Sacramento Civil Court Records

Civil court records for Sacramento are managed by the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. All civil cases filed by Sacramento residents and businesses go through this court. The court handles unlimited civil cases over $35,000, limited civil matters between $10,000 and $35,000, and small claims under $10,000. Online case search is available through the court's Public Portal. Public cases and documents filed after November 13, 2007 can be viewed online. Sacramento Superior Court has discontinued all fees for online searches and document downloads. This makes it easier to access records without cost. The courthouse is located at 720 9th Street in Sacramento. The Civil Records Unit can be reached at (916) 874-7186.

Court Jurisdiction

Civil cases for Sacramento are filed in Sacramento County Superior Court. The main courthouse is at 720 9th Street in Sacramento. This is the state capital, so the courthouse serves a large urban population.

Sacramento County Superior Court uses the Journal Technologies e-filing and case management system. The court also provides a public portal for case access. The system serves residents throughout Sacramento County including the city of Sacramento.

The Civil Records Unit handles questions about civil case files and copy requests. You can call them at (916) 874-7186 during business hours. The unit processes in-person requests, mail requests, and online inquiries.

Online Case Search

Sacramento Superior Court provides two online portals for case access. The Public Case Access portal at services.saccourt.ca.gov allows basic case searches. The Public Portal at prod-portal-sacramento-ca.journaltech.com provides more detailed access to case documents.

Public cases and documents filed after November 13, 2007 are available online. The court eliminated fees for online searches and document downloads. This means you can search cases and download documents at no cost. Many California counties charge fees for these services, but Sacramento does not.

Cases filed before November 13, 2007 are not available digitally. You need to view the physical case file for older cases. All physical civil files are kept at an off-site retention facility. It takes about 10 business days to deliver old files to the main courthouse for viewing.

Filing Civil Cases

Sacramento County uses electronic filing through the Journal Technologies portal. You must create an account to file documents online. The e-filing system is available 24 hours a day. Documents filed before midnight on a court day are considered filed that day.

Filing fees follow the California statewide schedule. A complaint in an unlimited civil case costs $435. The answer also costs $435. Limited civil fees depend on the claim amount. Small claims fees are based on how much money is claimed.

Fee waivers are available for people who cannot afford court costs. You file a fee waiver application with financial documents. The court reviews it and approves or denies the waiver. Approved waivers eliminate most filing fees.

Getting Copies of Records

You can download documents for free from the online portal if the case was filed after November 13, 2007. This is the easiest way to get copies at no cost. Not all documents are available online, but many are.

For records not available online, you can visit the courthouse and request paper copies. Copy fees are $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost an additional $40 certification fee. A certified copy of a dissolution judgment costs $15 instead of $40.

Mail requests are accepted. Send a written request to Sacramento Superior Court, 720 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Include the case number, the documents you want, and your contact information. Processing times for mail requests are about 4 to 6 weeks.

If you need the court to search for records without a case number, the fee is $15 for searches longer than 10 minutes. Provide as much information as possible to help clerks locate the case quickly.

Older Case Files

Cases filed before November 13, 2007 are not in the digital system. Physical files are stored at an off-site retention facility. If you need to view an older case, the court must retrieve it from storage.

File retrieval from off-site storage takes approximately 10 business days. Contact the Civil Records Unit at (916) 874-7186 to request file retrieval. Provide the case number and let them know when you want to view the file. They will arrange delivery to the courthouse.

There is no fee to retrieve files from storage. Once the file arrives at the courthouse, you can view it during regular business hours. Bring photo ID to access case files.

Sacramento City Records

The City of Sacramento maintains separate administrative records from the court system. City records are available through the NextRequest portal at cityofsacramentoca.nextrequest.com. City records include city contracts, permits, ordinances, and city business documents.

City records are not civil court cases. If you need to file a lawsuit or search for civil litigation, you must use Sacramento County Superior Court. The city does not maintain court case files.

Court Help and Resources

The Sacramento Superior Court website at saccourt.ca.gov provides information about procedures, forms, and services. The site includes guides for civil cases and other case types.

Self-help centers at the courthouse can answer questions about procedures. Staff cannot give legal advice but can explain court processes. If you need a lawyer, the Sacramento County Bar Association offers lawyer referral services.

Legal aid organizations in Sacramento serve low-income residents with civil legal problems. These groups focus on housing, family law, consumer issues, and public benefits cases.

Nearby Cities

Other major cities in Northern California with populations over 100,000: