they may file the case electronically through the eFile platform, by mail, or in person.

It is important to prepare the documents to be filed with the court carefully. Filing documents vary depending on the case type. They may have to prepare complaints, summons, petitions, affidavits, and other supporting documents. The documents must contain details of the circumstances that necessitated the lawsuit, the parties involved, and the relief being sought from the court. Self-represented litigants may consult the court's clerk or review the court's Self-Help Center webpage for instructions and requirements for filing a case in the county.

Filing a case in San Diego County typically attracts filing fees depending on the case type. Persons unable to pay the filing fees may apply for fee waivers. To get a waiver, an individual must typically complete all required sections of the Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001) and the Order on Court Fee Waiver (FW-003) forms. They may then file the forms and supporting documents with the court. The judge will review and grant the request if the applicant is eligible for a waiver. The fee waiver may cover filing fees, service costs, and other court-related expenses.

After filing the case, the plaintiff must serve the defendant by certified mail, through a registered process server, or through an adult who is not a party to the lawsuit. They must file the completed Proof of Service (POS-040) form with the court. The steps typically required in filing a case in San Diego County are summarized below:

Determine the case type and the division that has jurisdiction.
Complete all required forms and prepare necessary documents.
Pay the applicable filing fees or obtain fee waivers, if eligible.
File the complaint with the court and serve the opposing party (defendant).
File the proof of service with the court.

However, it is recommended that individuals consult with attorneys when filing cases in San Diego County. Persons with low incomes may contact legal aid groups in the county for pro bono legal services.

Legal Help and Self-Help Resources

County court systems across the United States play a crucial role in ensuring access to justice. Legal assistance and self-help resources are foundational to this access, especially for self-represented or indigent litigants. These resources typically include online portals, legal aid groups, self-help centers, and court-affiliated assistance programs. However, court officials cannot give legal advice or serve as personal attorneys to litigants.

In San Diego County, low-income individuals who cannot afford the services of an attorney may be eligible for legal assistance from pro bono panels and local legal aid organizations. These organizations usually assist in personal court cases, including probate, housing, elderly citizens, domestic relations, sexual and domestic violence, public benefits, sex trafficking, veterans, and healthcare access matters. The following self-help and legal aid resources are commonly available to litigants in the county:

Free Legal Representation for Low-income Persons

Private Lawyer Referral Services

Other legal aid services and self-help resources available to San Diego County residents include the following:

Types of Courts in San Diego County, California

San Diego County is served by the San Diego County Superior Court and federal courts. Below is a list of each court's jurisdiction and contact details: