Stanislaus County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Located in the San Joaquin Valley region, Stanislaus County has an estimated population of over 552,000 people. The county is a popular commuter community for workers from the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. The county seat and largest city is Modesto. The county is also home to one single Trial Court, the Stanislaus County Superior Court.

The Stanislaus County Superior Court has original jurisdiction over cases in the county. The court handles all criminal cases like misdemeanors and felonies as well as traffic and juvenile cases. Its civil jurisdiction covers all unlimited, limited, and small claims. Limited and small claims have monetary restrictions. A plaintiff in a limited claim cannot sue for monetary relief exceeding $35,000. Likewise, the maximum limit for an individual under a small claim is $12,500, while businesses have a lower limit of $6,250. The Superior Court also handles family, probate, and unlawful detainer cases. The court hears its cases in five locations. These are the City Towers Courthouse for civil and probate cases, the Juvenile Court, the Main Courthouse, the Traffic Court, and the Turlock Court for small claims and unlawful detainer proceedings.

Stanislaus County has a crime rate of around 578 offenses per 100,000 people. The county's Superior Court had a total of 36,455 criminal dispositions during the 2022/2023 fiscal year. The court also recorded 10,342 civil, 4,904 family law, and 859 probate case dispositions within the same period. Members of the public can access court records by visiting the courthouse that heard the case or by filling out the civil or criminal record request form and mailing it to the court. Civil case records of the Superior Court are also available online on the county's Public Search Portal. It is important to note that confidential case records like juvenile and adoption records are not open to the public. In such cases where the files are sealed, a court order or authorized personnel can further assist you in viewing these records. A personal visit to the Clerk's office would be required to do so.

In summary, the Superior Court is an essential arm of the Stanislaus County government. It ensures that everyone has access to justice and that the laws are properly applied to disputes. The court's decisions are open to the public, ensuring transparency and helping residents see how disputes are resolved by the court.