Kern County Court Records

Kern County Court Records

Kern County court records contain information about legal proceedings, including case activity and outcomes. The Superior Court in Kern County oversees the resolution of actions or complaints brought to the county's court system. The court has several physical locations, each handling specific case types. All records generated in the Kern County Superior Court are preserved by the clerk of the court's office. They are considered part of Kern County Public Records and are disseminated to interested and eligible members of the public on request.

Court records have different uses, spanning different possible users. For example, the records can be used by individuals, judges, attorneys, case parties, or even researchers who want more details about a case. An attorney or legal researcher may obtain a court record to find previous court rulings or decisions, while a case party may review a court record to determine documents filed in their case. Either way, one can always find accurate and comprehensive information about court cases in such records.

Are Court Records Public in Kern County?

Yes. Under the California Public Records Act, the public may inspect or obtain records held by state or local government agencies. All courts in California are subject to this Act. As a result, many records within the Kern County judicial system are deemed public.

Nonetheless, certain court records are barred from the public or a party by statute, court rule, regulation, court order, or case law. In some cases, entire files may be restricted from public dissemination, with only a few court personnel or parties given access. In other cases, certain information may be redacted, with the rest of the file obtainable by interested persons. Below are examples of confidential records:

• Juvenile dependency or delinquency files
• Confidential name change documents
• Mental health records
• Adoption records
• Sealed records
• Medical reports
• Accident reports
• Mediation proceedings
• Fee waiver applications/requests

What Do Kern County Court Records Contain?

The contents of a Kern County court record typically depend on the case type and presiding court. However, one may find the following details:

• Case party information
  • Party name
  • Address
  • Date of birth
• Case information
  • Case number
  • Filing and hearing dates
  • The presiding judicial officer's name
  • Court location
  • Case type
  • Case status
  • Case summary or description
  • Disposition date
• List of documents filed in a case, such as motions, pleadings, answers, and affidavits
• Orders and judgments
• Attorneys of record

Where to Conduct a Kern County Case Lookup

Individuals can conduct a Kern County case lookup as follows:

• At the local courthouse
• On the Kern County Superior Court's Case Information Search website
• By writing to the court

How to Conduct a Kern County Case Records Search

The Superior Court of California, County of Kern, provides requesters several options for conducting a case records search:

Physical Visit to the Courthouse

The first option is to visit the courthouse where a case was litigated. At the court, one may search for electronic case information at public terminals (no charge) or ask staff to look up a case for a fee. It costs $15 per file for a search that requires more than 10 minutes, per Government Code § 70627(c). After retrieving the record, the inquirer may reproduce it for a fee. The copy fee is 50 cents per page, but additional fees apply to certify or retrieve a record maintained off-site (see fee schedule).

Copies of court records cannot be obtained from the Kern County Superior Court's website. However, a party can request a transcript (a printed, verbatim record of a court hearing) online.

Writing to the Court

Individuals who cannot go to the courthouse can request a case records search by postal mail. Mail requests should include the following:

• Information to identify a case record (such as a defendant/plaintiff's name or case number)
• A research fee to look up the case and applicable copy fees (payable by check). It costs 50 cents per page for each copy and $40 plus 50 cents per page for certified copies. One can also check the court's fee schedule or contact the clerk's office to verify prices
• A self-addressed, stamped envelope to return requested records

The mailing addresses of the courts can be obtained from Kern County Superior Court's Locations & Contact Information page. Note that mail requests may require at least 10 working days for processing, depending on the clerk's workload.

Accessing the Case Search Portal on the Court's Website

Another way to conduct a case record search in Kern County is to access the superior court's Case Information Search. The portal has a Criminal Case Search and a Non-Criminal Case Search tool. The former is accessible to anyone with a case number or defendant's name to search criminal cases, calendars, and pending hearings in Kern County. However, the latter requires users to register to research non-criminal (civil) cases.

Kern County Civil Court Case Records

Civil court case records are records of non-criminal legal disputes between multiple parties. In Kern County, these records are preserved by the superior court. Some civil cases within the court's jurisdiction include:

• Small Claims: These cases aim to resolve low-cost civil disputes quickly, fairly, and inexpensively. Litigants in these cases cannot sue for an amount above $10,000.
• Limited Jurisdiction: Cases for which damages sought cannot exceed $25,000.
• Unlimited Jurisdiction: Cases in which the amount sought for an injury, harm, or damage is above $25,000.
• Abuse and harassment, including domestic abuse, elder abuse, and general abuse.
• Adoption
• Eviction
• Gender change
• Name change
• Civil appeals

Records of civil court cases litigated in Kern County can be obtained in person at the courthouse where a case was heard, online via e-access portals provided by the superior court, or by sending a mail request to the applicable courthouse.

Kern County Criminal Court Case Records

A criminal court case takes place when a plaintiff (usually a district attorney) files charges in court against someone accused of committing a crime (a felony or misdemeanor):

• Felony: A serious criminal offense usually punishable by lengthy imprisonment in a state prison or death in severe cases. Examples are robbery and murder.
• Misdemeanor: A minor crime, usually punishable by payment of fines or a short imprisonment in a city or county jail. Examples are simple assault and driving under the influence.

Criminal court case records are also maintained in the Superior Court of California in Kent County. The court clerk grants individuals access to these records in person, online, or by mail.

How to Get Court Records Online for Free

Anyone can view Kern County case information online for free through official and third-party sources. However, obtaining copies of a Kern County court record—whether in person or online or from the local court or a third-party website—typically attracts a fee.

Courts in Kern County, California

Listed below are the courthouses located within Kern County:

Lamont
12022 Main Street
Larmont, CA 93241
Phone: (661) 610-7100

Metropolitan Traffic Division
3131 Arrow Street
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Phone: (661) 610-7000

Delano
1122 Jefferson Street
Delano, CA 93215
Phone: (661) 610-7300

Mojave
1773 Highway 58
Mojave, CA 93501
Phone: (661) 824-7100

Ridgecrest
132 East Coso Avenue
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Phone: (661) 610-7450

Shafter
325 Central Valley Highway
Shafter, CA 93263
Phone: (661) 610-7200

Metropolitan Division Justice Building
1215 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 610-6000

Metropolitan Division
1415 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Phone: (661) 610-6000

Juvenile Justice Center
2100 College Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93305
Phone: (661) 610-6900