Santa Cruz County Court Records

Santa Cruz County court records encompass materials and documentation produced or collated during county court proceedings that capture information about the courts' proceedings, judgments, and so on. California's Rules of Court (2.502) define these materials to include documents, papers, orders, exhibits, decisions, and judgments that were filed in an action or proceeding. They also include other items listed in the Government Code section 68151.

Like other California court records, Santa Cruz County court records are essential for reference in future legal cases. They also form an essential part of historical documentation and genealogical research and ensure that the courts remain accountable to the public.

Are Court Records Public in Santa Cruz County?

Yes, court records form part of Santa Cruz County public records. The California Rules of Court affirm the public's right to freely view and copy court records, except when those records are sealed by a judge or restricted by state or county laws. When submitting a Santa Cruz court records request, it is not mandatory for a requestor to provide a reasonable justification or means of identification. But if the requested record is confidential (that is, its access is limited to case parties), then the request must provide a means of identification.

Confidential records encompass some criminal and civil cases, especially matters involving juveniles, adoption, mental health, and family law. The California Trial Court Records Manual (TCRM) lists court case records that are exempt from public access, including

• Juvenile misdemeanors
• Adoption records
• Sealed civil case records
• Records of arrests or court cases that did not lead to conviction or were dismissed
• Personal information concerning witnesses or victims
• Closed court hearings files
• Some family law records involving custody disputes, domestic violence, and so on.

Santa Cruz County Court Records Search

An interested person may perform a Santa Cruz county court records search at any of these places:

• In-person request at the case's originating courthouse
• Third-party services
• Public Records Act request
• Public Libraries
• Electronic Access request on
  • The superior court's website
  • Courthouse computer terminal

Santa Cruz County Court Records Search by Name

A name-based search means that the party requesting a record must have the first and last names of the parties involved in the case. These names may then be entered into an electronic system, like the superior court's website or a courthouse terminal, to produce court case documents associated with that name. Alternatively, one may submit these names to a records custodian. This involves filling out a form with the names and any additional information and submitting it along with any applicable fees.

Name-based searches are effective, but because specific individuals may bear similar names, a requester may sometimes need to provide additional supporting information, such as the year or approximate year the case was filed. Alternatively, searching court records by case number offers a more straightforward method.

Obtaining copies of court records comes with a cost. A search that exceeds 10 minutes is charged $15, while photocopies are priced at $0.5 per page. The cost for certified records is $40 per document.

Santa Cruz County Courts

The court system in Santa Cruz County comprises the Superior Court, which handles all cases, including civil, family, juvenile, criminal, small claims, and probate cases.

Santa Cruz County has two courthouses. Their locations are:

Main Courthouse
701 Ocean Street
Room 110
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 420-2200

Watsonville Courthouse
1 Second Street
Room 300
Watsonville, CA 95076
Phone: (831) 786-7200

Santa Cruz County Superior Court Case Search

Under California State law, Superior Courts have jurisdiction over all civil cases, including juvenile, family law, and probates; all criminal cases, including infractions, felonies, traffic cases, and misdemeanors; small claims cases, and appeals of small claims, misdemeanors, and civil cases of not more than $25,000.

Interested persons may use electronic, online, or in-person resources to search for Santa Cruz County Superior Court case records.

• The Superior Court's Online Case Lookup: Online access to civil case records is available through the Superior Court's online lookup. Searchable entries include the plaintiff or defendant party's full or partial name or case number. Requesters may also filter the search results by date range. To use the case search instrument, one should navigate to the Santa Cruz County Superior Court Website, click on "Case Lookup," and then navigate to the website. This section typically provides a link to the case search portal.
• Email Requests: Requesters may send an email request to the appropriate superior court division of the records which they want to access.
• In-Person Records Search: Persons who wish may conduct in-person case records searches at either the courthouse where the case was filed or the court clerk's office. One may also complete and fill out a Research and Copy Request Form and forward it to the court clerk who heard the case in person or via mail. These requests attract a fee payable via credit cards, cash, or check. The fee schedule for the request form is available on page 2 of the form.
• Public Record Acts Requests: Interested persons may file a request to the court record's custodian under the California Public Records Act, providing concise information about the records they seek. Judicial administrative record requests should be sent to the Santa Cruz County's Superior Court at:

701 Ocean Street
Room 110
Santa Cruz, California 95060

• Courthouse Terminals: Court records terminals are in the public records section of the courthouse, often near the clerk's office or in a designated records room

To request case records heard in the small claims court, searchers should complete a Records Request Form and submit it along with a check made out to the Santa Cruz Superior Court or cash payment of not more than $75.00 in person or by mail to:

1 Second Street
Room 300
Watsonville, CA 95076
Phone: (831) 786-7370
Email: CourtRecords@santacruzcourt.org

Santa Cruz County District Court Records

California's state court system includes two types of state courts: superior or trial courts and appellate courts, but no District Courts. In other words, Santa Cruz County does not have a separate Santa Cruz District Court; instead, it operates under the Superior Court of California. Hence, persons who want to access these records should contact the Superior Court.

Santa Cruz County Criminal Records

Any interested individual may forward Santa Cruz County arrest records search requests to the local police department because, under Section 7923.610 of California's Legislature, the general public may access certain information about Santa Cruz County criminal records kept by law enforcement agencies. Such information typically includes the individual's name, date of birth, occupation, and physical characteristics (eye color, hair color, weight, height, and sex). The public may also view the arrest charges and any outstanding warrants.

According to Cal. Penal Code §§ 13300 -13326, only the subject of a record or their delegates can request a summary of their local criminal history, also known as Santa Cruz arrest records. This request may attract fees of up to $25.

Santa Cruz County Criminal Court Case Lookup

To access Santa Cruz County criminal court case records, one must complete a Research and Copy Request Form and send it to the court address indicated on the form. This process, also known as a Santa Cruz criminal records request, requires the enclosed form and a check made out to the Superior Court to cover the copy fees, enclosed in a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Individuals may also request their own statewide criminal records history from the California Department of Justice Record, which includes all criminal cases in California. Request requirements for statewide criminal records history include fingerprint images and a $25 processing fee.

Like criminal history information, sealed criminal records may only be released to the subject of the record, government entities, or legal entities. Any person submitting a request for their sealed criminal records must include a photo ID for identification along with the completed form and the applicable fees to the Santa Cruz Superior Court at:

701 Ocean Street
Room 120
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Get Santa Cruz County Civil Court Records

The county's Superior Court clerk is responsible for storing, maintaining, and providing access to Santa Cruz civil court records to the public and other requestors through the civil courts division.

While not all civil case records are public, the general procedure for obtaining Santa Cruz County civil court records is through online, in-person, or mail requests.

• Online requests: Non-certified civil case records are accessible through the Superior Court's online portal described earlier or by completing and emailing or post-mailing the Research and Copy Request Form to the courthouse clerk's office. Requests for certified copies of civil court case records must be made in person or by mail.
• In-Person Requests: An interested party may bring their records request offline by submitting their request form to the clerk's office at:

Superior Court
701 Ocean Street
Room 110
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Each requested copy costs 0.50 per page, and certified copies cost $7.00 plus $1.00 for each additional page attached. For requests that include copies or certified copies of documents, the requester should provide the case number, case title, and approximate date. Suppose the requester does not know the case number, then they may request a case number search at $5.00 per case. The maximum applicable fee per request is $75, payable through cash, credit card, or check. Suppose the requester does not know how much their request will cost in total, then they may include a check made out to the "Clerk of Court" with "not to exceed $75.00" written in the memo line.

Santa Cruz County Family Court Records

Per Title 5 - Family and Juvenile Rules of the California Rules of Court, family law cases in Santa Cruz County cover a wide range of issues, including divorce (dissolution of marriage), legal separation, child support, adoption, annulment, child custody and visitation rights, paternity, spousal support, guardianship, name change, domestic violence, domestic partnerships, minor emancipation, and restraining orders. The general public may access information about the Family Law Division's case files. However, records involving paternity disputes are confidential under the state's Uniform Parentage Act. Also, cases sealed by statute or court order are publicly unavailable.

The primary custodian of Santa Cruz Family Court records in Santa Cruz County is the Santa Cruz Superior Court Clerk's Office. Unlike other Superior Court case documents, family law records are not accessible on the online case search. Any person who wants to obtain Santa Cruz Family Court records may download and fill out a Research and Copy Request Form and then forward it via mail or in person. Family Court records are searchable by case number or party names like other superior court documents.

• For in-person requests, the requester should take the form to head to the Family Law Division Clerk's Office at:

Watsonville Courthouse
Second Street
Room 300

Or,

Santa Cruz Superior Court
701 Ocean Street
Room 110
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 420-2200
Email: CourtRecords@santacruzcourt.org

To cover the fees, the requester can enclose a check made out to the “Santa Cruz Superior Court”. If unsure of the actual total cost, they may write "not to exceed $75.00" written in the memo line. Alternatively, they may pay by credit card using the One-Time Credit Card Payment Authorization on page 3 of the Research and Copy Request Form.

• For mail requests, all materials described above should be forwarded to the Superior Court's Records Division at

Santa Cruz Superior Court

701 Ocean Street
Room 110
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

• Online: Certain Santa Cruz civil case documents that are not confidential may be viewed online on the Superior Court Case Search and, sometimes, on some third-party websites.

Confidential records are typically accessible to the parties involved in the case, their legal representatives, or others with court approval. To retrieve such documents, one must present a photo ID. Examples of such case files are adoption records, paternity records, domestic violence, and some juvenile records.

Applicable court records fees include $0.50 per page for a photocopy, $15.00 per search exceeding 10 minutes, and a $40.00 certification fee. The schedule of other fees is available on the Santa Cruz Superior Court's Records and Information page.

Santa Cruz Dissolution of Marriage Records

Santa Cruz Dissolution of Marriage (or divorce) records are cases that pertain to family law. Such documents are kept in the custody of the Superior Court clerk. Basic information about Santa Cruz divorce proceedings, as well as the final divorce decree, are typically public and can be accessed by anyone. However, specific aspects within the divorce case file may contain sensitive information, such as information about minors and financial information. These aspects are often restricted to protect the subject's privacy.

Accessing these records requires a similar procedure to accessing Superior Court records. Certified copies of final divorce judgments cost $11.00, plus $1.00 for each additional page attached.

Santa Cruz County Marriage and Divorce Records

Santa Cruz Marriage Records:

The Santa Cruz Recorder's Office is the custodian of marriage records, including marriage licenses and certificates.

• Santa Cruz County Marriage License: There are two types of marriage licenses issued in Santa Cruz County: regular license and confidential marriage license. Regular marriage license requests should be directed to the County Recorder's office by mail or in person. The requester must provide the full names of the parties on the license, the year of marriage, and a mailing address. Each regular license search costs $17.00. For a confidential marriage license, both parties must make an appointment and appear together at the County Clerk's office. Confidential marriage licenses cost $90.00.
• Santa Cruz County Marriage Certificate: A person may request a copy of their Santa Cruz marriage certificate in person by visiting the County Recorder's office during work hours or mailing an English or Spanish application form along with a $17.00 fee in the form of a money order or cashier's check to:

Santa Cruz County Recorder
Vitals Department
701 Ocean Street, Room 230
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Alternatively, one may utilize the online request platform on the County Recorder's website.

Santa Cruz Divorce Records

Divorce records may be obtained from the courthouse that issued the decree or from the clerk of the Superior court, as described in the previous section.

Santa Cruz Birth and Death Records

Per California Health and Safety Code, Section 103526, only authorized persons may obtain certified copies of Santa Cruz County birth and death records. Unauthorized persons will receive specially marked copies. Persons authorized to access a birth certificate include:

• The person named on the record, their parent or legal guardian.
• The subject's legal representative, any other person licensed by court order, or a licensed adoption agency
• Members of law enforcement or other governmental agencies conducting official business.
• The registrant's relatives include children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, spouses, or domestic partners.
• A legal representative of the subject or the state.
• In the case of death records, a funeral director.

Birth Records Request:

An applicant may request a Santa Cruz County birth certificate in person or by mail. For in-person requests, the applicant must fill out a birth certificate request form and a sworn statement. They must also provide some information about the person named on the record, including the full name as stated on the birth certificate, the place and date of birth, the mother's maiden name in full, and the father's name. The completed form and signed statement should be brought along with a $32.00 cash, check, or money order payment for the birth certificate to the County Recorder's Office at

701 Ocean Street
Room 230
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 454-2800

Mail requests require a similar procedure as in-person requests. However, the applicant must note that cash is unacceptable for fees payment. In addition, they must include an address where the copy is to be mailed.

Death Record Request:

Santa Cruz death records may be requested in person or via mail. In-person requests require the applicant to visit the County Recorder'sRecorder's office armed with a completed Death Certificate Form and some information about the deceased, including:

• Their full name at the time of death.
• Their date of death.
• Their death place.
• If available, their birth date.

Certified copies of death records cost $24.00, payable in form of check, money order payable to the Santa Cruz County Recorder, or cash.

Mail requests are to be sent to the County Recorder's office. The required documents include a functional mailing address for delivery. Payment methods also exclude cash.

Interested parties may request Santa Cruz birth and death certificates online through the link provided on the County Recorder's website.

Birth and death records are essential parts of a person's vital documents for financial, business, probate, insurance, and health reasons, and they form part of Santa Cruz County vital records.

Santa Cruz County Probate Court Records

The Probate Division of the Santa Cruz Superior Court handles issues related to guardianships and conservatorships, property transfers, trusts and estates, powers of attorney, and other related matters. Probate Court records are typically public, except when a court order seals them.

Santa Cruz County Probate Court records are accessible by mail or in person but not online. A person who wants to find Santa Cruz Probate Court records should direct their requests to the Superior Court'sCourt's Probate Division at:

Superior Court of California,
County of Santa Cruz
701 Ocean Street, Room 110
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Mail requests should include the relevant fee payment and a self-addressed envelope to receive the documents.

Santa Cruz County Property Records

The Santa Cruz County recorder handles the recording and custody of documents and maps of properties within the county. These documents are available for public inspection through a searchable online index. To locate a document, the researcher must provide the name of at least one party and the approximate year of recording.

Santa Cruz property records searches may be done in person during regular work hours at the office of the County Recorder, located at:

701 Ocean Street
Room 230
Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

Additionally, the Santa Cruz county assessor's office also provides a searchable database where researchers may view parcel information by providing the property address or the parcel number.

Santa Cruz County Court Records Online

Several third-party websites like californiacourtrecords.us offer access to court records, including those in Santa Cruz County. These websites aggregate public records from various jurisdictions, providing them to internet users upon request. Many such users require users to register or subscribe before they can fully utilize the resources provided. These websites have the advantage of convenience and widespread coverage. One limitation that may exist with third-party websites is the currentness of their information.

Users should, hence, ensure that any results are referenced against official sources to ensure that the documents are both accurate and up-to-date.