Orange County Civil Case Records

Civil court records for Orange County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Orange. The court offers several online portals for different case types. You can search civil, criminal, traffic, family, probate, and small claims cases through separate systems. Most portals let you view case information for free and download documents for a fee. Records go back to different years depending on the case type and court location.

Online Case Access Portals

Orange County Superior Court maintains multiple online portals at occourts.org. Each portal serves a different case type. This setup lets the court customize search tools for specific types of cases. You pick the portal that matches the kind of case you need to find.

The main portals available include civil case access, criminal and traffic case access, family law case access, probate case access, and small claims case access. There is also a name search tool that searches across multiple case types at once. Each portal has its own URL and interface.

Civil Case Information Portal

The Civil Case Information Website at civilwebshopping.occourts.org contains case summary and register of action information. Records for unlimited and complex civil actions date back to 1996. Limited civil action records start in 2005. You can search by case number, party name, or attorney name.

Most documents filed on or after January 1, 2008 can be viewed and downloaded from the portal. Fees apply when you download documents. The portal accepts credit card payments. Documents filed before 2008 generally are not available online. You must visit the courthouse or request copies by mail for older documents.

The portal shows the register of actions for each case. This is a list of all filings, hearings, and court orders in chronological order. You can see when the case was filed, what motions were made, when hearings occurred, and what the judge decided. This gives you a complete timeline of the case from start to finish.

Name Search Across Case Types

Orange County offers a name search tool at namesearch.occourts.org. This portal searches for a person's name across civil, criminal, family, probate, and small claims cases. It returns results from all case types in one search. This saves time if you do not know what kind of case you are looking for.

Enter the first and last name of the person. The system returns matching cases with the case number, case type, and filing date. Click on a case to see more details. The name search is a good starting point when you know the person's name but not the case type or number.

Orange County Courthouses

Orange County has four main courthouse locations. The Central Justice Center is at 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana. This is the main civil courthouse. The phone number is (657) 622-6878. Most unlimited civil and complex cases are heard here.

The Civil Complex Center is at 751 West Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana. This location handles large, complex civil cases. The North Justice Center is at 1275 North Berkeley Avenue in Fullerton. The Harbor Justice Center is at 4601 Jamboree Road in Newport Beach. These locations serve different geographic areas of the county.

When you file a case, you file at the courthouse with jurisdiction over your matter. The court assigns cases to locations based on where the parties live or where the dispute arose. Check with the clerk's office if you are not sure which location handles your case.

Getting Copies and Fees

You can get copies of court records several ways in Orange County. Online portals let you download documents filed after January 1, 2008 for a fee. Visit the courthouse in person to review files and request copies. Send a written request by mail with payment for copies.

Copy fees follow the statewide schedule. Copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost an additional $40 certification fee. If you need a 20-page document certified, you pay $10.00 for copies plus $40.00 for certification, which totals $50.00.

Filing fees in Orange County match the state schedule. Filing an unlimited civil complaint costs $435. The answer costs $435 too. Limited civil fees are lower. A complaint seeking $10,000 to $35,000 costs $370. The answer in a case under $10,000 costs $225.

The court website at occourts.org has detailed fee information. You can find the current fee schedule under general information and records sections. Fees can change when state law changes, so check the latest schedule before filing.

Types of Civil Cases

Orange County Superior Court handles all categories of civil disputes. Unlimited civil cases involve more than $35,000. These include personal injury from accidents, medical malpractice, breach of contract, fraud, real estate disputes, and business litigation. Cases often involve expert witnesses and extensive discovery. Trials can last weeks or months.

Limited civil cases cover $10,000 to $35,000. These cases include landlord-tenant disputes, property damage claims, contract disagreements, and debt collection actions. Unlawful detainer eviction cases fall under limited civil jurisdiction. Procedures are simpler and trials are shorter than in unlimited cases.

Small claims cases handle amounts up to $10,000 for individuals. Businesses filing more than 12 cases per year are limited to $5,000 per case. Small claims court does not allow lawyers. Both sides tell their story to the judge. The judge makes a decision the same day in most cases. Common small claims matters include:

• Security deposit disputes between landlords and tenants
• Car accident property damage under $10,000
• Unpaid personal loans or money owed
• Defective product or service complaints
• Minor contract breaches

Complex civil cases involve multiple parties, difficult legal questions, or coordination with related cases. The court assigns these to judges with experience in complex litigation. Examples include class actions, securities fraud, antitrust claims, and major construction defect cases.

Public Access and Privacy

Most civil case records in Orange County are public. Anyone can search for cases and view the register of actions. You do not need to be a party to the case. You do not need to explain why you want the information. California law gives the public a right to access court records.

Some information is kept confidential or redacted. Financial account numbers are blacked out. Details about minor children in custody disputes are restricted. A party can ask the judge to seal records if they show a strong reason. Sealed records are not available to the public. But sealing is rare in standard civil cases.

Family law cases have limited online access. You can see the register of actions but not the actual documents in most family cases. This protects privacy in divorce, custody, and support matters. Criminal case documents are also restricted online. You can view the register but must go to the courthouse to see actual documents in criminal cases.

How Long Records Take

Online searches return instant results. Type in a name or case number and the portal displays matching cases right away. Downloading a document takes a few minutes after you pay the fee. The system processes your payment and makes the file available for download.

In-person requests depend on courthouse workload. If the file is on-site and staff are not busy, you may get copies in under an hour. If the file is stored off-site, retrieval takes longer. Ask the clerk for an estimate when you make your request.

Mail requests take the longest. The court processes written requests in the order they arrive. Processing time varies. If you need records urgently, use online access or visit in person. Include contact information with mail requests so staff can reach you with questions.

Cities in Orange County

Orange County includes many cities. Residents file civil cases at Orange County Superior Court.

Nearby Counties

Orange County borders other counties with separate Superior Court systems.