Alameda County Court Records

Alameda Court records are documents created, received, and filed with any court within the county during the adjudication of a case. Some examples of court records include marriage and divorce records, liens, adoption records, and court session transcripts. The custodian of court records in Alameda County is the Superior Court of California, Alameda. The clerks of the various divisions within the courthouse make the records available upon request as long as they are not restricted by law.

Are Court Records Public in Alameda County?

Yes. California's Public Records Act allows the public to inspect and copy court records, provided they are classified as public records. Not all records are available for viewing or copying, as some records have been legally restricted from public view. Examples of such court records include juvenile cases and criminal or civil cases that contain confidential information.

Alameda County Court Records Search

Alameda County Court Records searches may be conducted using any of the following methods:

• Physical visit to the courthouse with jurisdiction over the case
• Third-party database look-up
• State and local online portals
• Email, fax, or phone inquiries to the courthouse with jurisdiction over the case.

Alameda County Court Records Search by Name

An Alameda County Court Record search by name can be conducted through the eCourts portal or by contacting the records division of the Superior Court of California.

The eCourt Public Portal hosts various records except criminal, juvenile, or traffic case information, and a name search will typically retrieve case numbers and filing dates that match the name entered in the search field. Name searches can use a credit system, which can cost from $1 per name to $300 per 30-day unlimited search. Requesters will need to create accounts on the platform to use this service.

Alternatively, individuals can visit the Superior Court in Alameda County to conduct a name search using the public access terminals on the premises. They can also request assistance from an administrative staff member. However, they will need to provide the party names involved in the case they require and have it copied for them if it has not been restricted.

Alameda County Courts

The addresses and contact information of Alameda County courts are as follows:

Alameda, George E. McDonald Alameda of Justice
2233 Shore Line Drive
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: (510) 891-6005

Berkeley Courthouse
2120 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704.

Dublin - East County Alameda of Justice
5151 Gleason Drive
Dublin, CA 94568.
Phone: (925) 227-6700

Fremont Alameda of Justice
39439 Paseo Padre Parkway
Fremont, CA 94538.
Phone: (510) 818-7500

Hayward Alameda of Justice
24405 Amador Street
Hayward, CA 94544
Phone: (510) 690-2700

Oakland - Administration Building
1221 Oak Street
3rd and 4th Floors
Oakland, CA 94612.

Oakland - René C. Davidson Courthouse
1225 Fallon Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 891-6000

Oakland - Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse
661 Washington Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 627-4700

San Leandro - John George Psychiatric Pavilion
2060 Fairmont Drive
San Leandro, CA 94578
Phone: (510) 891-6332

San Leandro Juvenile Justice Center
2500 Fairmont Drive
Suite C3013
San Leandro, CA 94578
Phone: (510) 618-1106

Alameda County Superior Court Case Search

The Superior Court provides public access to civil, family, and probate case records. An Alameda County Superior Court Case search can be conducted in person at the records division of the court premises. In order to search for cases, inquirers can use the public access terminals and indexes available on the premises. They can also request assistance from an administrative staff if they have the necessary details to facilitate a search, e.g., party names and case numbers. The online eCourt Public Portal can also be used to conduct an online superior court case search.

Alameda County District Court Records

The United States District Court for the Northern District of California has jurisdiction in Alameda County. This court has jurisdiction over civil rights, criminal, admiralty, bankruptcy appeals, and habeas corpus cases. Case records are available to the public at the courthouse that presided over them or individuals can contact the district courthouse to obtain the records.

Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building
1301 Clay Street
Oakland CA, 94612-123
Phone: (510) 637-5000

Alameda County Criminal Records

Individuals may obtain a copy of their criminal history records from the Department of Justice. The agency processes fingerprint-based background checks for California residents. To obtain these records, which typically include Alameda County Arrest Records, complete the criminal record application form, attach a valid fingerprint card, and make the payment (certified check or money order). Mail the application packet to the DOJ at:

California Department of Justice
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207.

Alameda County Criminal Court Case Lookup

An Alameda County Criminal Court Case Lookup can be conducted through the Public Records Web Portal for Criminal Record Requests or the Odyssey Portal, available at public courthouse terminals. The Odyssey Portal contains cases active since 2005, is free, and individuals do not need to register on the platform before conducting a lookup on the site. Details of the case, such as the docket/case number or arrestee's date of birth, date of arrest, and date of conviction, are required to complete a criminal case lookup.

Get Alameda County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are available at the civil division of the Superior Court. Individuals can get these records from the superior court online through the eCourts Portal or in person at the courthouse. Individuals must complete a civil records request form and submit it by mail or in-person to the courthouse where the case is being heard. Civil court case records can be assessed at the following courthouses:

Rene C. Davidson Courthouse
1225 Fallon Street
Oakland, CA 946121
Phone: (510) 891-6000

Hayward Hall of Justice
24405 Amador Street
Hayward, CA 94544
Phone: (510) 690-2705

George E. McDonald Hall of Justice
2233 Shoreline Drive
Alameda, CA 94501
Phone: (510) 891-6005

Alameda County Family Court Records

The Family Court Division of the Alameda County Superior Court has jurisdiction over family-related cases. Some examples of cases handled by the family court include:

• Marriage dissolution/divorce
• Legal separation
• Domestic partnership
• Nullity
• Paternity
• Child custody and visitation
• Child support
• Domestic violence
• Elder abuse
• Adoptions.

Persons interested in these records can contact the Clerk of the Superior and State Courts Office in person, by phone, or by email to obtain the records. The contact addresses for the Family Court are as follows:

Hayward Hall of Justice.
24405 Amador Street
Hayward, CA 94544
Phone: (510) 690-2700

Oakland René C. Davidson Courthouse.
1225 Fallon Street,
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 891-6000

Alameda County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Alameda County Dissolution of Marriage Records, also known as divorce records, are under the jurisdiction of the Family Law Division of the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda. These records are available online through the eCourt Public Portal (online records are limited), by in-person visits, or by contacting the courthouse. Applications for dissolution of marriage records should be addressed thus:

Family Law Division
Superior Court of California, County of Alameda
24405 Amador Street
Hayward, CA, 945447
Phone: (510) 690-2702

Alameda County Marriage and Divorce Records

In Alameda County, marriage and divorce records are handled by separate agencies. The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office is the custodian of marriage records, and the Family Law Division of the Superior Court maintains divorce records. Marriage records from the Clerk-Recorder's Office are available online, by mail, and in person and cost $19 per copy. The Family Law Court handles cases involving marriage dissolution, divorce, and legal separation and makes these records available to authorized requesters.

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office
1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (888) 280-7708.

Alameda County Family Law Division — Hayward Hall of Justice
24405 Amador Street
Hayward, CA 94544
Phone: (510) 690-2700

Alameda County Birth and Death Records

The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office and the Alameda County Public Health Department are the custodians of birth and death records in the county. It is important to note that birth and death records of the city of Berkeley are not included as it falls under a different jurisdiction.

The Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office: They record certificates issued within the county and make them available for order online, by mail, and in person at a fee of $34 for birth records and $26 for death records. Records ordered online may be informational or unrestricted (can be used for identity verification). To be eligible to request an unrestricted record, the requester must be one of the following people:

• The person listed on the certificate
• A parent or legal guardian of the certificate owner (must provide documentation.)
• Legal representative, estate administrator, or licensed party with a court order (must include authorizing documentation)
• A representative of a governmental agency conducting official business. (most include identification or an official agency request letter)
• Relative of the record owner (child, spouse, sibling, etc)

The contact addresses for obtaining birth and death records include the following:

Alameda County Clerk-Recorder's Office
1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 272-6362

Alameda County Public Health Department: Their vital registration department makes birth and death records available to inquiries by phone or in person. The contact addresses for obtaining birth and death records include the following:

1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 272-6362

Alameda County Probate Court Records

The Probate Division of the Superior Court handles all probate affairs in Alameda County, including the personal and financial affairs of adults and children. Examples of probate cases overseen by this court include the following:

• Guardianships and Conservatorships for children and incapacitated adults
• Trust administration petition
• Estate distribution of deceased people
• Disputes over wills, trusts, or power of attorneys

Per Government Code Section 680, individuals are required to pay the applicable fees for inspecting and copying a record. Individuals can also access probate court calendars and records online through the eCourt Portal. The contact addresses for the Probate Division are as follows:

Berkeley Courthouse
2120 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
Berkeley, California 94704
Phone: (510) 647-4439

Oakland - René C. Davidson Courthouse
1225 Fallon Street (For Dept. 1B)
Oakland, California 94612
Phone: (510) 891-6000

Alameda County Property Records

The Alameda County Assessor's Office is the custodian of property records in the county which include assessment information, property ownership information, and property tax records. Alameda property tax records are available online through the Property Search Tool and in person at the County Assessor's Offices. In Alameda County, property ownership information is only available in person at the Assessor's office due to privacy concerns.

Property records that contain confidential information are not accessible to the general public by law. Property owners (with photo identification) and their representatives (with a letter of authorization hand-signed by the property owner) can, however, access their confidential records from the Assessor's Office for free. The contact addresses of the Alameda County Assessor's Office are as follows.

Alameda County Assessor's Office — Main Office
1221 Oak Street
Room 145
Oakland, CA, 94612
Phone: (510) 272-3787
Email: AssessorWebResponse@acgov.org

Alameda County Assessor's Office — Business Personal Property
125 12th Street
Suite 320
Oakland, CA, 94607
Phone: (510) 272-3836
Email: AssessorBPP@acgov.org

Alameda County Assessor's Office — Dublin Satellite Office
7600 Dublin Boulevard
Suite 270
Dublin, CA 94568.

Alameda County Court Records Online

Individuals can also obtain Alameda County Court records from third-party online sources like Californiacourtrecords.us. These sites make accessing records from multiple courthouses easier without being limited by physical location. They usually hold public records from various counties, cities, and states. However, these sources are not affiliated with the government. Hence, information from third-party websites may not be as up-to-date or complete as official government sources.