Los Angeles County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Los Angeles County is home to approximately 9.94 million residents, making it the most populous county in California and the United States. Its government seat, Los Angeles, is a popular commercial hub. The county court system consists of a single trial court, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

The Superior Court has unlimited jurisdiction over cases in Los Angeles County. Each of the court's Divisions specializes in particular types of cases. Its Criminal Division handles all allegations of crimes, including felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions, while the Traffic Division adjudicates violations of traffic laws. The Civil Division hears civil claims that can be either limited or unlimited. Limited claims have a maximum monetary limit of $35,000, while unlimited claims may exceed this amount. Some examples of civil claims include contract disputes, personal injury, property damage, and employment cases. Additionally, the court has a Small Claims Division that handles minor civil cases involving $12,500 or less. The Family Law Division handles domestic and family matters like divorce, nullity, separation, support, custody, domestic violence, and civil harassment. Meanwhile, juvenile matters like delinquency, dependency, and adoption cases are within the authority of the Juvenile Division. Furthermore, the court also has a Probate Division that specializes in cases of trusts, wills, guardianships, and the administration of a deceased estate, while cases involving mental illness come before the court's Mental Health Division. The Superior Court conducts its proceedings in over 35 courthouse locations in the county.

In 2021, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department recorded over 72,000 crime reports. During the 2022–2023 fiscal year, the Superior Court had approximately 240,000 civil and 790,000 criminal case filings. The Clerk of the Superior Court maintains all Los Angeles County court records. Anyone can obtain these records by making in-person requests at the courthouse that handled the case or by mailing in a completed Request for Copies Form. Additionally, requesters may contact the Archives and Records Center for case records filed before 2004 or obtain records online through the Superior Court's online services portal. Note that adoption, juvenile, paternity, and other confidential case records are not publicly accessible in Los Angeles.

In summary, the Superior Court is the primary judicial body in Los Angeles County. It is saddled with the responsibility of adjudicating legal disputes arising in the county. The courts resolve cases by reviewing evidence and legal arguments and delivering binding decisions. Furthermore, to maintain transparency and accountability in the county's court system, most court records are open to the public.