Search Los Angeles County Court Records
Find LA County civil, criminal, family law, probate, small claims and traffic court information through the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. Learn which official search to use, what it costs, how far the indexes go back and where to request actual court documents.
Where Can You Search LA County Court Records?
The main source is the Los Angeles Superior Court. Its Find a Case page directs visitors to case summaries, court calendars, online document images and separate paid name indexes. You do not need a commercial background-check website to reach these court services.
Choose based on what you already know
- Have a case number? Start with official Case Access for available case information.
- Know only a person’s name? Use the civil/family/probate name index or criminal defendant index, depending on the case.
- Need a hearing date? Use the court’s official Case Calendar or applicable division calendar.
- Need an actual filing? Check Case Document Images or request a copy through the courthouse or Archives.
- Have a traffic citation? Use the separate Traffic Division system.
The Superior Court operates across multiple courthouses in Los Angeles County. A courthouse location, case division and filing year can all affect where a record is found. Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic searches do not necessarily return the same categories of information.
Official Los Angeles County Court Records Portals
Use the court’s own services below. Links open the responsible court rather than an unrelated third-party people-search directory.
Case Access and Court Calendar
View available case information using a case number or locate scheduled hearings. Case summaries are not substitutes for certified court records.
Open Case Access ↗Civil, Family Law, Probate and Small Claims
Search by party name to locate case numbers, filing dates, courthouse locations and other available index details. A search fee applies.
Search Civil Name Index ↗Criminal Defendant Name Search
Find criminal case numbers associated with defendant-name index matches. The public criminal index does not include traffic or other infractions.
Search Criminal Index ↗Traffic Tickets and Citations
Use the Traffic Division for eligible ticket lookups, payments, appearance information and online options.
Open Traffic Search ↗How to Search LA County Court Records: 7 Steps
These steps work for most public case searches, with variations depending on the division and the information you already have.
Identify the type of court case
Determine whether the matter is civil, small claims, criminal, family law, probate or traffic. Different indexes and access restrictions apply.
Open the official Los Angeles Superior Court search
Visit the official Find a Case page. Choose case information, calendar, document images or the applicable party-name search.
Choose case-number or name searching
If you know the exact case number, start with it. Otherwise use the relevant name index and review the displayed fee before submitting a paid search.
Enter accurate search details
Use the correct names, spelling and case identifiers. For limited civil matters, the filing courthouse may help narrow the search.
Review the matching case information
Compare the case type, filing date, courthouse and case number. Do not identify a person solely because a name matches.
Check dockets, hearings and document availability
Review the case summary or calendar. If an actual filing is needed, check whether it is available through document images or must be obtained from the courthouse.
Request an official copy or contact the custodian
Use the relevant case-division copy procedure or Archives for older matters. Ask for certification if the receiving institution specifically requires a certified court record.
Which LA Court System Handles Your Record?
| Record type | Where to search | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Civil lawsuit | Civil Case Access and party-name index | Case information may be available online; scanned filings depend on the case and document coverage. |
| Small claims | Small Claims / Civil Case Access | Find case details and eligible document images. |
| Criminal felony or misdemeanor | Criminal Case Summary or defendant-name index | Public docket information is different from access to criminal case documents. |
| Divorce, custody or family law | Family Law Case Access | Some case information is accessible while sensitive documents face separate restrictions. |
| Probate, estate or conservatorship | Probate Case Access | Availability depends on the record type, filing year and confidentiality rules. |
| Traffic citation | LA Court Traffic Division | Search using the ticket or other supported identifiers rather than the criminal name index. |
| Federal lawsuit or bankruptcy | Federal court and PACER | Federal records are not maintained in the LA Superior Court’s state-court index. |
Civil and Small Claims Cases
Use the civil case system to look for lawsuits, judgments, certain landlord-tenant proceedings and small claims cases. Search by case number when possible. If searching by name, the civil index can return party names, filing dates, case types and locations.
An online case summary generally provides docket or register information. If you need a complaint, motion, order or judgment, check the separate document-image service. Not every document listed in the register will be downloadable.
Criminal Court Records
The court’s defendant-name index covers available felony and misdemeanor cases. It can identify matching case numbers and filing locations, but it should not be used as proof of a person’s criminal history or guilt.
For a criminal disposition, sentencing document or certified record, contact the courthouse responsible for that case. Criminal filings ordinarily face more restrictive remote-document access than ordinary civil case filings.
Family Law and Divorce Records
The Family Law division handles divorce, legal separation, parentage, custody, support and related proceedings. An online index may identify a case even where individual filings are confidential or cannot be remotely displayed to the general public.
If you need a divorce judgment, identify the case number and filing courthouse, then follow the court’s family-law or Archives copy procedure. Eligibility and document access may depend on the record.
Probate and Estate Records
Probate matters can involve estate administration, wills, trusts, guardianships and conservatorships. Public availability differs by proceeding. Some information may be available through the online case system, but confidential documents and protected matters remain restricted.
Traffic Cases
Traffic tickets use their own online workflow. LA Court provides ticket-number and driver’s-license search routes for eligible citations. When searching by citation, users may need the assigned court, issuing law enforcement agency, citation number and date of birth.
View the court’s driver’s-license traffic search instructions ↗
LA County Court Record Search Fees
Los Angeles Superior Court publishes separate prices for name-index searches and downloadable document images. The following fees are from the court’s official Online Services schedule; verify them immediately before purchasing.
| Online service | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Guest user name search | $4.75 per search |
| Registered user: searches 1–10 in a month | $1.00 per search |
| Registered user: searches 11–99 | $4.75 per search |
| Registered user: searches 100–999 | $4.50 per search |
| Registered user: searches 1,000–10,000 | $4.25 per search |
| Registered user: searches 10,001 and above | $4.00 per search |
| Document images: first 5 pages per document | $1.00 per page |
| Document images: pages beyond the first 5 | $0.40 per additional page |
| Maximum document-image charge | $40.00 per document |
Verify the current LA Court online fee schedule ↗
Paper Copies and Certification
The court’s published copy instructions identify standard paper copies at $0.50 per page and certification at $40 per certification for applicable copy services. Additional fees or different arrangements may apply to particular case types or requests.
Before mailing payment, ask the relevant clerk about current costs, page counts, turnaround and accepted payment methods. Do not send cash by mail.
How Far Back Do LA County Court Records Go Online?
Search coverage depends on both case type and which court index you use. An online start year is not a promise that every document from that year onward is searchable.
| Official name index | Published coverage |
|---|---|
| Unlimited Civil | 1983–present |
| Family Law | 1983–present |
| Probate | 1983–present |
| Limited Civil | 1991–present |
| Small Claims | 1992–present |
| Criminal Felony | 1980–present |
| Criminal Misdemeanor | 1988–present, with some locations having information back to 1983 |
These ranges refer to the court’s published name-search index coverage. Case document images have separate coverage determined by document type, courthouse, scanning practices and filing period.
For an older case, move to the Archives and Records Center or the originating courthouse rather than concluding that no record exists.
How to Get Copies of Los Angeles County Court Records
First decide what the receiving person or organization actually needs: a case summary, an ordinary document copy, a certified judgment or another authenticated record. The difference can save a second request.
Online Document Images
Where eligible scanned documents are available, the court’s online document-image service can provide downloadable PDFs. Fees are calculated by document and page count.
Some civil, small claims, family and probate documents may have online purchase options, subject to the court’s availability and access rules.
Access document-image options ↗Courthouse or Mail Requests
For documents not available online, contact the courthouse or court division holding the file. The court provides case-type-specific instructions for requesting copies.
View official copy procedures ↗What to Prepare for a Copy Request
- Case number and case title, if known.
- Type of case and the filing courthouse.
- Names of requested documents, such as a judgment or court order.
- Whether ordinary or certified copies are required.
- Contact and return-mailing information when appropriate.
- Accepted payment method and any required court request form.
If you do not know the case number, start with the correct name index or ask the responsible court about index assistance. Some historical index or manual research requests may involve separate charges.
Older LA County Court Records and Archives
The Los Angeles Superior Court’s Archives and Records Center maintains many historical general-jurisdiction cases, including unlimited civil, family law, felony criminal, probate and certain juvenile records, primarily from 1911 through 2004.
The Archives does not hold all case types. It specifically directs inquiries concerning misdemeanor, limited civil and small claims records to the originating courthouse to determine whether records remain available.
Historical record routing
- Modern cases: Start with the appropriate LA Court online index or courthouse.
- Older general-jurisdiction cases: Check the Archives and Records Center’s coverage and request procedures.
- Many records from 1850–1910: The court identifies The Huntington Library as a repository for a large portion of these historical materials.
- Older limited civil, small claims or misdemeanor cases: Contact the original courthouse.
Archives access does not override confidentiality. Protected records, including certain juvenile matters, may require legal authorization even if they are physically retained.
Public Access Limits and Restricted Court Records
California Rule of Court 2.503 distinguishes remote online access from access to court records at a courthouse. It permits broad electronic access to specified indexes and civil materials while restricting remote public access to filings in certain sensitive proceedings.
Categories subject to heightened restrictions include criminal case documents, many family law matters, juvenile proceedings, guardianships and conservatorships, mental health matters and other protected case types. Some records may still be inspected at a courthouse where legally available.
Sealed and confidential records are not available to the general public merely because someone knows a case number or party name. Some records require a court order or proof that the requester is legally authorized.
Eviction or unlawful-detainer cases also have special access rules. Certain case information is withheld during the initial statutory period, and some records remain restricted afterward depending on the outcome and applicable law.
Why Can’t You Find an LA County Court Case?
| Problem | Recommended next step |
|---|---|
| No match for a person’s name | Verify spelling, the proper name-search division and whether the case falls inside the published index coverage. |
| Case number is rejected | Check exact characters and format; verify that the case belongs to Los Angeles Superior Court. |
| Traffic ticket missing | Use the Traffic Division rather than the criminal defendant index and verify citation details. |
| Case is too old | Contact Archives or the original courthouse based on the case type and period. |
| Docket appears but PDF is missing | Check document-image coverage or ask the courthouse for a copy. |
| Multiple people share the same name | Compare case number, filing date, court location and other lawful identifiers. Do not assume identity. |
| Protected or sealed information | Ask the court about lawful access eligibility. Do not try to bypass restrictions. |
| Online payment or retrieval failed | Use the court’s official Online Services assistance and transaction-recovery instructions. |
How long can online purchases be retrieved?
The court’s guest-account information indicates that purchased name-search results remain available for 24 hours and purchased documents for 30 days after the receipt date. Some search replay functions have a shorter window. Save permitted documents and transaction receipts promptly, and confirm current retrieval terms on the official portal.
For Online Services assistance, the court lists OnlineServices@lacourt.ca.gov. Questions about the underlying case should instead go to the relevant court division or courthouse.
Court Records vs Los Angeles County Recorded Documents
A lawsuit, criminal case, divorce judgment or probate proceeding is generally a court matter. A recorded deed, mortgage-related instrument or other land record is a different kind of public record typically maintained through the county Recorder.
Similarly, birth, death and marriage certificates are not ordinary court case records. The Superior Court’s Archives explicitly directs visitors seeking those vital records to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
Use Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk ↗ when the requested document is a county-recorded or vital record rather than a court filing.
Federal court and bankruptcy records also use separate systems, including PACER ↗. The state Superior Court cannot supply every type of federal case record.
How to Interpret Court Records Responsibly
A docket entry establishes that an event or filing was recorded in a case. It does not necessarily establish the truth of an allegation. A filed complaint is not the same as a court’s finding, and a criminal charge is not a conviction.
Case status and outcomes can change through appeals, corrections, later orders or other proceedings. Use the latest official information and seek clarification from the custodian when something is unclear.
For broader search terminology and navigation assistance, see our court records guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About LA County Court Records
Can I search Los Angeles County court records for free?
Some official case-number access and calendar information can be viewed without paying a name-search fee. The Superior Court charges for its online party-name and criminal defendant-name indexes and for eligible document-image downloads.
How much does an LA County court records name search cost?
The court publishes a $4.75 guest name-search fee. Registered users have monthly volume-based pricing beginning at $1 per search for the first 10 searches. Review the official fee schedule before submitting payment.
How can I find a criminal case in Los Angeles County?
Use the Superior Court’s criminal defendant-name index if you do not know the case number, or its criminal case-summary service if you do. Contact the court handling the case for documents or official disposition records that are not available remotely.
Can I look up divorce records online in LA County?
The Family Law case index can help identify available divorce case information. Access to underlying documents is more restricted. For a divorce judgment or certified copy, follow the court’s Family Law or Archives procedures.
Where can I find old Los Angeles County court records?
Start with the Archives and Records Center for eligible older general-jurisdiction cases, primarily dating from 1911 to 2004. Other case types may remain with the originating courthouse, while many much older records are held by The Huntington Library.
Can I obtain certified copies of LA County court documents?
Yes, for records that are legally available and eligible for certification. Contact the appropriate court or use its published copy-request instructions, and verify the current certification fee and submission requirements.
Does a missing court record mean there is no case?
No. The record may be outside the online index’s date coverage, restricted, held by a different court, or affected by data limitations. Contact the appropriate clerk or Archives before drawing conclusions.
Official Sources and Verification
This guide relies on the Los Angeles Superior Court and California Judicial Branch for the main access rules, portal coverage, record-copy procedures and fees.
- Los Angeles Superior Court — Find a Case
- LA Court Online Services — Fee Information
- Civil and Family Law Name Index
- Criminal Defendant Name Index
- Official Online Services FAQ
- Obtaining Copies of Court Records
- Archives and Records Center
- California Rule of Court 2.503
Verification date: October 13, 2026. Portal functions, fees, records coverage and court policies may change. Always check the official source before paying for a search or requesting documents.