ESCONDIDO PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Escondido City Public Records?

In accordance with the California Public Records Law, Escondido City public records are documents relating to the activities of public agencies. They're generated or maintained by those public agencies and come in different forms. For instance, records may be typewritten, printed, photocopied, or handwritten. However, some records are closed to the public. These are usually confidential records, sealed pursuant to a court order or made confidential by law. Some examples of records that are not open to the public in Escondido City include:

• Personnel and medical files that would cause a violation of the right to privacy if such files are disclosed.
• Documents that contain details of complaints received by law enforcement agencies and investigations conducted by those agencies.
• Educational records, such as test questions and other examination data.
• Records of public litigation cases that a public agency is a party to until the litigation is concluded.
• Preliminary notes and drafts of public agencies if there is no public interest in the disclosure of the records.
• Any record that is prohibited from disclosure by a federal or state law.

Public city records may also be accessible from third-party websites. Record seekers may opt to use these non-governmental platforms to search for a specific document or multiple city records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search, such as:

• The address of the requestor
• A case number or file number (if known)
• The location of the document or person involved
• The name of the subject involved in the record (not juvenile)
• The last known or current address of the registrant

Government agencies do not sponsor third-party sites. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.

Escondido City Crime Statistics

The California Department of Justice provides annual reports on crime statistics for all cities within California, including Escondido City. In 2020, Escondido City recorded 569 crimes, with 569 violent crimes and 2,720 property crimes. The violent crimes included five homicides, 51 rapes, 118 robberies, and 295 aggravated assaults. The property crimes included 400 burglaries, 432 motor vehicle thefts, 1,865 larcenies, and 23 cases of arson.

Are Escondido City Criminal Records Public?

Any person that wishes to obtain a copy of their criminal records can make a request to the California Department of Justice. The requester would need to provide a fingerprint and pay a $25 processing fee. Police departments and the Sheriff's Office provide fingerprint scanning services. Requests should be submitted to:

California Department of Justice
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207
Phone: (916) 227-3849

How to Obtain Escondido City Police Reports and Arrest Records

The Escondido Police Department maintains Escondido City police reports and arrest records. Any interested person can make a request to access the records. The request may be to inspect or copy the record. In accordance with the California Public Records Law, the Police Department will provide a response within ten business days. In the case of a denial, the reason for the denial should be stated in writing with the law that authorizes the denial. If the record custodian requires more time to make the record available, the requester will be notified in writing. The notification should also include the reason for the delay and when the record would be available.

Requesters for crime or traffic reports would need to complete and submit the Application for Release of Traffic/Crime Report Information. There is a $15 fee for each copy of a crime or traffic report and a $10 fee for each copy of an incident report. The Escondido Police Department also maintains an online portal to accept requests. Information about the record should be provided, such as the date of the incident, time of the incident, and the location. Requesters also need to provide valid identification. Requests should be made to:

Escondido Police & Fire Headquarters
1163 North Centre City Parkway
Escondido, CA 92026
Phone: (760) 839-4722
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Escondido City

The Department of Justice of California maintains a sex offender information registry that contains information on registered sex offenders within California, including in Escondido City. Any person can use the registry to find sex offenders and information on those sex offenders. Also, users can find sex offenders either by their names or by their locations. For name searches, the user would need to provide the offender's full name. The registry will show a list of all sex offenders with that name, and the user can choose any to check information on. For location search, the registry allows searches either by street names or with the user's location. It also allows searches within three-quarters of a mile, one mile, two miles, five miles, or ten miles of the location. The information available regarding each sex offender in the registry includes photographs, a description, known aliases, the offense committed, home address, and risk assessment scores.

How to Find Escondido City Inmate Records

The San Diego Sheriff's Office maintains records of inmates within the County, including Escondido city inmates. Residents and non-residents can use the online inmate locator to find inmates. Users will need to provide the inmate's first and last name. The database contains information about inmates, such as booking numbers, case or charge information, the arresting agency, where the inmate is being held, and other information about the inmate.

How Do I Visit an Inmate in Escondido City Jail?

Escondido inmates are held in the San Diego County Jail, and any person can visit the Jail after making an appointment. Visitors can make appointments in person, by mail, or by phone. A valid identification is also necessary when visiting an inmate. All visitors should comply with the jail rules, including:

• Visitors should dress appropriately. This involves being fully clothed.
• Visitors may be searched before they are allowed to complete their visit.
• Visitors should not carry electronic items into the jail.
• Visitors should not carry alcohol, controlled substances, or firearms into the jail.

Visitors under the age of 18 years old need to be accompanied by a guardian. Also, any person on probation or parole needs to request authorization to visit. Any person interested in visiting should contact:

San Diego Central Jail
1173 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 610-1647

What are Escondido City Vital Records?

Escondido City vital records document certain significant life events that occur within the City, such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Some of these records are open to the public, while some are only open to eligible persons. The San Diego Public Health Department maintains Escondido City birth and death records and makes these records available to eligible persons. Interested and eligible persons can also make requests to the California Department of Public Health for vital records. Divorce decrees are given by the court that granted the divorce. Requesters may need to provide valid identification to show that they are eligible to receive Escondido vital records.

Where and How to Obtain Escondido City Divorce Records

The San Diego Superior Court provides Escondido City divorce records to interested persons. Requests for Escondido divorce decrees can be made in person, by mail, or online. Only divorce decrees for cases the Court determined would be provided. Also, the requester would need to provide the case number. Divorces granted after 2011 are available online through the case search portal.

In-person requests should be made at the Court location. Visitors should be at the location at least thirty minutes before the end of business hours. A search fee may be applicable. The record custodian may also provide copies at 50 cents per page. For mail requests, a letter should be sent with the case number and the name of the parties. Certification costs $40 for each copy. Requests should be made to:

Central Courthouse - Older Records
1100 Union Street, 14th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 844-2761

Central Courthouse - Family Law Court
1100 Union Street, 4th Floor Room 450
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 844-2777

East County Regional Center
250 East Main Street
El Cajon, CA 92020
Phone: (619) 456-4100

North County Regional Center
325 South Melrose
Vista, CA 92081
Phone: (760) 201-8600

South County Regional Center
500 3rd Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: (619) 746-6200

Where and How to Get Public Escondido City Marriage Records

Escondido City marriage records can be confidential records or public records. In accordance with Section 501 of California's Family Code, the San Diego County Clerk can issue confidential marriage licenses for Escondido marriages. Records of confidential marriages are closed to the public. Only qualified persons, who are the parties to the marriage and persons acting pursuant to a court order, can successfully make requests for confidential marriage records. Other persons can only receive a letter confirming the existence of the confidential marriage. There is a non-refundable $15 cost. Requesters for confidential records need to complete an application form, present valid identification and sign a sworn statement.

The certified records of public Escondido marriages are not open to every person, despite being open to more people than confidential records. Persons can make requests for the certified records include:

• Either of the parties to the marriage
• Any person entitled to the record through a court order
• A parent or guardian to a party to the marriage
• A law enforcement agent
• A child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, or domestic partner of a party to the marriage
• An attorney acting on behalf of a party to the marriage

Each record costs $15. The requester would need to provide a completed application form, a valid photo ID, and sign a sworn statement. Any person that is not authorized to receive a certified copy can make a request for an informational copy. The informational copy cannot be used for any official purpose. Requesters also need to provide the full names of the parties and the date of the event. Requests can be made in person or by mail to:

San Diego Recorder/Clerk Main Office
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours: Mon thru Fri: 9 am - 3:00 pm by appt. Only
Phone: (619) 237-0502

Where and How to Find Escondido City Birth Records

Eligible persons can find Escondido City birth records at the county and state levels. San Diego County provides birth records for Escondido at the county level, while the California Department of Public Health provides birth records at the state level. Restricted birth records are confidential under California law and can only be accessed by qualified persons. All other persons can only obtain informational copies. Informational copies clearly show that they are not valid official documents and cannot be used for identification. Persons that can obtain unrestricted Escondido City birth records include:

• The registrant.
• A parent or guardian of the registrant.
• Any person acting in accordance with a court order.
• A close family relation of the registrant, including siblings, children, spouses, and grandparents.
• An attorney acting on behalf of the registrant.
• A law enforcement agent.

San Diego County can provide Escondido birth records after three weeks of the date of birth. A birth record costs a $28 fee, which is non-refundable. Requesters need to complete the application form, provide a valid photo ID, and sign in the presence of the County Clerk or a Notary Public. The requester would need to provide information about the birth, such as the date of birth, the name on the certificate, and the mother's full maiden name. Requesters can make the requests in person or by mail to:

San Diego Recorder/Clerk Main Office
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours: Mon thru Fri: 9 am - 3:00 pm by appt. Only
Phone: (619) 237-0502

The California Department of Public Health maintains California birth records from 1905 till the present. Any eligible person can make a request to the Department for Escondido birth certificates. Each birth record costs $25 and requests can be made to:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95814

Where and How to Find Escondido City Death Records

Escondido City death records are maintained at both the state and the county levels. However, the kind of record a requester can obtain depends on who the requester is. Requests can be made for either unrestricted copies or for informational copies. Unrestricted copies are only available to certain qualified persons, while informational copies are open to the public. Persons that can successfully make requests for unrestricted copies include:

• A parent or guardian of the deceased.
• A law enforcement agent.
• The deceased's estate.
• Any person acting pursuant to a court order.
• Close family relations of the deceased, such as spouses, siblings, children, and grandchildren.

Any person making a request to San Diego County needs to fill the application form, present a valid photo ID, and sign in the presence of the County Clerk or a Notary Public. Each Escondido death certificate costs $21. The requester would need to provide the full name of the deceased and the date of death. In-person and mail requests can be made to:

San Diego Recorder/Clerk Main Office
County Administration Center
1600 Pacific Highway, Suite 260
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours: Mon thru Fri: 9 am - 3:00 pm by appt. Only
Phone: (619) 237-0502

The California Department of Public Health maintains California death records from 1905 till the present. Any eligible person can make a request to the Department for Escondido City death certificates at:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95814