Common Questions About Los Angeles County Court Records
The questions below are pulled from the most common search needs in Los Angeles County: how to look up a case, fees, what is online, what is not, sealed records, traffic tickets, warrants, marriage and divorce, and inmate searches. Each answer links to the relevant subpage on the site.
Where do I search Los Angeles County court records?
Use the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles PAOS system for civil, family law, probate, small claims, criminal name, and document-image searches. The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk does not hold divorce decrees or criminal or civil court dockets. If the case predates online coverage, contact LA Court Archives or the courthouse that heard the case. For the full walkthrough of the portal, see the Los Angeles County court records page.
Is the LA Superior Court case search free?
Not for most uses. PAOS name searches and document images are paid services. The court cites California Rule of Court 2.506 and Government Code section 68150 as authority for fees that cover technology costs. Guest name searches are $4.75 each. Registered-user fees vary by monthly volume. Document images are charged per page with a cap per document. More on fees is on the Los Angeles County public records page.
How far back do civil and criminal name searches go?
LA Court's CivilIndex page lists unlimited civil, probate, and family law from 1983 to present, limited civil from 1991, and small claims from 1992. The CriminalIndex page lists felony searches from 1980 to present and misdemeanor searches from 1988 to present, with misdemeanor information back to 1983 depending on when former Municipal Court locations automated records. Older cases may exist but need Archives or courthouse contact. See Los Angeles County court records .
Are traffic tickets included in criminal name search?
No. The LA Court criminal search page says results do not include traffic or other infractions, and the court directs users to the Traffic Division for those matters. The Traffic Division portal is built around citation-number lookup. For the full walkthrough, see Los Angeles County traffic court records . DUI cases are filed as criminal matters and do show in the criminal search.
Can I download court documents online?
Some civil, small claims, limited civil, family law, and probate documents can be downloaded through PAOS document images if the user has a valid case number. Sealed, confidential, or courtroom-filed documents may not appear. Document images cover many, but not all, eligible case documents. Newly filed items post daily. For the full list of what is available, see Los Angeles County court records .
The Los Angeles County District Attorney office overview covers investigator staffing, victim services, and the office's role in criminal prosecutions countywide.
The DA's office is the prosecuting authority on most felony court records that show in the LA Court criminal index.
Where do I get a divorce decree?
Divorce decrees are Superior Court records, not Registrar-Recorder records. Search family law cases through LA Court PAOS or contact the family law courthouse or Archives. The RR/CC marriage-record pages do not issue divorce decrees. For the full process and fees, see the Los Angeles County marriage and divorce records page.
Where do I get a marriage record?
Marriage records are held by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, with coverage from 1852. Online orders go through VitalChek. Certified copies of a public or confidential marriage record are $19 plus any handling fee. Confidential marriage records may only be obtained by the parties to the marriage or by court order. Branch ceremony days differ; check the RR/CC office before driving. More on the marriage and divorce records page.
How do I find someone in Los Angeles County jail?
Use the Sheriff's Inmate Information Center at app5.lasd.org/iic and search by last name, first name, middle name, and date of birth. A reCAPTCHA is required. For help, call (213) 473-6100; the Inmate Answering Service is at (213) 473-6002. New bookings within the last two hours may not appear yet. For the full how-to and visitation rules, see Los Angeles County inmate records .
What inmate information is public?
LASD manual section 3-04/040.00 lists booking details, arrest information, bail amount, housing location, court dates and location, release date, holds, and visiting days and hours as public inmate information. Other items, such as medical and mental health records, are restricted. For more on what is searchable and what is not, see Los Angeles County inmate records .
How do I find a recently released inmate?
LASD publishes Inmate Releases and Pending Releases through custody reports. Release date is public information and may also appear in the standard Inmate Information Center. For direct help, call the IIC at (213) 473-6100 or the Inmate Answering Service at (213) 473-6002. VINELink can provide notifications. For the dedicated page, see Los Angeles County released inmates .
The Los Angeles County Public Defender homepage is the starting point for indigent defense services in criminal court records cases.
Public Defender appointment helps explain who appears on the defense side of many records that show in the criminal name search.
Are juvenile records public?
Generally no. Juvenile case files are restricted under Welfare and Institutions Code section 827. Access usually requires statutory authorization or a juvenile court order. Adoption records carry their own confidentiality under Family Code section 9200. These restrictions also apply to juvenile traffic dispositions where juvenile court hears the matter. More on access rules on the public records page.
Can a record be sealed or expunged?
Yes, depending on the record type. Court records may be sealed under California Rule of Court 2.550 if the court makes the required findings. Arrest records may be sealed under Penal Code sections 851.8, 851.91, or 851.93. Penal Code section 1203.4 provides dismissal relief after probation, but it does not destroy every record. Licensing, immigration, or sex-registration impacts may remain. See Los Angeles County criminal records .
Where do I search probate records?
Probate cases are heard by the Superior Court. PAOS lists probate name search from 1983 to present, and probate document images from January 1, 2001 to present. Probate may include sealed or confidential conservatorship and guardianship material, so access can differ by document type within the same file. The Stanley Mosk Courthouse handles central probate. For more, see Los Angeles County probate records .
Is there an official warrant search?
No countywide public active-warrant portal was located in research. Use court records, the criminal clerk, or LASD contact for warrant questions, not commercial warrant sites. A person who believes they have a warrant should check the underlying case, call the courthouse or criminal clerk, consult counsel, or contact LASD. If a Failure to Appear hold is the cause, the case may need to be placed back on calendar, not just paid. See Los Angeles County warrant records .
What courthouse should I go to for civil record copies?
Stanley Mosk Courthouse lists Certifications and Copies of Court Records in Room 112 and Civil Clerical Operations by phone at (213) 830-0803. The clerk window handles certified copies for many central civil files. Always confirm the location if the case was filed at a different courthouse. The branch courthouse may hold the original file. For the full office walkthrough, see Clerk of the Superior Court .
Does the California CPRA apply to court case files?
Court case access is mostly governed by court rules, not by the ordinary California Public Records Act. CPRA applies to county-agency records such as RR/CC administrative records or some LASD administrative records. For the court itself, look to California Rule of Court 2.503 for electronic access and Rule 2.550 for sealing. For the full CPRA framework, see Los Angeles County public records .
Where do I search federal cases in Los Angeles?
Federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy, and appellate cases are in PACER, not in PAOS. Los Angeles County is in the Central District of California. Appeals go to the Ninth Circuit. PACER charges $0.10 per page with a $3 document cap and a $30 quarterly fee waiver. The court itself sits at the First Street Courthouse downtown. The home page links the federal docket sources; see court records for the state-court counterpart.
Who runs the Los Angeles courts, sheriff, DA, and clerk offices today?
Robert G. Luna is listed by LASD as the 34th Sheriff of Los Angeles County. Nathan J. Hochman was sworn in as Los Angeles County District Attorney on December 3, 2024. Dean C. Logan is the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. The Superior Court is the trial court for state matters in the county. For the court hierarchy and division list, see Los Angeles Superior Court ; for the office details, see Clerk of the Superior Court .
The official DA release announced Nathan J. Hochman as sworn in on December 3, 2024 as the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
The current DA's policies on filings and diversion shape what appears in the LA Court criminal index over time.
How accurate is jail population data online?
LASD publishes population numbers in custody reports and through Board of State and Community Corrections feeds. Daily numbers can shift due to releases, transfers, and bookings. The most useful comparison is to the Bureau of Justice Statistics national figures. For dashboards, capacity per facility, demographic splits, and pretrial counts, see Los Angeles County inmate population .
What do court dockets show that case search does not?
A court docket is the running calendar of actions in a case: filings, hearings, orders, and dispositions. Case search returns the case caption and links to documents. Docket entries are the dated event log. Some Superior Court divisions publish daily calendars online. For the full breakdown of dockets vs case search, see Los Angeles County court dockets .
