How do I request a certified copy of a court document?
Request the document from the San Diego Superior Court business office handling the case and clearly state that you need a certified copy. Start with the court’s official Obtain a Copy of a Court File instructions for in-person and written requests. Confirm the applicable certification fee and delivery arrangements before submitting your request.
Identify the case and document
Have the court case number and file location available. If you do not know the number, see how to find your court case number. Use the court’s official contact directory if you need help identifying the correct business office.
Prepare the following information:
- The court case number and names of the parties.
- The name of each document you need, with its filing date if known.
- The number of certified copies requested.
- Your phone number, mailing address and email address.
Confirm the required document and format with the organization requesting it. Do not assume that an ordinary online download satisfies a certified-copy requirement.
Submit an in-person or written request
For an in-person request, go to the appropriate business office where the file is located. Check the court’s Court Records Locations page for counter hours and copy-request deadlines. Tell the clerk which documents require certification.
For a mail request, follow the court’s instructions for your case type. Include the identifying information above and explicitly request certified copies. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient return postage and payment as directed by the court.
For Probate cases, the court provides Form PR-189, Request for Copies (Probate), which can be submitted through e-filing or by mail. Use the form linked from the official copy-request page and specify that certification is needed.
Confirm fees and delivery
Certification carries an additional fee beyond ordinary copying charges. Research or off-site retrieval fees may also apply. Check the current fee schedule linked from the copy-request page and follow its payment instructions. If the total is unknown, ask how to authorize sufficient payment.
Ask whether your copies will be mailed or available for pickup and when they are expected to be ready. If you have a deadline, explain it when submitting the request and ask whether the office can complete the copies in time.
Check restrictions on access
Sealed and confidential records may require a court order or other authorization before copies can be provided. Juvenile records have separate access procedures. Requesting certification does not remove those restrictions; ask the appropriate office how to proceed.