Sonoma County Superior Court Case Search

Sonoma County Superior Court cases can be searched in person, online, or via the mail. Searches may require details of the case and an ID if sensitive records are involved. You can also use the court's online services to access the case search portal, where you can input case details for a search. There are generally no fees for searching Sonoma County Superior Court case records, but if you want copies of case documents, you will pay the prescribed fees according to the court’s fee schedule.

What Kinds of Cases Are Heard in the Sonoma Superior Court?

Superior Courts are courts of general jurisdiction. Thus, these courts have a wide range of cases they can handle. They are also the initial courts for most cases in the county, which gives the Superior Courts original jurisdiction over the following cases:

• Civil Cases
• Family law matters
• Probate proceedings
• Criminal Cases
• Juvenile Cases

Sonoma County Superior Court

Superior Courts are the main trial courts of California, and they have multiple court locations within each county. The Sonoma County Superior Court is the court of first instance for most cases handled within the county. This court handles trials that are presided over by a judge, and in some cases, there are jurors for more deliberations. Each trial is a fact-finding process where evidence and witness testimonies are collected to determine culpability or liability. This court has various courthouses for its various divisions, which handle criminal cases, civil matters, probate matters, family law matters, and more. The Superior Court’s decisions are applicable within the county alone and can be appealed up till the Supreme Court. You can access the Sonoma County Superior Courts at:

Sonoma County Superior Court
Civil and Family Law Courthouse
3055 Cleveland Avenue
Santa Rosa, California 95403
(707) 521-6630 - Family Law
(707) 521-6650 - Probate

Empire College Annex
3035 Cleveland Avenue
Suite 200, Santa Rosa, California 95403
(707) 521-6500

Hall of Justice
600 Administration Drive
Santa Rosa, California 95403
(707) 521-6610 - Civil
(707) 521-6620 - Criminal
(707) 521-6800 - Family Law
(707) 521-6700 - Juvenile Delinquency
(707) 521-6770 - Juvenile Dependency
(707) 521-6681 - Juvenile Traffic
(707) 521-6880 - Adult Traffic

Juvenile Justice Center
7425 Los Huilicos Road
Santa Rosa, California 95409

Sonoma County Case Lookup

County-wide case lookups involve searching court archives from all county courts and cases. It is a type of search that covers all the county court divisions and case documents. You can use these tips to search Sonoma County court case records:

For walk-in searches

Walk-in searches are done at the clerk’s office. Requesters can go to submit their records requests, some details of the case of interest, and a valid ID if required. The clerk’s office may require identification where the records include restricted or sealed documents. Walk-in case searches can be done between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The courthouse also has public access terminals at the Hall of Justice for self-service. These terminals are available for use at $15 for 10 minutes. If copies of case documents are requested, requesters will pay $40 for certification of each document and $0.50 per page for each copy. You can pay this fee using your credit card, cashier’s check, money order, check, and cash.

For online searches

Online case search is available in Sonoma County through the Superior Courts’ Online Services website. Requesters can use the records access links on this webpage to access the county’s case records. Simply click on the relevant case records link and provide the required case information for the records search. Requesters do not need to pay any fees or have a registered account to use this website. Furthermore, online records archives may not have some case documents due to restrictions or redemptions and delayed uploads.

For mail-in searches

Sonoma County case records can be accessed and obtained through mail-in requests. You can send your records request and a description of the case of interest to:

3055 Cleveland Avenue,
Santa Rosa, California 95403.

Mail-in requests in this county can take 7 to 10 working days to process. Requesters may not have to pay for the search, but copies of case documents requested must be paid for. You can get these copies by mail if you include a self-addressed stamped envelope in your request package.

Additional Considerations

You can contact the Couty Clerk’s Office at (707) 565-1100 for general inquiries or to resolve any complications in finding your case. Emergency orders will be ready after 2:30 pm for pickup or returned to requesters via eFile.

Sonoma Superior Court Case Search by Name

The name search is the most versatile search option for looking up court case records. Name searches are useful for all request methods and can be used to search for names of parties or attorneys on record. The names included in your records request will be used for the search by the clerk’s office. You can also input the relevant name to the case through the court’s Online Services website, which contains a records search link. Name searches can produce long results where the names are common. This can require you to provide more case details, such as date of birth or case number.

Sonoma Superior Court Docket Search

A court docket is a case document that contains information about the case from the filing date till the case is closed. This document contains the entire history of the case, including descriptions of events that occured during the case. You can access information such as rulings, court orders, upcoming hearing schedules, and motions through court dockets. This document can be accessed through the court clerk’s office by mailing or submitting a records request in person.

The court’s Online Services also provides access to court dockets through the records search portal. You can use court dockets to stay informed and updated with the case and scheduled case hearings. It also helps with legal research for various reasons, including better client representation.

Lookup Sonoma County Superior Court Online

Sonoma County Superior Court records are publicly accessible documents. The county court’s Online Services website provides access to case information or copy request links for various Superior Court records. These records can also be viewed and requested from third-party platforms such as Californiacourtrecords.us. These websites offer free access to case records provided you have a mobile device or computer and an internet connection. Third-party sources may not provide the most authentic or accurate records as official sources. Thus, records from third-party websites should be reviewed for inconsistencies using official sources.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

The Superior Courts are the main trial courts of Califonia through which general civil and criminal jurisdiction is maintained. This court holds trials where parties argue their cases and present facts for the court. Superior Courts have a wide scope of legal subject matter they can entertain, including probate, juvenile, family law, civil, and criminal cases. The Supreme Court of California is the highest appellate court in the state.

The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over case appeals from lower courts such as the Courts of Appeal and Superior Courts. This court does not hold trials like the Superior Courts. It handles cases by reviewing the earlier court’s decisions and how state laws and the Constitution were interpreted and applied. The California Supreme Court also exercises discretionary jurisdiction, which means it can select cases to handle depending on their legal importance. While this court is the highest authority in California, the US Supreme Court can review its decisions as the final appellate court at the national level.