Orange County Court Records
According to the California Rules of Court, a court record is any paper or report created or filed during a court case. Under § 68150 of the California Government Code, trial courts, including those in Orange County, are mandated to generate and maintain court records for proceedings occurring in their jurisdictions. The government office in charge of preserving these records is the Orange County Clerk of the Court's Office.
Court records are important documents for several purposes, including:
- Court records are usually relevant to a party desiring to appeal a court case.
- Court records ensure that proceedings and the conduct of court officials during a case are executed according to law.
- Court records serve as evidence when a court decision is being questioned.
- Court records can be used as a reference for similar future cases.
- Court records are useful for research and educational purposes.
Generally, court records ensure that the judicial system is answerable to the public, transparent, and fair. Hence, these records are deemed a part of Orange County Public Records unless their disclosure is otherwise restricted by law or public order.
Are Court Records Public in Orange County?
Yes. Per Rule 2.550 of the California Rules of Court, court records in Orange County are open to the public. However, a court may order a court record or part of it sealed if justified by law. Also, some records are confidential under the law. For this reason, not all court records are available to the public in Orange County. Examples of sealed or confidential records include juvenile court records, adoption court records, and mental health court records.
What Do Orange County Court Records Contain?
Orange County court records comprise the following information:
- Names and addresses of all parties of a case, including the complainant, defendant, attorney(s), and the presiding judge.
- Docket information (e.g., case status, type, and number)
- Evidence
- Transcripts
- Documents generated and filed during a case. For example, motions, orders, judgments
Where to Conduct an Orange County Case Lookup
Members of the public can look up an Orange County court case as follows:
- Online on the Orange County Superior Court Clerk's website
- In person at the courthouse where a case was heard
How to Conduct an Orange County Case Records Search
Individuals can navigate to the Orange County Superior Court County Clerk's case access portal to conduct an Orange County case records search. Access is provided to different court records, including civil and small claims, criminal, probate, and family law records. Searches can generally be conducted with a case party's name, the docket number associated with a court case, and the filing date.
Some courthouses in Orange County also offer electronic access via public access terminals. Interested individuals can visit during regular business hours to inspect records at no cost. A person can also request copies from the clerk's office at the courthouse for a fee.
Alternatively, a researcher can mail a letter to the clerk's office requesting a case records search. A fee applies for mail requests, and each sender must fill out a request form. On the form, one must provide a case party's name, the case number, date of birth (not compulsory), filing date, document(s) required, and the requester's contact details. The requester must also submit a self-addressed stamped envelope and a money order or check alongside the request form. Please note that cash payment is not allowed for mail requests.
The court's website lists all record-related fees required to conduct an Orange County case records search.
Orange County Civil Court Case Records
A civil court case record is a record of a civil case proceeding - a noncriminal dispute between two parties. The Orange County Superior Court Clerk's Office maintains civil court case records.
Individuals interested in obtaining these records can utilize the court's case access system, request in person, or write to the court division where the case was heard, as explained earlier.
Orange County Criminal Court Case Records
Criminal court case records are records of criminal prosecutions held in the county against lawbreakers. As with other court records, criminal court case records are preserved by the Orange County Superior Court Clerk's Office and can be obtained in person, via mail, or online.
More information about the Orange County criminal record retrieval process can be obtained from the county superior court's website.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Those interested in obtaining Orange County court records online for free can visit the case access website of the county's superior court. The court offers free online access to court case summaries but requires a fee to purchase a copy of any court record.
A person can also visit an Orange County courthouse with a public access computer to access court records at no cost.
Considered open to citizens of the United States, court records are available through both traditional, government sources, and through third-party websites and organizations. In many cases, third-party websites make the search easier as they are not limited geographically or by technological limitations. They are considered a good place to start when looking for a specific record or multiple records. In order to gain access to these records, interested parties must typically provide:
- The name of the person listed in the record. Juveniles are typically exempt from this search method.
- The last known or assumed location of the person listed in the record. This includes cities, counties, and states.
While third-party sites offer such services, they are not government sponsored entities, and record availability may vary on these sites when compared to government sources.
Courts in Orange County
Here are the addresses of courts in Orange County:
Central Justice Center
700 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Community Court
909 North Main Street
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Civil Complex Center
751 West Santa Ana Boulevard
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Harbour Justice Center Newport Beach Facility
4601 Jamboree Road
Newport Beach, CA 92660-2595
Lamoreaux Justice Center
341 The City Drive South
Orange, CA 92868-3205
North Justice Center
1275 North Berkeley Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832-1258
West Justice Center
8141 13th Street
Westminster, CA 92683-4593
Interested persons can find the contact information of the above court divisions on the Orange County Superior Court's website.
