Tulare County Superior Court Case Search

Tulare County Superior Court is the main trial court where the county’s major civil and criminal cases are handled. This court maintains records of these cases and the court clerk’s office serves as the primary records custodian through which records requests are processed.

Tulare Superior Court’s cases can be searched in person or via the mail by completing a record request and submitting through any of these means. This request will contain the requester’s information and some case information for a search. Members of the public can conduct a search online using the Case Index Search link on the court’s Online Services Portal. Case searches are generally free. However, copies of the documents requested will attract costs.

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

Tulare County Superior Court is a trial-level court with a broad subject matter jurisdiction. This court can have general civil and criminal jurisdiction with authority to handle the following cases:

• Criminal Cases
• Family law cases
• Civil Cases
• Probate Proceedings

Specialized courts under the Superior Court of Tulare County include the Specialty Courts, which function to handle cases with underlying issues such as mental health challenges or drug abuse. Such courts include the Mental Health Courts, Drug Courts, and Collaborative Courts. The Juvenile Court is a special court set up to handle cases that involve minors, such as cases of dependency and delinquency.

Tulare County Superior Court

Tulare County Superior Court is the county’s main trial court. This court holds trials where rulings are made, parties present evidence and call witnesses, and, in some cases, jurors deliberate. It is the court of first instance for most cases, which has various divisions for various types of cases. The Superior Court is the initial and most accessible court for settling disputes and enforcing the rule of law and personal rights. It has various divisions, such as Criminal, Civil, Family Law, Probate, Specialty Courts, and Juvenile Courts. You can access these courts at:

Tulare County Superior Court - Dinuba
640 South Alta Avenue
Dinuba, California 93618
(559) 595-6400

Juvenile Justice Facility
11200 Avenue 368
Room 201, Visalia, California 03291
(559) 738-2300

Porterville
300 East Olive
Porterville, California 93257
(559) 782-3700

Visalia
County Civic Center
221 South Mooney Boulevard
Visalia, California 93291
(559) 730-5000

Tulare County Case Lookup

Tulare County cases can be looked up through the court clerk’s office by conducting a county-wide search. This involves searching the county court records, which contain documents from all county courts. It will also contain records from all court cases handled within the county. You can use these tips for how to look up Tulare County court case records:

For walk-in lookup

Requesters who are physically in Tulare County can access case records through walk-in requests. The clerk’s office is open to the public between 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from Monday to Friday to submit records requests in person.

Requesters can also use the court’s public access computer terminals at the courthouse for self-service. You may not be required to provide an ID for most case records except documents that are sealed, redacted, or restricted. The clerk’s office may charge $0.50 per page and $40 for certified copies of case records.

For mail-in lookup

Mail-in case lookup involves using mail services to send records requests along with case descriptions. Requesters can send their mail-in requests to:

640 South Alta Avenue,
Dinuba, California 93618.

Mail-in requests may take between 5 to 10 working days to be processed due to mail sorting and delivery. While some case information is required, a self-addressed stamped envelope will also ensure that you receive a reply from the clerk’s office. You may be required to pay for copies of the case documents requested and shipping fees, which exclude any search fees.

For online lookup

Requesters can use the Superior Court’s Online Services platform to access various case record links, including the Case Search Index link. This website does not need an account or require you to pay a fee to look up cases. After loading the webpage, scroll down and click on Case Search Index to access a search portal where you can input some case details and run a search. Online access can be limiting as restricted or sealed records may not be accessible, and delayed uploads can cause some documents to be unavailable.

Tulare Superior Court Case Search by Name

Name searches are important because they help make case record searches easier. You can use a name search for each request method simply by including the names with your mail-in or walk-in request or providing the name while using the court’s Online Services. A name search can be applied to the names of attorneys on record, names of parties, or any other names relevant to the case. When using name searches, you may include more case information, such as case number, filing date, or date of birth, to narrow down the search result.

Tulare Superior Court Docket Search

Court dockets refer to chronological records of case details and updates from the start of the case till it is concluded. This document provides important case information, such as the dates of filed documents like complaints and motions, scheduled case hearings, court orders, judicial rulings, and more. Court dockets help provide up-to-date information about case progress while also providing updates to help prepare for hearings. This document can be accessed by requesting the case records. This request can be made in person, via the mail, or with an online search through the court’s Online Services website. To access court dockets, you will need to provide some details of the case with your request.

Lookup Tulare County Superior Court Online

Tulare County Superior Court case records are public documents according to the California Public Records Act (CPRA). You can access copies of these records online through the Tulare County courts’ Online Services website. This website provides links for requesting various court records, including a Case Index Search link. Third-party websites such as Californiacourtrecords.us may provide online access to the Superior Court records. However, when using third-party sourced records, it is important to verify the authenticity of such records as they may not be fully accurate.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

Tulare County Superior Court is the main trial court of the county where most cases are initially heard. This court is a court for finding the facts of a case and which party is liable according to state laws. The Superior Court has a broad range of cases it handles while exercising general civil and criminal jurisdiction. While this court handles cases through trials, the California Supreme Court handles cases through review of lower court decisions.

The Supreme Court is an appellate court with the highest judicial authority in California. This court does not hold trials but assesses lower court decisions to determine whether state laws were well interpreted. It provides the state courts with precedents, while the Superior Court’s decisions are limited to the county. However, decisions of the Supreme Court of California are subject to appeals to the US Supreme Court, which is the highest appellate authority at the national level.