Monterey County Court Records

Monterey County’s court records are collections of data created in relation to a court event. Court officials generate and store such records in different formats, like handwritten or typed documents, microfilms, and audio or visual recordings.

Court records in Monterey County may also feature different content. For instance, criminal case files include information on arrest charges, exhibits, court indictments, and sentencing details. On the other hand, property court documents may consist of lien, tax, and parcel information.

Note: California court records serve important functions in legal matters. Legal practitioners may use the records as references for future court case proceedings.

Are Court Records Public in Monterey County?

Under California state laws, most court records are classified as public documents. California’s Rules of Court and Public Records laws govern access to court records in Monterey County. Per these laws, the general public can make requests and obtain such records from agencies designated as record custodians.

However, certain records are not publicly accessible. The California Government Code Sections 7923.60-7929.610 and 7930-7930.215 restrict public access to the following court documents:

• Court documents that are exempt under state or federal statutes
• Court records containing privileged financial data or trade secrets were submitted to the court.
• Preliminary drafts, notes, or memoranda created by court officials (Gov. Code §7927.500)
• Court documents on pending litigation or claims that directly involve court officials
• Court documents containing personnel or medical records that may violate the record subject's right to privacy (Gov. Code §7927.700) Court data that may compromise the safety or privacy of judicial branch personnel or entities.

Monterey County Court Records Search

In Monterey County, interested parties can search and get court records through options provided by record custodians. Record custodians may offer online, mail-in, or in-person request options for accessing court records. For example, Monterey County’s superior court maintains an online court record search portal.

Monterey County Court Records Search by Name

Monterey County’s superior court allows name-based inquiries for court records. Inquiring about court records by name may use the court’s online case database system. Alternatively, inquirers can name-search records in person at the superior court that handled the case. Note that the court may charge fees to produce copies of the requested court documents.

Monterey County Courts

The Monterey County court system consists of four superior court divisions. Each superior court has specific jurisdiction over certain cases. The courts’ contact information is listed below:

Monterey County Superior Courts
Monterey County Superior Court - Juvenile Delinquency Court
Mailing Address:
240 Church Street
Salinas, CA 93901

Physical Address
1422 Natividad Road
Salinas, CA 93906
Phone: (831) 755-5400

Monterey County Superior Court - Marina
3180 Del Monte Boulevard
Marina, CA 93933
Phone: (831) 883-5300

Monterey County Superior Court - Monterey
1200 Aguajito Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 647-5800

Monterey County Superior Court - Salinas
240 Church Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: (831) 775-5400

Monterey County District Court Records

There are no district courts in Monterey County. However, the superior court oversees criminal and civil cases that are typically handled by the district court. The superior court also maintains and provides access to such records. To find criminal or civil court records, interested parties must direct their request to the court that handled the case. Note that courts will only attend to in-person requests on weekdays during open hours.

Conversely, Monterey County Superior Court’s case search portal offers online access to court records. To use the portal, inquirers must use any of these search options:

• Case number search
• Party search
• Business Search
• Filing date search.

Monterey County Criminal Records

Monterey County criminal records provide information on criminal convictions and charges. Note that criminal records are not accessible to the general public; only the record subject and authorized entities can access the records.

Inquirers will find criminal records under the purview of the California Department of Justice. As the record custodian, the agency allows fingerprint-based requests for criminal records. In-state requesters can access the records by taking these steps:

1. Print and fill out the criminal record request form in English or Spanish.
2. Present the form and get fingerprinted at the nearest Livescan location or law enforcement agency.

The agency will forward the fingerprint and completed form to the DOJ. Upon processing the request, the DOJ will send the criminal record to the applicant’s provided mailing address.

In contrast, out-of-state requesters can obtain the records by sending a mail request 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

The mail request must include a completed fingerprint card and a Form BCIA 8705 in English or Spanish. In addition, the request must include the required fee as a money order or check made payable to the California Department of Justice.

Note: Applicants can get fingerprinted at a local law enforcement agency.

Unlike criminal records, inquirers will find Monterey County arrest records through local law enforcement agencies. For instance, the county sheriff’s office hosts an online daily arrest patrol log. Inquirers can also obtain Monterey arrest records in person by visiting the county sheriff’s office at:

1414 Natividad Road
Salinas, CA 93906
Phone: (831) 755-3700

Monterey County Criminal Court Case Lookup

In Monterey County, the superior court oversees criminal case proceedings. The court is also the record custodian, and it provides online or offline options for accessing the records.

To get criminal records online, inquirers must input case identifiers in the court’s case inquiry portal. Alternatively, inquirers can make in-person requests for criminal court records at:

Monterey County Superior Court - Salinas
240 Church Street
Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: (831) 775-5400

Get Monterey County Civil Court Records

Monterey County civil court records provide data on disputes or claims between case parties. Such records are publicly available at the county superior court in Monterey. To obtain the record, requesters may visit the county court at:

Monterey County Superior Court - Monterey
1200 Aguajito Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 647-5800

In contrast, the superior court maintains a searchable portal for civil court case records. Interested parties may view records on the portal by filling out the following search information:

• Case number
• Case party’s name
• Business name
• Case filing date.

Monterey County Family Court Records

Monterey County’s superior courts hear all family-related court cases like divorce, juvenile delinquency, paternity, child custody, and adoption. The county courts also offer online or offline access to such records. For instance, the superior courts host an online searchable database of family court records. To view records on the portal, users must provide search information, such as the case party’s name or case filing date.

In contrast, inquirers can find the records in person at the superior court that oversaw the case. The following superior courts maintain records of family law cases:

Monterey County Superior Court - Juvenile Delinquency Court
1422 Natividad Road
Salinas, CA 93906
Phone: (831) 755-5400

Monterey County Superior Court - Marina
3180 Del Monte Boulevard
Marina, CA 93933
Phone: (831) 883-5300

Monterey County Superior Court - Monterey
1200 Aguajito Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 647-5800

Note: The superior court may restrict access to sensitive or confidential information in family court records. Only legally eligible persons or entities can obtain such records. In most cases, eligible inquirers may include the record subject, close relations, and their legal representatives.

Monterey County Marriage and Divorce Records

Interested parties will find Monterey County marriage records at the county recorder’s office. The agency will only disclose marriage records to the following authorized persons or entities:

• The record subject
• Record subject's family relations, including parents, guardians, parents, siblings, or spouse.
• Parties empowered by a court order to receive the record
• Law enforcement entities
• Attorneys representing the record subject

As the record custodian, the agency allows mail or in-person requests for marriage records. To access the record in person, applicants may fill out and submit an online request form and later pick up the record at the recorder's office. An alternative option is to visit and make a request at the kiosk in the recorder's office.

For mail-based requests, eligible applicants must follow this process:

1. Complete and print out the Monterey County marriage certificate request form.
2. Enclose a $17 money order or check payable to the “Monterey County Recorder”.
3. Mail the document and fee to:

Monterey County Recorder
P.O. Box 29
Salinas, CA 93902

On the other hand, the county superior court is the record custodian of divorce records. Record seekers may access the record in person at:

Monterey County Superior Court - Monterey
1200 Aguajito Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 647-5800

The superior court's case search portal is an alternative option for finding divorce records. To use the portal, users must fill in the case party's names, case number, or filing date.

Monterey Birth and Death Records

In Monterey County, birth and death records are accessible through local and state-level agencies. The California Department of Public Health and the Monterey County Recorder Office are record custodians at the state and local level, respectively.

As the local record custodian, the county recorder’s office allows in-person or mail-based requests for birth or death records. To obtain the records in person, interested applicants may submit an online request form and later pick up the record at the recorder’s office. Conversely, applicants may directly request the record via the kiosk located in:

Monterey County Government Center Administration Building
Recorder’s Office
168 West Alisal Street
1st Floor
Salinas, CA 93901

For mail-based requests, applicants must send a completed request form and the required fee to the county recorder at:

Monterey County Recorder
P.O. Box 29, Salinas, CA 93902

Monterey birth and death certificates cost $29 and $24, respectively. The fee must be a money order or check that is made payable to the Monterey County Recorder.

In contrast, the California Department of Public Health allows mail-based requests for birth and death records. To use this option, applicants must send a mail request to the agency at:

California Department of Public Health
Vital Records - MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410

The mail request must include the following documents:

• The appropriate request form:
  • Completed Monterey County birth record request form in English or Spanish
  • Monterey County death record request form in English or Spanish
• A notarized sworn statement. The request form contains a sworn statement section.
• The search fee, is typically as a money order or check that is made payable to CDPH-Vital Records.

Monterey County Probate Court Records

In Monterey County, probate court records provide information on court cases that involve the administration of wills, trusts, conservatorships, and guardianships. Monterey County’s superior court oversees probate court cases and offers online or offline access to such cases. To view the records online, record seekers must input the required search details in the court’s online case search portal.

For offline access, record seekers may request in person or send a mail to the superior court at:

Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
Attention: Records
1200 Aguajito Road
Monterey, CA 93940

The mail request must include a completed request form and the appropriate search fee. Fees must be in the form of a money order or check made payable to the Superior Court. Note that the court charges $15 per name-search for court records.

Monterey County Property Records

Monterey County property records contain property-related data, such as parcel ID, property value, property tax, liens, mortgages, and property owner’s information. The county assessor’s office maintains different databases for finding property information, including ownership, tax rate area, assessed values, and parcel status.

In contrast, the county recorder’s office is the custodian of real property documents like liens and mortgages. To get records from the agency, requesters must request in person or send a mail to:

Physical address
168 West Alisal Street
1st Floor
Salinas, CA 93901

Mail address
The Monterey County Recorder
P.O. Box 29
Salinas, CA 93902

The request must include information on the following:

• Recording year
• Document or page number
• Record subject’s name
• Document type.

Monterey County Court Records Online

Record custodians may offer online options for accessing court records. For example, Monterey County’s superior court maintains an online court record search portal. Third-party search sites like Californiacourtrecords.us may provide an alternative source for finding Monterey court records. Such sites typically have a user-friendly interface and may allow access to more than one type of court document. In addition, some sites may feature a download option. Despite the perks of using third-party sites, users should note that they are not government-owned. As a result, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.