Court records of Los Angeles County, California, are available through several channels. LosAngelesCourt.us allows searching for public information about court cases in the county. Additionally, the official website of the Superior Court of the county, court clerk's offices, and public terminals in court buildings provide access to case registers, hearing calendars, and court documents.
Los Angeles Court System & Jurisdictions
Los Angeles County has the largest trial court system in the United States. The primary court of general jurisdiction is the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles (LASC), which operates in over 30 buildings distributed among several judicial districts.
Types of Cases Handled by the Superior Court
- Criminal Cases — from misdemeanors to felonies. The LASC Criminal Division handles preliminary hearings, jury trials, and sentencing.
- Civil Cases — claims over $12,500, real estate disputes, contract disputes.
- Small Claims Cases — amounts up to $10,000 for individuals or $5,000 for businesses; attorneys are typically not involved.
- Family Law — divorce, child custody, alimony, protective orders. Divorce documents are stored specifically in the Superior Court, and not in the office of the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
- Probate Cases — wills, estate management, guardianship, and conservatorship. The central division operates in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.
- Traffic Violations — fines, ticket disputes, traffic school programs.
Federal cases — bankruptcy, lawsuits against federal agencies, violations of federal law — are handled by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Access to their records is provided by the PACER system.
If a person is under supervision after conviction, records may be held by the County Probation Department. For inmates in state prisons, there is the California Incarcerated Records & Information Search (CIRIS).
Los Angeles Court Calendar & Upcoming Hearings
The schedule of hearings for today, tomorrow, or the current week can be viewed through LASC's online tools. The court publishes calendars for each division and court building.
- Go to the Case Summary page on the court's website.
- Enter the case number — the system will show the scheduled hearing dates, assigned division, and court building address.
- If you do not know the case number, use the search through Find a Case, where search by party name is available.
Some divisions publish daily calendars (tentative rulings) on their pages. You can also confirm the specific time of a hearing by phone with the clerk's office of the respective court building. For criminal cases, information about the next hearing is often provided by the defendant's attorney or the district attorney's office.
How to Get a Copy of a Los Angeles Court Document
Copies of court documents come in two types: regular (uncertified) and certified. A certified copy has the court clerk's seal and confirms the authenticity of the document — it is required for most legal procedures.
Ways to Obtain Copies
- Online: through the Online Services portal of LASC, you can order copies of divorce judgments and some other documents. For divorce judgments, there is a separate service — Divorce Judgment Documents.
- In Person: visit the court clerk's office in the respective building. Bring the case number and identification. Fill out the Request for Copies (ADM 080) form.
- By Mail: send the completed ADM 080 form along with a check or money order to the address of the court clerk's office where the case is stored.
The main courthouse for civil and family cases in the Central District:
A complete list of local forms is available on the LASC forms page. For legal assistance in filling out documents, you can contact the LA County Law Library or the California Courts Self-Help Center.
Access Restrictions
Not all records are open. Juvenile cases, sealed criminal cases, and some family documents have restricted access. The court clerk will inform you if a specific document is available for copying.
Los Angeles Court Records Fees & Payment
Fees are set according to California Government Code § 70600 and beyond, as well as local court rules. Below are the main fees applicable to LASC.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Document copy (first page) | $0.50 |
| Each additional page | $0.50 |
| Document certification | $25 per document |
| Case search by clerk (upon request) | $15 per name / per year |
| Divorce judgment copy (online order) | Depends on the number of pages; certification — $25 |
Payment is accepted in cash, money order, or check payable to "Clerk of the Superior Court." Some court buildings also accept credit and debit cards — check with the specific clerk's office. For online orders, payment is made by card.
If you need a record of a divorce finalized in California between 1962 and June 1984, the California Department of Public Health may have a certificate of record — the fee for it is different and paid separately.