What are Kings County Public Records?
According to the California Public Records Act, Kings County public records are "any writing" containing data or information that's related to the conduct of the public's business. Records may be used, owed, prepared, retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics. Public records may be handwritten, typeset, printed, or photographed. They could also be in audio or video formats. Not all Kings County public records can be accessed by members of the public. Exempt records include;
- Investigations, intelligence information, and specific investigative records which investigative law enforcement agencies compile;
- Crime victims and witnesses' information.
- Attorney-client privilege documents;
- Public employment applications, including the applicants' names, resumes, and other related materials submitted by an applicant;
- Personal information in employees and appointees' files, whose revelation would constitute a privacy violation;
Kings County Crime Statistics
The Open Justice Initiative of the California Department of Justice is responsible for publishing criminal justice data for the state, recording criminal justice data, and explaining criminal justice topics. It records an increase of 2.6% in violent crimes in Kings County between 2019 and 2020. It recorded a 1.6% decrease in property crimes within the same period as well as a 37% decrease in arson as well.
Are Kings County Criminal Records Public?
Although any adult citizen can query for criminal records, the Kings County Sheriff's Department retains the right to deny such a request if they deem it an invasion of privacy, or if the records requested are related to an ongoing investigation. Further inquiries on Kings County criminal records may be directed to;
Kings County Sheriff's Office
1444 W. Lacey Blvd. Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 584-1431
How to Obtain Kings County Police Reports and Arrest Records?
The Kings County Sheriff Department is empowered by the California State Law, Government Code section 6254(f) to provide county police reports and arrest records to interested members of the public. To obtain a Kings County police report or arrest record, the requester must submit a government-issued picture ID. These reports can be requested on the phone, or in-person at the Kings County Sheriff's records office located at:
1570 Kings County Drive
HANFORD, CA 93230
(559) 852-2809 PHONE
records@co.kings.ca.us
Kings County arrest records typically include the arrested person's details, charges, photograph, physical identifying information, and the date of arrest. However, arrest records are not criminal records and therefore do not count as proof of an arrested person's guilt or conviction.
How to Find Kings County Sex Offender Information?
Individuals who are interested in obtaining Kings County sex offender information may do so through the online registry managed by the California Department of Justice. This online registry allows interested citizens to search for sex offenders using names and addresses. The registry provides the location of offenders, mugshots, addresses, and offense details, among others. Pursuant to the S.290.46 of the state Penal Code, not all sex offenders are listed on the registry. For inquiries about Kings County sex offenders not listed on the registry, interested members of the public may query the Kings County Sheriff's Office at:
1444 W. Lacey Blvd.
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 584-1431
Where and How to Find Kings County Inmate Information?
The Kings County Sheriff's Office maintains a free-to-access booking roster of all persons arrested and jailed for offenses in the county. Individuals who seek to obtain Kings County inmate information may search the roster by inmate's name. The information available on the roster includes inmates' full names, offense(s) charged with, booking details, bail status, court case number, among others. For further inquiries on Kings County inmates, contact the Kings County jail at:
1570 Kings County Dr,
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 584-1431
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Kings County Jail?
Visitors to the Kings County Jail have two available options: video visitations and in-person visitations. As long as they are not on felony probation, anyone over the age of 18 who has a valid government picture ID can visit an offender in jail. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors are advised to adhere to the Kings County Jail dress code or risk being denied access to the facility. All visitors must wear proper attire, which includes shoes and shirts. Miniskirts, low-cut or revealing necklines, and apparel that exposes a bare midriff are among the prohibited items.
For video visitations, family and friends of the incarcerated can either do it at the jail facility or on their mobile devices. The Kings County Sheriff's website provides exact instructions on registering for the service and scheduling a visit. For further information, contact the Kings County Jail at:
1570 Kings County Dr,
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 584-1431
Court Records
According to the California Public Records Act, California court records are mostly public. However, some of these records may be restricted from public access when a law or court order makes the record confidential such as juvenile dependency records and juvenile delinquency records. Court records for these cases are not open to the general public. The Kings County Clerk of Superior Court is responsible for keeping and distributing these records. The Kings County Clerk of Superior Court can be contacted at:
Kings County Superior Court
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, CA 93230
United States
(559) 582-1010
Certain Court records may also be accessed through the Kings County Superior Court's online service enabling requesters to gain remote access to electronic court records over the internet
Court records can also be accessed from the other courts in Kings County, as long as the requested records are cases held in the particular court. The contact information and addresses of the courthouses in Kings County are:
Juvenile Dependency Court
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, CA 93230
(559) 582-1010
How to Obtain Kings County Civil Court Case Records?
The Kings County Superior Court is responsible for maintaining the Kings County civil court records and making them accessible to interested members of the public. The Kings County Clerk of Superior Court can be contacted at:
Kings County Superior Court
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, CA 93230
United States
(559) 582-1010
The Kings County Superior Court contains a link to an e-file directory that helps citizens to find court files from all over California. According to The California Judicial Branch, a certified copy of a court record is $40.
How to Obtain Kings County Criminal Court Case Records?
Criminal court records in Kings County are available to the public and are maintained by the Kings County Superior court. Except where the court deems certain information sensitive or restricted, these records are available in both electronic and physical formats. Physical copies of criminal court records can be accessed via mail or in person at
Kings County Superior Court
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, CA 93230
United States
(559) 582-1010
The California Judicial Branch restricts remote access to electronic criminal court records due to the sensitivity of the cases. Thus, any interested individual who wishes to view records of a criminal case has to go to the courthouse to see it. This is in line with Rule 2.503 of the California Rules of Court. However, this rule authorizes certain people to gain full remote access to electronic records. These include:
- Parties to the case,
- Persons authorized by the parties,
- Party's Attorney
- Court-Appointed People
- Legal Aid Staff
- Government Staff
What are Kings County Vital Records?
Vital Records are official documents that record major life events such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces, as well as other key life events. Vital Records are legally significant. A death certificate, for example, is required for the settlement of the deceased person's property, claiming his or her insurance policy, and so on. Vital Records are documents that establish an individual's identity as a citizen. They are also used by the government for family planning and population studies. The California Department of Public Health maintains vital records in the State of California and distributes vital records to members of the public. Interested individuals can obtain vital records via mail-in requests, electronically, or from county clerks/recorders.
Where and How to Get Kings County Divorce Records?
The Kings County Superior Court Clerk's Office maintains and distributes copies of Kings County divorce records. A certified copy of a divorce record is $10 when it is requested by a public agency and $15 when requested by any other applicant. Requests for divorce records can be addressed to the Kings County Clerk of Superior Court at:
Kings County Superior Court
1640 Kings County Drive
Hanford, CA 93230
United States
(559) 582-1010
Interested eligible parties may also contact, in person or by mail, the California Department of Public Health for a fact sheet of the divorce actions from 1962 through to June 1984 which provides a certificate of record containing the names of the parties, filing date, county, and case number of the divorce.
Divorce records are generally accessible to all members of the public unless it is restricted by court order, including financial and business information as well as if they contain information about victims of domestic violence or child abuse.
Where and How to Get Kings County Marriage Records?
Marriage records in Kings County are handled by the Kings County Superior Court. Kings County marriage Records are handled by the County Clerk and are only available to a certain group of people including:
- The registrant or a parent or legal guardian of the registrant.
- A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of the registrant.
- An attorney or licensed adoption agency
- Law enforcement agencies/Governmental agencies conducting official business.
- An attorney empowered by the registrant or statute to represent the registrant or the registrant's estate,
- A funeral director ordering certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of an authorized individual listed above.
Eligible and interested individuals applying for Kings County marriage records must provide a valid government-issued picture ID and a sworn statement under penalty of perjury that they are authorized to receive a certified copy. Requests received by mail from non-governmental agencies must include the notarized statement sworn under penalty of perjury. Kings County marriage records cost $15, and can be requested online, via mail requests, or in person at:
Kings County Clerk/Recorder
Kings County Government Center
1400 W. Lacey Blvd.
Hanford, CA 93230
The California Department of Public Health also provides certified records of marriages registered between 1905 to 1999 and 2008 to 2020. These records can be obtained via electronic submission or mail-in request. Certified marriage records cost a fee of $15, which can be paid via check or money order.
Where and How to Get Kings County Birth Records?
The Kings County Clerk is tasked with the maintenance of Kings County birth records. It also provides access to interested citizens. Kings County Birth records may be obtained online, in person, or via mail request. Requesters applying by mail must include a check made payable to the Kings County Clerk-Recorder in the amount of $28.00 for each birth certificate requested to:
Kings County Clerk-Recorder
1400 W. Lacey Blvd.
Hanford, CA 93230
Note: Kings County law states that only a restricted group of people are allowed to obtain certified birth records. These include the registrant, their family, attorneys, law enforcement agencies, and funeral directors ordering certified copies of a death certificate on behalf of any authorized individuals listed.
Where and How to Get Kings County Death Records?
The Kings County Clerk recorder processes requests for death records. Death records may be obtained either online, by mail, or in person. If applying by mail, requesters must include a check made payable to the Kings County Clerk-Recorder in the amount of $21.00 for each Death Certificate requested. Mail-in requests take an average of five to seven weeks to process if the application packet is complete. Requests should be mailed to:
Kings County Clerk-Recorder
1400 W. Lacey Blvd.
Hanford, CA 93230
The only persons authorized to obtain certified death records in Kings County are the registrant or their parent or legal guardian, a party entitled to receive the record as a result of a court order, a member of law enforcement, immediate family of the registrant, their attorney or any funeral director ordering death records on behalf of the listed individual.
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
