San Mateo County Court Records

San Mateo County court records are documents or materials containing information about cases adjudicated within the San Mateo County court system. These records include transcripts of trials, motions, submitted evidence, summonses, and judgments. According to the California Rules of Court (Rule 2.502), court records may take various forms, including paper documents, audio recordings, video recordings, and photographs.

The purpose of court records is to document and preserve legal proceedings and judicial decisions for reference, review, and accountability. Individuals who access San Mateo court records can expect to find information on case litigants, an account of actions taken during case proceedings, and the outcome of a case. San Mateo County court records also contribute to California's statewide court records.

Are Court Records Public in San Mateo County?

Yes. San Mateo County court records are public records per the California Public Records Act (CPRA). This Act grants the public the right to access, inspect, or copy court records maintained by the local custodian in San Mateo County (Cal. Govt. Code § 6250).

However, despite the CPRA provisions, certain records or portions may be exempt from public access due to statutory provisions. Per Appendix 1 of the California Trial Court Records Manual (TCRM), records that may be redacted, exempt, or restricted include subpoenaed records, documents filed under seal, juvenile delinquency and dependency records, arrest records of factually innocent defendants, and reports on a defendant's mental competence.

San Mateo County Court Records Search

Persons seeking San Mateo County court records have three options:

• Online search on databases maintained by the local judiciary
• In-person search at the courthouse or record custodian's office
• Mail-in request to the record custodian(s).

San Mateo County court records are generally available online through databases maintained by the record custodian(s). Alternatively, individuals can visit the custodian's office and search digital or physical records on-site. Persons unable to visit in person can submit mail requests.

San Mateo County Court Records Search by Name

To search San Mateo County court records by name, individuals must have the names of the parties involved in the case of interest. Typically, searching civil case files requires the name of either the defendant or the plaintiff, while the defendant's full name is necessary for criminal case files. San Mateo Court records can be searched by name in person or online.

To conduct in-person name-based searches, use the public access computers in the lobby of the Records Management Division of the San Mateo County Superior Court. Schedule appointments and visit between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at:

Hall of Justice and Records
400 County Center
1st Floor, Room A
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5100

For online name-based searches, use MIDX - the San Mateo County Superior Court Records Index. This index allows people to search San Mateo County case records by the first and last names of the individuals involved in a court case. Additionally, searchers may use the Odyssey Portal to conduct name-based lookups of San Mateo County case data and documents online.

To obtain physical copies of San Mateo County court records, inquirers may make in-person or mail queries to:

San Mateo Superior Court
Records Management
400 County Center
1st Floor, Room A
Redwood City, CA 94063

The Records Management Division charges:

• $0.50 per page for copies
• $1 to compare a copy against the original file
• $40 per document for certified copies
• $50 for exemplification of records
• $15 for searches longer than 10 minutes.

San Mateo County Courts

San Mateo County has only one court type that handles all case types: the Superior Court of California County of San Mateo. The court has four courthouse locations; their addresses and contact information are as follows:

San Mateo County Superior Court - Central Branch
800 North Humboldt Street
San Mateo, CA 94401
Phone: (650) 363-4300 (Traffic).

San Mateo County Superior Court - Juvenile Branch
222 Paul Scannell Drive
San Mateo, CA 94402
Phone: (650) 261-5100

San Mateo County Superior Court - Northern Branch
1050 Mission Road
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Phone: (650) 261-5080 (Family Court Services)

San Mateo County Superior Court - Southern Branch
Hall of Justice and Records
400 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5100 (Civil, Family Law, Probate)
Phone: (650) 261-5200 (Criminal)
Phone: (650) 261-5015 (Small Claims).

San Mateo County Superior Court Case Search

The Clerk of the San Mateo County Superior Court is the custodian of records of cases filed and adjudicated in the court, including criminal, civil, family law, probate, small claims, and eviction cases. Interested persons may search for superior court records by visiting the Records Management Office (by appointment) to use the public access computers available for searchers. In-person searches are allowed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday at:

Hall of Justice and Records
400 County Center
1st Floor, Room A
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5100

Alternatively, use the MIDX - the San Mateo County Superior Court Records Index—to look up files for civil, criminal, family, probate, and small claims cases. Requesters may also use the Odyssey Portal to access case documents.

San Mateo County District Court Records

California operates a three-tier court system comprising the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and the Superior Courts, which serve as trial courts. The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, adjudicates all cases in the County. Therefore, requests for San Mateo court records should be directed to this court's record custodian via mail, in-person, or online.

San Mateo County Criminal Records

Under the California Public Records Act, San Mateo County law enforcement agencies grant public access to criminal records, including arrest information, as outlined in Section 7923.610. These records include the arrestee's name, date of birth, physical description, and booking information.

To access San Mateo County arrest records, interested parties should direct their queries to the Records Division of the San Mateo Police Department. Requests can be made in the following ways:

• In-person: Visit the Police Department office with a government-issued ID, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• By fax: Fax a signed request letter and ID copy to (650) 522-7711.
• By mail: Send a signed request letter and government-issued ID to 200 Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403.
• Online: Create an account and submit public record requests to the San Mateo Police Department via the public records request page.

While most records are public, some may require the subject's prior written consent. Requesters may also need to provide completed fingerprint cards and pay a $25 processing fee.

Interested parties may also send criminal records requests to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office via its public records page, in person at one of the sheriff's office counters (Hall of Justice, San Carlos Police Bureau, Coastside Patrol Bureau, or Millbrae Police Bureau), or by mail to:

Sheriff's Records
400 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063

San Mateo County Criminal Court Case Lookup

To look up case files of criminal court cases adjudicated in San Mateo County, interested individuals should visit or send mail requests to the criminal division of the Records Management Office.

Criminal Division
Hall of Justice
400 County Center, 4th Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5200

Alternatively, use the MIDX- San Mateo Superior Court Index or the Odyssey Portal to conduct lookups of San Mateo County criminal case records by person, case number, filing date, and business entity searches.

Physical copies of criminal case records can be obtained from the criminal division in person or by mail. Mailing instructions are provided on the Superior Court's "Request Copies By Mail" webpage. The fees for copies of records vary:

• $0.50 per page for regular copies
• $1 to compare a copy against the original file
• $40 per document for certified copies
• $50 for exemplification of records
• $15 for searches lasting longer than 10 minutes.

Get San Mateo County Civil Court Records

San Mateo County civil court records are documents pertaining to civil matters, including contracts, personal injury, property, small claims, and eviction cases adjudicated in the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. These records may include details of case parties, evidence exhibits, court orders and judgments, and pleadings.

To access San Mateo County civil court records, interested persons should use the MIDX- San Mateo Superior Court Index to look up cases by party names, case numbers, filing dates, or business names (for business entities). Additionally, they may use the Odyssey Portal to access the County's civil case files and documents.

Alternatively, they may visit or send mail requests to the Records Management Division to lookup or obtain copies of civil case records:

San Mateo Superior Court
Records Management
400 County Center
1st Floor, Room A
Redwood City, CA 94063

San Mateo County Family Court Records

San Mateo County family court records contain case files related to family law matters such as divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, adoption, and domestic violence handled in the County. The San Mateo County Superior Court presides over family law matters at designated courthouses, including the Southern and Northern courthouses.

Although family court records are statutorily defined as public records, certain confidential cases may not be accessible to the public. This aims to protect personal information and the integrity of those records. Confidential cases that may not be publicly accessible include adoption records, juvenile court records, and domestic violence case files.

Individuals can obtain family court records in person, by mail, or online. To obtain a family court record in person, schedule an appointment and then visit the clerk's office at:

Southern Branch
400 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5100

Alternatively, mail a request for a specific family case of interest, including details such as the case number, parties involved, and a description of the requested document(s), along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, to:

San Mateo Superior Court
Records Management
400 County Center
1st Floor, Room A
Redwood City, CA 94063

Additionally, interested individuals may utilize the MIDX-Public Records Index to access family case information online or use the Odyssey Portal to access family case files or documents.

The availability of family court records provides transparency, public accountability, and information for those seeking details on parties, rulings, or monitoring family cases.

San Mateo County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Individuals seeking to obtain records about the dissolution of a marriage (divorce) in San Mateo County should contact the Records Management Division of San Mateo County Superior Court in person or by mail. Alternatively, they may use the MIDX Public Records Index or the Odyssey Portal to find marriage dissolution records.

San Mateo County Marriage and Divorce Records

San Mateo County marriage records are documents pertaining to marriages performed or filed in the County. Divorce records contain details of legal divorces or dissolutions of marriages granted by the San Mateo County Superior Court. The San Mateo County Superior Court maintains divorce records, while the San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder's Office maintains marriage records.

To obtain a copy of San Mateo County marriage records, interested parties should complete the Application for Certified Copy of Marriage Record form. They can then submit it in person or by mail to the County Clerk-Recorder's Office at:

555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 363-4500

Mailing address:
San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Office
Attn: Vital Records
555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063

The fee for a copy of a marriage record is $17 for the general public and $12 for government agencies.

To obtain a copy of a divorce record, visit the clerk's office of the San Mateo County Superior Court by appointment only. The office is open Monday - Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

San Mateo County Superior Court Clerk's Office
Southern Branch
400 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5100

Alternatively, send a mail request to the Record Management Division of the San Mateo Superior Court to obtain a certified copy of a marriage dissolution record at:

San Mateo Superior Court
Records Management
400 County Center
1st Floor, Room A
Redwood City, CA 94063

A certified copy of a marriage record costs $15.00. Mailing instructions are available on the Requests by Mail webpage of the Superior Court.

San Mateo County Birth and Death Records

San Mateo County birth and death records are vital records that pertain to births and deaths in the County. San Mateo County birth records are used for official purposes like Social Security, passport applications, and school enrollments. On the other hand, San Mateo County death records are needed for Social Security benefits, life insurance claims, and other matters.

The San Mateo County Clerk-Recorder's Office is the custodian of birth and death records in the County. The office allows the public to obtain copies of these records in person or by mail.

To obtain a San Mateo County birth or death certificate, complete the appropriate application (Application for Certified Copy of Birth Record or Application for Certified Copy of Death Record). Then, submit the completed application in person by visiting the County Clerk-Recorder's Office by appointment (call (650) 599-1713 or book online) at:

San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder's Office
555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 363-4500

Alternatively, mail the completed application with payment (money order, cashier's check, or personal check) to:

San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Office
Attn: Vital Records
555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA 94063

The fees are $32 for birth records and $24 for death records (general public). Private adoptions and government agencies pay $22 for birth records.

While vital records are public documents, birth or death certificates are not open to anyone. Under California law, only authorized persons can obtain copies of birth and death records. These persons include the registrant or their parent/legal guardian, parties entitled by court order, immediate family members of the registrant, or attorneys and licensed adoption agencies.

San Mateo County Probate Court Records

San Mateo County probate court records are files on probate cases handled at the Southern Branch courthouse of the San Mateo County Superior Court. These include cases involving decedents' estates, conservatorships, guardianships, trusts, elder abuse, and other probate proceedings. The San Mateo Superior Court Clerk is the probate records' custodian.

To access or obtain copies of probate case records, interested individuals should schedule an appointment and then visit the clerk's office in person, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at:

Hall of Justice
400 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 261-5100

Additionally, they may send mail requests to obtain copies of probate case files to the Records Management Division.

San Mateo County Property Records

San Mateo County property records are official documents containing details about real estate properties, including ownership, description, mortgages, liens, and other filed details. The County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder's Office maintains these records and makes them available to the public upon request.

Interested persons can search for San Mateo County real estate records online through the Grantee-Grantor Database. Alternatively, interested parties can obtain copies of property records by sending written requests along with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the County Clerk-Recorder's Office.

Alternatively, schedule an appointment and visit the San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder in person. The applicable fees for recorded document copies are listed on the Fees for Recorded Document page.

San Mateo County Court Records Online

San Mateo County court records are generally available online via official government databases. However, individuals can also use third-party websites like Californiacourtrecords.us to access these records for a fee—these non-official repositories aggregate public records from various government sources, including courthouses.

Third-party websites offer the convenience of expedited, remote access. They allow users to search across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously by name. However, these sites charge fees for access to public records, varying depending on the provider. Additionally, the records they provide may be outdated or incomplete. Thus, users of these sites are advised to verify information obtained from them with official sources.