Yolo County Court Records

Yolo County court records include any paper, exhibit, order, document, or judgment filed in a legal action or proceeding (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.502). Court records in Yolo County may be accessed and stored electronically or in paper form.

Generally, California court records provide members of the public with information about lawsuits, court dockets, motions, pleadings, exhibitory materials, summonses, and other legal documents related to a court process. This information contained in court records may be used by case parties and other interested persons to monitor the progress of a suit, file appeals, and investigate pending cases.

Are Court Records Public in Yolo County?

Yes. Citizens of Yolo County may request and copy public court records stored in any format from the record custodian (Rule 2.503(a)). The reason for the request and identity verification may not be mandatory prerequisites for accessing court records maintained by the Clerk’s Office.

Per the California Public Records Act (CPRA), records that reveal the adjudicative roles of a court or are sealed/expunged are not typically accessible to third parties and unauthorized entities. Court records related to minors, mentally ill persons, and victims of sexual abuse are also prohibited from public access. Similarly, judicial records containing sensitive data like the social security number and other personally identifying details are redacted before public access.

Yolo County Court Records Search

Residents of Yolo County and the general public may perform a Yolo County court records search at any of the locations listed below:

• Yolo County Superior Court Clerk’s Office
• Public electronic access portals and terminals at the courthouse
• Online search tools maintained by the Superior Court
• Third-party online repositories.

Yolo County Court Records Search by Name

A case party's full name is a basic requirement for conducting a Yolo County court record search by name. The requestor may visit the clerk’s office to submit the name or utilize the public search terminals located at the courthouse to lookup cases filed under that name.

It is important for requestors to note that:

• A nominal fee may be attached to making plain or certified copies of the desired record. The fee depends on the number of pages and document type.
• A written or filled request form may be required by the staff in the clerk’s office to process the request. A downloadable request form is usually attached to the court’s website.
• Providing extra search criteria like the filing date, case number or trial date may expedite the search.

Interested persons unable to visit a courthouse in person may remotely search for court records by name on the Superior Court of Yolo County’s website. The Smart Search portal requires interested persons to enter a name following the Last, First, and Middle Sufix format. Other additional filters available to researchers include search by business name and nickname.

Yolo County Courts

The Yolo County Superior Court is the only court of jurisdiction in the county. The Yolo County Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction as practiced under the California Unified Court System. The Superior Court hears and decides all criminal and civil matters including appeals. The Yolo County Superior Court has the following divisions: appellate, criminal, civil, family, small claims, collections, traffic, juvenile, and court services. The contact information of the Yolo County Superior Court is outlined below:

Yolo County Superior Court
1000 Main Street
Woodland, CA 95695
Phone: (530) 406-6700

Yolo County Superior Court Case Search

The Yolo County Superior Court Clerk’s office preserves records of filed cases in electronic and paper forms (Cal. Gov. Code § 68150 - 68153). Interested persons may search for records of cases heard by the court in person, remotely, or through other electronic options provided by the courthouse.

For in-person case searches, concerned persons may visit the clerk’s office at the superior court within official hours to access case files. The clerk’s office charges $0.5 per page for plain copies, $40 per document for certified copies of case records, and an additional $15 for processing mail requests.

To send mail requests, submit a handwritten letter containing the case number, names of case parties, type of requested document, number of copies desired, and any other required information. A check covering the research and copying fees (made payable to Yolo Superior Court) should be attached to the written request, enclosed in a stamped self-addressed envelope, and sent to:

Yolo County Superior Court
Attn: Research
1000 Main Street, Room 1511
Woodland, CA. 95695.

Anyone may remotely access Yolo County Superior Court case files via the Online Case Search page featured on the court’s website. To retrieve information from the search tool, one may need to provide a record number, name of a case party, or other required search criteria.

Yolo County District Court Records

The Judicial branch in Yolo County as with other California counties does not have district courts. The Superior Court in Yolo County handles all legal matters. Requests for case records and files are submitted and processed by the Yolo County Superior Court.

Yolo County Criminal Records

Yolo County criminal records maintained by law enforcement are partially available to the public depending on the type of record requested. For instance, initial arrest information like the suspect’s name, booking number, and birthdate may be publicly accessible (Section 7923.610). Comprehensive criminal histories or background checks on the other hand can only be accessed by record subjects and their legal representatives (Cal. Penal Code §§ 13300 to 13326).

To request Yolo county arrest records and criminal record eligible parties may:

• Submit a filled-out crime report request form and a $5 fee to the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office in person or via mail using the contact information below.

Yolo County Sheriff’s Office
140 Tony Diaz Drive
Woodland, CA 95776
Phone: (530) 668-5280
Fax: (530) 668-5238
Email: records@yolocounty.org.

• Submit a completed English or Spanish Livescan form and fingerprint card to the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The requestor must pay the required fees and may query the DOJ’s Record Review Unit at (916) 227-3849 for additional information.

Yolo County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Residents of Yolo County interested in looking up criminal court case information may employ any of the options outlined below:

• A visit to the Criminal Division of the Yolo County Superior Court within regular hours
• Written requests describing the record sought, i.e., name, filing date, or case number
• Electronic access via public computers provided in the courthouse
• Online research using the search tools featured on the Superior Court’s website.

Get Yolo County Civil Court Records

The Civil Division of the Yolo County Superior Court maintains case files and documents filed in a civil proceeding. Civil suits typically involve two parties (the claimant and defendant) with disputes regarding property, money, damage, civil rights, and obligations. Cases involving torts, breach of contract, landlord/ tenant issues, equitable claims, and property/real estate disputes are handled by the civil division.

To request civil case records, visit the civil division filing counter in person or call the division at (530) 406-6704. Civil Case information is publicly available online via the Yolo County Superior Court’s case management system(Smart Search). Mail requests containing a written request with adequate information about the desired record may also be sent to the Yolo County Superior Court. Note that:

• Small claims and unlawful detainer case information are not available at the civil division
• There is a fee of $0.5 per page for plain copies and $40 per certified document attached to copying civil case records
• Case information older than 10 years may not be readily available hence a call to the civil division to establish availability before an in-person visit might be required
• In cases where the exact amount needed to cover research and copying costs is unknown, the check made out for the payment should contain a “ not to exceed” amount (in dollars)
• Mail requests must be sent in a self-addressed envelope and usually have an extra $15 charge.

Yolo County Family Court Records

Family court records consist of case files, documents, and information about cases involving the dissolution of marriage, child custody/visitation, separation, spousal support, annulments, parental rights, and domestic violence prevention. The Superior Court in Yolo County’s Family Division oversees family law matters and maintains their records.

Family court records are usually not readily available to third parties, but persons with appropriate authorization may request to inspect and copy such records. Eligible persons may request family court records in person, online, or via mail. In-person and mail requests can be sent to:

Yolo County Superior Court
Family Division
1000 Main Street
Woodland, CA 95695
Phone: (530) 406-6704

Yolo County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Yolo County Dissolution of Marriage Records include case information and files related to divorce, annulment, or legal separations handled by the court. The family division manages and processes requests for dissolution of marriage records.

Yolo County Marriage and Divorce Records

In Yolo County, marriage records are maintained by the Clerk-Recorder’s Office while divorce records are managed by the Clerk of the Superior Court.

Yolo County Marriage records are non-public. Hence, only the record subjects and their legal representatives only. Eligible parties may obtain marriage certificates online, via self-service, with a printable form, or by mail requests. The cost of obtaining a marriage certificate in Yolo County is $17 per copy and a notarized statement must be attached to mail or fax requests.

Requests for Yolo County divorce records may be made like other record requests sent to the family division of the court. Interested persons may query the family division in person, via mail, or online to retrieve divorce records.

Yolo County Birth and Death Records

Yolo County vital records such as birth, death, and marriage records are maintained by the Clerk-Recorder’s Office. Yolo County birth and death records are not publicly available and may be requested by the named individual on the record and any other entity authorized by law.

To obtain a Yolo County birth record, concerned persons may submit a filled-out record request form and a fee of $29 (payable by check) to the clerk recorder’s office in person or via mail. Requesting certified or informational copies of the birth certificate requires the requestor to provide a notarized sworn statement. Yolo County Death certificates on the other hand cost $24 per certified copy and request forms can be mailed to:

Yolo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office
Erwin Meier Administration Building
625 Court Street
P.O. Box 1130
Woodland, CA 95695.

Yolo County Probate Court Records

The Yolo County Probate Court under the civil division of the Superior Court presides over cases of conservatorship/ guardianship, trusts, decedent’s estates, and LPS (Lanterman-Petris-Short Act) proceedings. Probate court records may be accessed by visiting the civil division in person, sending mail requests, or searching online portals provided by the superior court.

Yolo County Property Records

Yolo County property records contain essential information about the ownership, appraisal, and taxation of real estate in the county. Property records in Yolo County typically include deeds, leases, affidavits, easements, liens, land/property dispute judgments, and mortgages. The Yolo County Assessor is the custodian of property records filed in the county.

Property records are part of Yolo County public records hence anyone can inspect and copy them. To request a property record, interested persons may visit the Assessor’s office in person between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm on weekdays at:

Yolo County Assessor
625 Court Street, Room 104
Woodland, CA 95695
Phone: (530) 666-8135
Fax: (530) 666-8213
Email: assessor@yolocounty.org.

Remote access to property records is also available on the online property search portal managed by the Assessor’s office. Search parameters like the parcel/ assessment number, fee, or street address are required to turn out results.

Yolo County Court Records Online

Government-owned or Californiacourtrecords.us are viable options available for members of the public to access Yolo County court records online. Third-party websites are owned by private independent contractors for commercial purposes. They are, however, preferred by most researchers since they are more convenient and easy to use from the comfort of their homes, offices, and personal devices.

Third-party websites also feature court records and case information sourced across various jurisdictions with basic search criteria like a last name. These websites are low-cost and produce multiple results from different databases simultaneously. Information retrieved from third-party websites is not to be used for official purposes as they may be incomplete, inaccurate, or outdated.