San Diego Superior Court Case Search: Find Cases and Request Records
Use the San Diego Superior Court's Court Index to find a case number and the courthouse holding the file. If you need documents or the outcome of a case, the next step is to check the appropriate Register of Actions or request records from the court's business office.
This guide covers cases filed with the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. Traffic, juvenile and older cases require different search or access procedures.
Independent guide. This website is not affiliated with the court or the County of San Diego. Use the linked official sources for current search coverage, access requirements and fees. Submit record requests and payments directly through the court's official channels.
How to Search the Court Index
Open the official Court Index provided by San Diego Superior Court, read its terms and select the search option matching the information you have.
- Party Name Search: Use this when you do not know the court case number. Compare matching results carefully, especially when several people share a name.
- Case Number Search: Enter the court case number shown on a notice, pleading, order or prior search result.
- DA Number Search: Use the District Attorney case number for a criminal matter. This is a separate identifier from the court case number.
A citation number, booking number or police report number should not be substituted for a court case number. A booking number identifies a detention record; for custody information, see our inmate search guide.
A matching result can show the case title, court case number, case location, case type, filing date and parties. Save the complete court case number and location before contacting an office or ordering copies.
The court's Online Case Search instructions explain the index's coverage and returned information. For help getting started, see:
What a Search Result Tells You
The Court Index does not show the charges or final disposition of a case. An entry identifies a filed case; it does not establish a conviction, liability or the outcome of the proceeding. A name match also does not, by itself, confirm that the record concerns the person you are researching.
The court states that cases remain in the index even when dismissed without a finding of guilt or responsibility. The underlying file has its own retention requirements, so an index entry does not guarantee that every document is still available.
To understand the result of a case, review the relevant judgment, order, dismissal or other document in the official record. The index itself is not an official certified court record.
Where to Find Documents by Case Type
Finding a case in the index and accessing its documents are separate steps. The court's Accessing Court Records page links to the appropriate Register of Actions systems.
| Case type | Where to start | Document access |
|---|---|---|
| Civil, Small Claims and Probate | Court Index, then the corresponding Register of Actions | Some documents in cases initiated on or after January 1, 2008, may be available online. Eligible documents may offer a first-page preview and a paid download. |
| Family | Court Index and Family Register of Actions | For imaged cases filed on or after August 24, 2015, some documents can be purchased online and mailed. |
| Criminal | Court Index, then the Register of Actions for Civil, Small Claims, Probate and Criminal cases | Documents cannot be viewed or downloaded online. For cases filed on or after February 17, 2026, some documents can be purchased online for delivery by mail. |
| Mental Health | Court Index for available case-location information | Contact the business office about access to the specific record and any restrictions. |
| Traffic and minor offenses | The court facility where the matter was heard | These cases are excluded from the Court Index. Contact the relevant office for record-search and copy instructions. |
| Juvenile | The appropriate Juvenile Court business office | Records are confidential and excluded from the public index. Access depends on the requester's authority. |
The dates above describe published online document coverage, rather than a guarantee that every filing is available. Imaging status and confidentiality restrictions can affect access. Before purchasing a document, check its title and filing date; a first-page preview does not show any additional pages.
Public, sealed and confidential records
Court records are generally open to inspection unless confidential or sealed under law or a court order. A publicly accessible case may still contain individual documents that cannot be released to the public. Review the official records-access instructions for any authorization, identification or petition requirements that apply to the records you need.
What to Do if You Cannot Find a Case
Check that you are searching the correct court and using the appropriate name or identifier. Online coverage varies by case type and age, so an unsuccessful search does not establish that no case exists. For steps to check your search details and the index's coverage, see why a case may not appear in the online search.
Older and archived cases
For a pre-1974 case, start with the court location where the matter was tried. Central Division Older Records maintains indexes dating from 1880 to mid-1974. Older indexes may require research using bound volumes, computer-generated indexes or microfilm.
Court staff does not perform microfilm research for the public. Confirm the research location and available resources before visiting, and prepare the party names, approximate filing year and case type.
Files in storage or no longer retained
An older file may be stored off site and require a paid retrieval request before inspection or copying. Ask the business office about retrieval arrangements and expected availability before traveling.
Other files may be restricted, purged or destroyed. Restricted records may require authorization or a court order, while a destroyed file cannot be retrieved from storage. Ask the business office to clarify the record's status and available options.
The court publishes retention information for traffic and Small Claims records on its records-access page. Check the relevant category when researching an older matter.
View a File or Request Copies
View a file in person
Go to the business office holding the file. Bring the complete case number and valid photo identification, and complete the required viewing form. Some documents may be available through public computer kiosks.
Hard-copy files must remain in the records section. Follow the business office's rules for viewing and reproducing records, and request court-provided copies of the pages you need.
For preparation and retrieval requirements, use the court's file-viewing instructions.
Order copies at the business office
Identify the documents you need using their titles and filing dates. Have the case number available and ask the business office about payment, processing and pickup arrangements.
Copying charges apply, and additional fees may apply for research, certification or off-site retrieval. Use the current fee schedule and procedures linked from the court's copy-request instructions.
Request copies by mail
Follow the official instructions for your case type and send the request to the facility holding the record. For a standard public-record request, prepare:
- The complete court case number and party names.
- The names of the specific documents requested.
- Your telephone number, mailing address and email address.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient return postage.
- Payment as directed by the court.
Probate requests use a separate copy-request form linked from the official instructions. For juvenile, sealed or confidential records, follow the applicable access procedure before mailing a request.
Check the copy-request page for accepted payment arrangements and processing information. If the total charge is unknown, follow the court's instructions for authorizing payment. Eligible online downloads are a separate service from mailed copy requests.
Request a certified document
If the receiving organization requires a certified copy, clearly identify the document and request certification. An index printout or ordinary download should not be assumed to meet that requirement. Certification fees are additional to applicable copying, research or retrieval charges.
For application steps, fees and delivery arrangements, see how to request a certified copy of a court document.
Court Locations and Contacts
Use the location shown in the case result to identify the office holding the record. The court's Court Records Locations page lists business offices, floors, hours and copy-request cutoffs. Check it before traveling; some offices stop accepting copy requests at 3:30 p.m.
| Office or division | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Central Division general information | 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-844-2700 |
| Central Civil Business Office, Hall of Justice | 330 W Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-450-7275 |
| Central Older Records | 1100 Union Street, 14th Floor San Diego, CA 92101 |
619-844-2400 |
| Family Law Business Office | 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-844-2777 |
| Probate | 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-844-2676 |
| Juvenile Court | 2851 Meadow Lark Drive, San Diego, CA 92123 | 858-634-1600 |
| Kearny Mesa Traffic and Minor Offenses | 8950 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92123 | 858-634-1800 |
| North County Division general information | 325 South Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92081 | 760-201-8600 |
| East County Division general information | 250 East Main Street, El Cajon, CA 92020 | 619-456-4100 |
| South County Division general information | 500 3rd Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910 | 619-746-6200 |
Telephone answering hours can differ from counter hours. Use the court's official contact directory for department-specific numbers and schedules. Our Superior Court guide provides a broader introduction to the court's divisions.