Key Court Records Resources in Los Angeles County, California
- Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles: County-wide trial court that maintains most civil, criminal, family law, probate, small claims, traffic and appellate case records.
- Phone: (213) 830-0845 (Self-Help Center Call Center for information and appointments)
- Access a Case portal
- Courthouse directory
- Contact the court page
People searching for court case information in Los Angeles County work mainly with the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, which offers online tools for viewing many case details. For a wider look at how public information works statewide, you can also visit California Public Records. This independent guide is not part of the court and does not provide legal advice or guarantee access to any record.
Before using the court’s systems, it helps to gather any case numbers from your paperwork, the full names of parties, and approximate filing or hearing dates. Online case information can be incomplete or delayed compared with the official case file, so important details should be confirmed directly with the court or Clerk’s Office when accuracy matters.
- Check whether a case exists and see its basic status.
- Review upcoming hearing dates and some case documents.
- Understand when you may need to contact the Clerk’s Office or visit a courthouse in person.
How Los Angeles County Courts Are Typically Organized
The trial-level court for county cases is the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. It is a single county-wide Superior Court that handles most case records residents encounter, from traffic and small claims to complex civil matters and serious criminal charges. Court administration, case information, online services, and forms are organized through this unified Superior Court system.
Within the Superior Court, legal matters are grouped into nine main divisions. Each division has its own procedures, courtrooms, and support resources, but case information is still anchored in the same county court structure:
- Appellate
- Civil
- Criminal
- Family Law
- Juvenile
- Mental Health
- Probate
- Small Claims
- Traffic
The Civil Division covers most non-criminal disputes and makes heavy use of online tools for forms, filing, settlement programs, and civil case information. Civil resources on the court’s site include “Civil Case Types and Specialty Courtrooms,” settlement and alternative dispute resolution programs, filing fee schedules, civil-specific forms, and options to schedule an appointment with the Civil Clerk’s Office.
The Criminal Division of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County handles cases after a prosecuting agency files criminal charges. From the public perspective, that division supports tools to search for a criminal case by name or case number, learn about bail schedules, and find information on clearing or appealing a criminal record, as described in the court’s criminal pages.
Other divisions provide specialized record paths. Family Law, Probate, Juvenile, Mental Health, Small Claims and Traffic all appear as distinct case types on the court’s site, each with its own forms, rules, and assistance resources. Appeals are handled either by the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County (for misdemeanors, infractions, and limited civil cases) or by the Second District Court of Appeal and, in some situations, the Supreme Court of California, with separate procedures and record sets for those reviewing courts.
Where to Search Los Angeles County Court Records Online
For most Los Angeles County cases, the primary starting point for online case information is the court’s Access a Case service on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County website. That portal is designed to help the public find and view court records for matters filed in the county’s Superior Court divisions.
According to the court’s own descriptions, the Access a Case pages bring together several core functions for case records:
- Searching for case information using a case number when you already have it.
- Locating a case when you only know the name of a person connected to it.
- Reviewing court calendars by entering a case number or searching within a date range for upcoming hearings.
- Accessing public court documents, such as certain document images, divorce judgments, transcripts and electronic recordings, when available.
- Reviewing tentative rulings in Appellate, Civil and Family Law matters and viewing Probate Notes before a hearing.
To begin an online lookup, you can use the Superior Court’s system and start a case search for many case types filed in Los Angeles County. The same online services area also highlights related tools such as access to court documents, transcripts and recordings, and other court records.
Beyond the core case information portal, the court’s site includes pages labeled “Court Forms and Filing,” a “Filing Court Locator” to help you find the proper courthouse for new filings, and a comprehensive “EFiling” section for electronic submission of documents in many divisions. These tools are focused on filing and routing documents, but they work alongside Access a Case by pointing you to the correct location once you have basic case details.
The same online services area also calls out division-specific resources. Criminal pages describe how to “Search for a Criminal Case” using a person’s name or case number and remind users that public terminals inside courthouses are available. Appeals and Appellate pages explain where to view appeal records and how the “record on appeal” is prepared for the reviewing court, while specialized portals like the Media Access Portal and the online Criminal Record Request system are reserved for media outlets or government agencies and do not process general public requests.
Search Tips for Los Angeles County Court Records
When you have a case number from a notice, ticket, or court order, start with that number in the Access a Case system, because it usually points directly to the correct record without having to sort through multiple similar names. If you need more background on how Superior Court record systems work across the state before you search locally, the statewide overview at California Court Records can provide helpful context.
If you do not know the case number, the court’s own description of Access a Case notes that you can search for a case by the name of a person connected to it. Enter names as shown on court paperwork when possible, matching spelling and any middle names or initials. When the online system asks for extra details such as a filing year or other identifiers, adding that information can narrow your results, especially for common surnames.
For upcoming hearings, the court’s Search Court Calendars feature allows you to look up hearings by case number or within a date range. Narrowing your chosen date span to the day or week you expect the hearing to occur can make it easier to scan the results. If you are unsure which courthouse is handling the case, court location tools and the directory of courthouses on the Superior Court site can help you match the case location shown online with a specific building.
Because Los Angeles County organizes cases by division, it also helps to think about case type as you search. Civil cases involve non-criminal disputes and may link to civil-specific resources like settlement programs or tentative rulings. Criminal cases may be searched through tools described on the Criminal Division pages using a defendant’s name or case number and may have additional privacy rules for certain records. Family Law and Probate matters often appear under those labels in the court’s online menus, and features such as Probate Notes or divorce-related judgments are usually tied to those divisions.
Appeals have their own section under “Appeals and Appellate.” In many situations you will still start from the underlying trial court case number, then use appellate case information and forms described on that page to understand how the reviewing court is handling the appeal. Records for appeals can involve separate rules and filing deadlines, so the court’s official instructions should be used as the primary reference.
What You Can View Online (and What May Be Missing)
The Superior Court of Los Angeles County’s online services are designed to make basic case information available without a courthouse visit, but they are not a complete replacement for the official case file. Through Access a Case and related tools, you can usually see a case summary, court location, case type, some party information, and whether the matter is still pending or has been disposed or closed.
Depending on the division and case type, the court’s descriptions indicate that online tools may show:
- Case information tied to a specific case number, including type of case and the courthouse handling it.
- Party names and basic case status, such as whether hearings are scheduled or concluded.
- Court calendars with upcoming hearing dates when you search by case number or by date range.
- Access to certain public court document images, including some judgments, orders and other filings.
- Links to tentative rulings for Appellate, Civil and Family Law hearings and Probate Notes posted in advance of probate hearings.
- Information about ordering transcripts or obtaining electronic recordings of proceedings when those are available.
The court emphasizes that many filed documents become viewable by the general public either through its website or at the courthouse itself. At the same time, it separately maintains fee schedules for filings and copies, points attorneys and litigants to EFiling pages for electronic submissions, and operates subscription or restricted-access portals such as the Media Access Portal and the Criminal Record Request system for government agencies seeking official criminal court records.
Some records are limited or absent from online public tools. Certain case categories, such as juvenile matters, mental health proceedings, or other sensitive filings, are often restricted by law and may show only minimal information in public search results if they appear at all. Very old cases may have been moved to Archives and Records Center storage, and the online system may reference the existence of a file without displaying every historical document.
Online case information is best treated as a convenience copy of the record, not as a certified version. If you need an official record—for example, a certified judgment, divorce decree, or probate order—the court’s descriptions direct you to obtain copies through the appropriate courthouse or Clerk’s Office, using the current filing fee schedule and copy procedures published on the Superior Court’s website.
Offline Requests Through the Clerk of Court
Even with extensive online tools, some Los Angeles County court records can only be reviewed or copied through direct contact with the court. Older case files, certified copies, records in restricted case types, or situations where you need to see the entire physical file often require an in-person or written request to the Clerk of Court at the courthouse where the case is stored.
The court’s “Clerk’s Office and Court Support Services” information explains that you can get help either by telephone through call centers or in person at courthouse Clerk’s Offices. Call centers for civil, traffic, family law, self-help and other areas operate on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on court holidays, and services are available in languages other than English. People who want to meet with a clerk in person are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment using the Clerk’s Office appointment scheduler, while Self-Help appointments can be requested through the Self-Help Call Center at (213) 830-0845.
For civil matters, the court’s civil pages highlight a “Schedule an Appointment with the Clerk’s Office” option where you can file documents, review case files, and purchase copies of filed documents. The Civil Division also references collections, refunds and disbursements, and settlement programs, all of which may involve interacting directly with staff at the courthouse rather than relying only on online records.
Self-represented individuals are repeatedly directed to the Los Angeles Superior Court Self-Help Center, including the SelfHelp website and Self-Help Service Catalog. Those resources describe guided interviews to help complete forms, service catalogs organized by topic (such as restraining orders, evictions, child custody and visitation, divorce-related issues, parentage, child support, guardianship, conservatorship, adoption, name and gender changes, small claims, traffic, wills and estates, and consumer debt), and information about remote and in-person Self-Help locations and hours.
The Appeals and Appellate section explains how to file an appeal, writ, or petition, how the record on appeal is prepared, and where to view appeal records. It also points to forms, California Rules of Court provisions for appellate matters, local rules for the Superior Court’s appellate division, and filing fee schedules effective on specific dates. Those appellate procedures are detailed and time-sensitive, so users are directed to follow the court’s own written instructions rather than relying on summaries.
When you ask for certified copies or more complex record sets, you will typically need to identify the courthouse and case number, state which documents you need, and follow the court’s current fee and appointment requirements. The Superior Court’s references to Archives and Records Center, collections, and refunds and disbursements indicate that some records or financial transactions may involve additional offices within the same court system, even though the underlying case remains filed in a particular courthouse.
Official Court Contacts and Summary for Los Angeles County
For any questions about the existence of a case, the status of online information, or how to obtain official copies, contact the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles or the specific courthouse assigned to your case rather than relying on summaries. The court’s own pages describe the Clerk’s Office, call centers, and Archives and Records Center as the primary channels for accessing official case records.
The court’s Contact the Court information explains that call centers handle topics such as family law, traffic, civil and self-help during weekday business hours, with language assistance available. When you already know which courthouse is handling your case, the courthouse phone numbers published by the Superior Court can connect you to local staff who can describe available record services, appointment options, and in-person hours for that location.
The facilities listed below come from the Superior Court’s published directory of Los Angeles County courthouses and represent in-person locations where the public can conduct court business. For exact street addresses, directions, and any updates, the court instructs users to consult its official courthouse directory or other pages on the Superior Court website.
| Facility Name | Physical Address | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 725-3000 |
| Alfred J. McCourtney Juvenile Justice Center | Refer to Official Portal | (661) 483-5924 |
| Alhambra Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (626) 293-2100 |
| Bellflower Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (562) 345-3300 |
| Beverly Hills Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 281-2400 |
| Burbank Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 260-8400 |
| Catalina Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (562) 256-3100 |
| Central Arraignment Courthouse (CAC) | Refer to Official Portal | (213) 617-5600 |
| Chatsworth Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 407-2200 |
| Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center (CJC) | Refer to Official Portal | (213) 628-7700 |
| Compton Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 761-4300 |
| Downey Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (562) 658-0500 |
| East Los Angeles Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (323) 881-5800 |
| Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Court | Refer to Official Portal | (323) 307-8000 |
| El Monte Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (626) 401-2200 |
| Glendale Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 265-6400 |
| Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse (Long Beach) | Refer to Official Portal | (562) 256-3100 |
| Hollywood Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (323) 441-1800 |
| Inglewood Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 419-1300 |
| Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 412-8301 |
| Metropolitan Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (213) 745-3200 |
| Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (661) 483-5500 |
| Norwalk Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (562) 345-3700 |
| Pasadena Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (626) 396-3300 |
| Pomona Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (909) 802-1100 |
| San Fernando Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 256-1800 |
| Santa Clarita Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (661) 253-5600 |
| Santa Monica Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 255-1840 |
| Spring Street Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (213) 310-7000 |
| Stanley Mosk Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (213) 830-0800 |
| Sylmar Juvenile Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 256-1180 |
| Torrance Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (310) 787-3700 |
| Van Nuys East Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 901-4600 |
| Van Nuys West Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (818) 989-6900 |
| West Covina Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (626) 430-2600 |
| Whittier Courthouse | Refer to Official Portal | (562) 968-2699 |
Can I search Los Angeles County court cases online?
Yes. The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles provides online case access tools that let you search by case number, party name, or date in many divisions. Availability varies by case type, and some records remain restricted or may require in-person review.
How do I get certified copies of Los Angeles County court records?
Certified copies are requested directly from the court, usually through the Clerk's Office for the courthouse that handled the case, and may require an appointment, identification, and payment of the fees published in the court's current schedule.