How to Look Up a Court Case in California

California has 58 superior courts, one per county, and each runs its own online case system. There is no single statewide search. To find a case you need to know (or guess) the county where it was filed, then use that court's portal.

What you can find online, and what you can't

California's Rules of Court decide which records courts may put online (rule 2.503).

Usually available online (depending on the court's system):

• civil cases, including contract disputes, collections and small claims;
• probate cases;
• the case summary ("register of actions"), hearing calendars and the case index.

Not available online to the public by law. For these case types, the case documents are courthouse only, though the case index, register of actions and hearing calendars may still be searchable online:

• family law (divorce, custody, support, domestic violence)
• guardianship and conservatorship
• mental health
• criminal cases (except rare, high-profile cases a judge orders online)
• settlements for minors or people with disabilities
• civil harassment, workplace violence, elder abuse and gun violence restraining orders

Juvenile cases are confidential, and courts generally keep them out of the online index too: only the people the law lists, or people the court authorizes, can see them, even at the courthouse (Welf. & Inst. Code §827).

If you're a party to one of these cases, the court may let you view your own case online (rule 2.517).

Most eviction (unlawful detainer) cases, those filed as limited civil cases, are restricted for the first 60 days after filing: only the parties and their lawyers, residents of the property who show proof of residency and give a party's name or the case number, people who can give the clerk a plaintiff's name, a defendant's name and the property address, and anyone the court authorizes can see them. After 60 days, the records generally open to the public only if the landlord won: a judgment against all the defendants within 60 days, or, by court order, a judgment after trial (Code Civ. Proc. §1161.2). Those two routes don't apply to rent cases filed between March 4, 2020, and September 30, 2021.

Sealed and confidential records are never public.

Here is the same information as a quick reference:

Searching by case number vs by name

• By case number is fastest and usually free. You'll find it on the summons or any court paper. Formats differ by county.
• By name (a person's or a business's) is allowed one search at a time. Many courts charge a fee or require an account for name searches. Try variations: "ABC Plumbing Inc", "ABC Plumbing", and the owner's name.

If you can't find a case, it may have been filed in another county, filed under a slightly different name, be older than the court's online records, or be a sealed, confidential, juvenile or restricted eviction case.

Documents and copies

• Most courts show the register of actions (a list of what was filed and when) for free.
• Document images often cost a per-page or per-document fee, and older cases may not be scanned at all.
• Online information isn't the official record. For certified copies, ask the clerk's office in person or in writing.
• Courts destroy some older records on a schedule set by law, so very old files may no longer exist.

Looking up a case about your business

If you think your business has been sued, search by its exact legal name, its DBA names and the owner's name in the county where you operate. Being in the court index doesn't always mean you've been served yet. Your response deadline starts when you're served, not when the case was filed: see Served with a lawsuit.

A note on privacy

We explain how to use court systems; we never republish case information or names. Be careful with paid "court records" sites that aren't the court. Their data can be out of date, and California restricts how some records may be used, for example for tenant or employment screening.

Step by step: finding a case

1. Pick the county. Start with the county where the dispute happened, where the other side is based, or where your business operates. There's no statewide search.
2. Open that court's own portal. Go to the county superior court's own website, not a third-party records site. To find the court, search your city or ZIP code in the California Courts Find my court tool.
3. Search by case number if you have one. It's on the summons and on any court paper, and the search is usually free.
4. Otherwise, search by name. Try the exact legal name, short versions ("ABC Plumbing Inc" and "ABC Plumbing"), DBA names and the owner's name. Expect a fee or account for some name searches.
5. Read the register of actions. It lists what was filed and when, and it's usually free to view.
6. Order documents if you need them. Document images often carry a fee. For certified copies, ask the clerk's office in person or in writing.

Frequently asked questions