Sacramento County Superior Court Case Search

In Sacramento County, superior court records are derived from the various general and specialized legal proceedings involving county residents. The Court Clerk and other designated record custodians maintain the court records obtained from legal processes. These records are invaluable resources to individuals conducting investigations for litigation, tracing the status of cases, personal affairs, or criminal background checks for employment or tenancy.

What Kinds of cases have been heard in Sacramento Superior Court?

The Sacramento County Superior Court is a trial-level court with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. Civil and non-criminal legal matters attended to by the court include general civil (seeking redress over $25,000), limited civil (seeking damages under $25,000), small claims (damages under $12,500), family law matters (dissolution or annulment of marriage or domestic partnership, child custody, spousal support, and domestic violence restraining orders). Others include probate (matters concerning estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trusts) and unlawful detainer cases (landlord/tenant disagreements).

The Sacramento Superior Court also handles criminal cases ranging from misdemeanors to felonies. Felony cases may be punished by jail time in the state prison, fines, or the death penalty. Misdemeanor offenses usually attract a fine and/or county jail sentence.

The Sacramento Superior Court has a specialized department that hears specific types of civil and criminal cases. These include appeals, civil, criminal, family and children, juvenile, probate, and small claim departments.

Sacramento County Superior Court

In Sacramento County, the Superior Court has jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. The Superior Court subdivides these cases into specific cases handled by specialized court divisions, including civil, criminal, small claims, family, juvenile, probate, and more.

Given that the Sacramento County Superior Court offers residents the broadest access to avenues for seeking redress in civil and criminal legal matters, they are indispensable to the administration of justice at the local level.

Interested parties looking for Sacramento County Superior Court locations may visit the following addresses:

Carol Miller Justice Center
301 Bicentennial Circle, Sacramento, CA 95826
Phone: (916) 875-7746 (Small Claims, Unlawful Detainer)
Phone: (916) 875-7800 (Traffic)

Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse
720 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 874-5522 (Civil)
Phone: (916) 874-5744 (Criminal)

Sacramento County Superior Court - Juvenile Courthouse
9605 Kiefer Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95827
Phone: (916) 876-7753

Lorenzo Patino Hall of Justice
651 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 874-6936

William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse
3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento, CA 95826
Phone: (916) 875-3400

Sacramento County Case Lookup

Interested parties seeking a county-wide case lookup in Sacramento County may access records from several courts, including the Superior, Family, and Probate courts. They may acquire these records online or via walk-in and mail-in services.

Online Searches
The Public Case Search Access System (PCAS) and the Public Portal allow users to access civil, family law (limited documents), probate, small claims, and unlimited detainer case types. Information seekers may also pay fines and view case statuses. While PCAS provides visitors free access to criminal, family, and traffic case information, they must register for an account to view civil, probate, small claims, and unlawful detainer cases on the Public Portal.

Generally, requesters may search both platforms using a party's first and last name or case number (for faster results). They may also use the filing date to narrow results by year.

As of February 2025, there are no fees for conducting basic online searches or downloading documents from Sacramento Superior Court portals.

The Sacramento County Superior Court restricts information seekers' access to adoption records, sealed files, and pre-2007 civil and probate court records online.

Mail-In Requests
Requesters possessing a mail-in application, a stamped self-addressed envelope, a copy of a valid photo ID, and all required payments must send their mail-in request to:

Family Law Records Clerk
3341 Power Inn Road
Sacramento, CA 95826
Phone: (916) 875-5360

The application form must contain the case number, party names, and filing date (if known).

Applicants who do not provide a case number will incur a $15.00 search fee and copying fees ($0.50 per page).

Inquirers may pay for requested court records via check/money order payable to Sacramento Superior Court.

Typically, mail-in request processing takes 7–10 business days.

Individuals looking for pre-2007 civil/probate cases may need to contact the respective record custodian (civil: (916) 874-7186, probate: (916) 875-3400) for such records. They may also require written consent to access parentage or adoption cases.

Sacramento Superior Court Case Search by Name

Individuals seeking to conduct a name-based search of Sacramento Superior Court records may do so online, in person, or by mail.

Online Searches: Requesters may use the Public Case Access System (PCAS) or the Public Portal for name-based court record searches.

• PCAS: Users conducting a family law name search must provide a party's first and last name and a filing date range to search by name, while those searching for criminal records must input a first and last name and click "search" to obtain case information.
• Public Portal: This portal allows requesters to search court case information on civil and probate cases, small claims, and unlawful detainers. However, users must create an account to execute a search by name on this portal. They may search by a business name, full name, or partial name. Searchers may also use the filing date range to narrow their searches.

In-Person Searches: Requesters may visit the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse to search court records by name using the public kiosk. They must bring a valid government-issued photo ID and be ready to pay $0.50 per page for copies.

Mail Requests: Individuals requesting a name-based search of Sacramento County Superior Court records must fill out a Request for Copies form, including the party's name (preferably a complete name), case type (if known), and a check/money order for fees. Applicants must mail the request package to:

William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse
3341 Power Inn Road,
Sacramento, CA 95826.

Sacramento Superior Court Docket Search

In Sacramento County, a court docket summarizes all actions during a legal proceeding. It lists upcoming hearings, motions submitted, decisions rendered, and other significant events.

Interested parties may view Sacramento County Superior Court dockets via the Public Case Access System. Users can scroll down and select the Calendar Search option for these case types by clicking on the Criminal and Family Law tabs. Inserting the Department and Hearing Date and clicking Search returns results, such as the hearing date and time, case number, appearance reason, defense attorney and prosecutor names, and defense type.

Sacramento County court dockets are valuable to residents, case parties, judges, and court staff. They notify them of court dates, monitor case progress, and provide access to filed documents.

Lookup Sacramento County Superior Court Online

Record seekers may obtain Sacramento County Superior Court records via the Public Case Access System. Alternatively, third-party platforms such as Californiacourtrecords.us may offer accessible viewing of public Sacramento Superior Court documents. Users may search for specific cases by entering case numbers, party names, or dates. These online repositories streamline the process by facilitating instant viewing and downloading of court documents. However, such platforms operate independently of any government agency, so the accuracy of results cannot be guaranteed.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

In California, the Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction that hears various cases, including civil, criminal, probate, and family legal matters. In other words, the Sacramento County Superior Court is a lower court where legal disputes among residents are first heard.

In comparison, the California Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. It is a court of last resort and is responsible for reviewing decisions that have been appealed at the Courts of Appeal and considering writ petitions. Unlike the Superior Court, the California Supreme Court may decide which case to hear. The role of the US Supreme Court is similar to that of the California Supreme Court, which is the highest court. However, the US Supreme Court is the highest court in the country, providing the final word on disputes among states, issues concerning federal law, and the US Constitution.