Fresno County Court Records Search: Superior Court Portal, Case Lookup, Archives & Certified Copy Guide
Fresno County court records are searched through the Superior Court of California, County of Fresno case information system, the Fresno public portal, courthouse clerk offices, and the Archives Department depending on the case type. This guide explains how to search by name or case number, how to avoid common Fresno search mistakes, and when to request official certified records from the court.
Public-Court-Records.us is independent. This website is not the Superior Court of California, County of Fresno, Fresno Superior Court public portal, Fresno Superior Court Archives, Judicial Council of California, Fifth District Court of Appeal, PACER, a federal court, a government agency, a law firm, a background-check company or a Consumer Reporting Agency. This guide is general educational information only.
Responsible-use warning: a court filing, arrest, charge, petition, complaint, warrant, citation, eviction filing, probate filing or lawsuit is not proof of guilt, liability, tenancy history or identity. A matching name does not prove identity. Do not use this page as an FCRA-regulated employment, tenant, credit, insurance or background-screening product.
Fresno County court records are searched through the Superior Court, not a county-level people search
Fresno County has one state trial court system: the Superior Court of California, County of Fresno. The public case-information page and public portal are the main online routes for Fresno Superior Court case data. The portal is useful for locating case data from the court’s case management system, but the court’s terms explain that online information does not constitute the official court record.
For official certified records, copies, older files, non-confidential stored records, or case records that are not fully available online, use the appropriate clerk office or Fresno Superior Court Archives. For appeals, use Fresno Superior Court appeal-processing information and Fifth District Court of Appeal resources. For federal cases, use PACER and the Eastern District of California.
Downtown Fresno Superior Courthouse handles criminal and juvenile dependency-related court location routes.
B. F. Sisk Courthouse handles civil, family, probate, small claims and unlawful detainer services.
Unlawful detainer cases are not available online for sixty days after filing.
Archives stores, retrieves and maintains many Fresno Superior Court files and records.
Fresno County court-record route finder
Select the record type you are trying to locate. This tool runs in your browser only and does not ask for a name, date of birth, SSN, address, case number or citation number.
Use the public portal to locate criminal case data, then verify the court location, charge, hearing history and disposition. If you need an official certified record, request the specific document from the court in person or in writing.
Which Fresno court location or record system should you use?
Use this table before searching by name. Fresno County court records can involve the public portal, Downtown Courthouse, B. F. Sisk Courthouse, M Street Courthouse, Jail Annex, Juvenile Justice Court, Archives, Fifth District Court of Appeal or federal PACER.
| Need | Likely court, location or custodian | Best official starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal felony, misdemeanor, criminal docket or criminal disposition | Fresno Superior Court Criminal Division / Downtown Courthouse / Jail Annex for certain departments | Use Fresno Case Information or the public portal. Contact the proper criminal clerk or Archives when an official certified record is needed. |
| Traffic citation, traffic infraction or traffic fine | Traffic Division / M Street Courthouse | Use the traffic payment and case resources. M Street Courthouse is associated with traffic infractions and traffic clerk services. |
| Civil limited case | B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Civil Division | Use the portal, but for Fresno civil case-number searches remove the final three letters from the case number shown on documents before using the Case ID field. |
| Civil unlimited case, complex civil, judgment or civil filing | B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Civil Division | Use Fresno Case Information. For official records or certified copies, contact the court or request specific documents in writing. |
| Divorce, custody, support, restraining order or family-law matter | B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Family Law | Use the case-information system for public information. Contact Family Law Clerk or the correct court office for decrees, orders and restricted records. |
| Probate, estate, trust, conservatorship, guardianship or mental-health probate matter | B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Probate Division | Use the Probate Division page and portal for available case information. Probate Examiner Notes are not part of the official court file. |
| Small claims or unlawful detainer | B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Civil Division | Use Fresno Case Information, but unlawful detainer cases are not available online for sixty days after the complaint is filed. |
| Juvenile delinquency or juvenile dependency record | Juvenile Justice Court or Downtown juvenile dependency route | Do not expect ordinary public access. Juvenile records can be restricted, and authorized parties should use the proper juvenile court process. |
| Older file, stored file, genealogy research or archived non-confidential case record | Fresno Superior Court Archives Facility | Use Archives at 1963 E Street. A picture ID is required to receive a file folder, and Archives can pull, copy and certify eligible documents. |
| Appeal, federal district or bankruptcy case | Fifth District Court of Appeal, Eastern District of California or PACER | Use Fresno Appeals information for trial-court appeal steps, Fifth District resources for appellate matters and PACER for federal records. |
How to use Fresno Superior Court Case Information and the public portal
The Fresno public portal states that it allows users to search case data from the Court’s case management system. The official Case Information page explains that the system shows information that can be viewed by the public and that attorneys or parties may need to come to the courthouse to view a case that is not publicly available online.
Start at fresno.courts.ca.gov or publicportal.fresno.courts.ca.gov. Avoid commercial people-search sites if your goal is a court docket.
The court warns that online information is provided as-is and does not constitute the official record of the Court.
The portal’s About page states that the ability to search case data requires users to create or register for an account.
Case-number searches reduce name-collision risk. For civil cases, remove the final three letters from the case number shown on documents before using the Case ID field.
Search with lawful information only. Compare case type, court location, filing date, party role, documents, hearing activity and disposition.
For official certified records, the court directs users to request the specific documents from the Court in person or in writing.
Fresno County case-number guide: civil suffixes, traffic citations and case IDs
Fresno case numbers can include prefixes, years, case-type letters and suffix letters. A common Fresno-specific issue is civil case-number suffixes: the court says to remove the final three letters from the case number you see on civil documents before searching in the Case ID field.
| Search clue | Likely use | Practical caution |
|---|---|---|
| Case number / Case ID | Best search field for known civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims or appellate-trial records. | Enter the number as the Fresno system expects. For civil records, remove the final three letters from the case number shown on documents. |
| Civil case suffix | Fresno civil documents may show final three letters that should be omitted in the portal Case ID field. | Example: if a civil document shows 03CECG00001SJK, search 03CECG00001. |
| Party name | Use when the case number is unknown. | A name match does not prove identity. Compare court location, case type, filing date, party role and disposition. |
| Traffic citation number | Traffic infractions, fines, traffic school and payment routing. | Before paying, confirm whether appearance, traffic school eligibility, proof of correction or a payment plan issue applies. |
| Unlawful detainer filing | Eviction case searches after the online-display waiting period. | Fresno states unlawful detainer cases are not available online for sixty days after the complaint is filed. |
| Archive file request | Older, stored, non-confidential files and genealogy research. | Archives may require in-person visit, picture ID, exact case details and current copy/certification fees. |
Fresno civil case-number helper
Enter only a public civil case-number pattern. This tool does not search any database and does not store what you type.
Official Fresno County court-record links and what to do after opening each one
Each official link below includes the next step so this guide is practical and not just a directory.
Use this as the court’s official entry point for public case information.
- Read the case-information disclaimer.
- Open the public portal from the official court page.
- Search by case number when available.
- For civil cases, remove the final three letters before searching by Case ID.
- Use the correct clerk or Archives route for official certified records.
Use this to search case data from the court’s case management system.
- Review the terms of use.
- Create or use an account if the portal requires registration for search.
- Search by case number, party or available search field.
- Compare all results carefully.
- Do not use portal technical-support email for case-specific questions.
Use this for stored court case files, older records, non-confidential files and historical research.
- Confirm the record is a court case file, not an administrative record.
- Bring picture ID if visiting to receive a file folder.
- Ask staff to pull, copy or certify eligible documents.
- Verify current hours before traveling.
- Use exact case information whenever possible.
Use this location page for civil, family, probate, small claims and unlawful detainer court services.
- Confirm the case type is heard at B. F. Sisk.
- Check clerk office hours, which differ from building hours.
- Use 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721-2220 for the courthouse map.
- Bring case number, party names and copy/certification details.
Use this for criminal and downtown courthouse routing.
- Confirm the case is assigned to the Downtown Courthouse.
- Use 1100 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA 93724-0002.
- Check clerk hours before visiting.
- Use the case information page to locate the case first.
Use this for traffic infraction routing and traffic-related court services.
- Use citation number when available.
- Check whether traffic school, appearance or payment-plan rules apply.
- Use 2317 Tuolumne Street, Fresno, CA 93721-1220 for the map.
- Confirm current traffic clerk hours and payment methods.
Use this for limited, unlimited, small claims and unlawful detainer context.
- Confirm whether the case is limited, unlimited, small claims or unlawful detainer.
- Use eFile guidance if filing is your goal.
- Use case information for docket lookup.
- Contact the clerk or Archives for official copy questions.
Use this for estate, trust, conservatorship, guardianship and probate-related case records.
- Confirm the record is probate, not civil or family law.
- Use the public portal for available case information.
- Remember that Probate Examiner Notes are not part of the official court file.
- Contact Probate or Archives for copies and restricted-record questions.
Fresno Superior Court divisions that affect record searches
Use this route for felony, misdemeanor, criminal-case docket, disposition and criminal copy questions. Fresno criminal records may involve the Downtown Courthouse or Jail Annex departments depending on the proceeding.
Use this route for citations, traffic infractions, traffic fines, payment plans and traffic school issues. Traffic matters are associated with M Street Courthouse services.
Use this route for civil limited, civil unlimited, small claims and unlawful detainer matters. Limited civil cases are those involving $35,000 or less except small claims cases.
Use this route for divorce, custody, support and family-law orders. Some family files or documents may be restricted, and certified copies may require clerk instructions.
Use this route for probate, trusts, guardianship, conservatorship, mental-health and related cases. Probate proceedings begin by filing a petition with the Probate Clerk at B. F. Sisk Courthouse.
Use this route for stored case files, non-confidential file copies, historical records and files not easily available online. Archives handles records storage, retrieval, record destruction/management and microfilming.
How to request copies or certified Fresno County court records
An online search result, portal page, case-data screen, scanned image or screenshot is not the same as a certified court record. Fresno Superior Court directs users who need an official certified record to request the specific documents from the Court in person or in writing.
| Record needed | Likely custodian | Information to provide |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal disposition, minute order, complaint, sentence or criminal case copy | Fresno Superior Court Criminal Division or Archives | Case number, defendant name, filing year, document title, court location and whether certification is required. |
| Civil complaint, judgment, order, dismissal or civil case document | Civil Division at B. F. Sisk Courthouse or Archives | Case number without Fresno civil suffix letters when searching, party names, document title, filing year and certification need. |
| Divorce decree, custody order, support order or family-law document | Family Law Clerk / B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Archives | Case number, party names, year, exact order or decree needed and proof of authorization if restricted. |
| Probate, estate, trust, conservatorship or guardianship record | Probate Division / B. F. Sisk Courthouse / Archives | Case number, decedent or protected-person name where appropriate, filing year, document title and authorization if needed. |
| Traffic citation, traffic fine, traffic disposition or proof of correction | Traffic Division / M Street Courthouse | Citation number, case number if assigned, driver name, violation date and the exact disposition or copy needed. |
| Archived non-confidential file or historical case record | Fresno Superior Court Archives | Case number if known, party names, approximate year, case type, document requested and photo ID for in-person file access. |
Use Case Information or the public portal to identify the case number, party names, case type, filing year and court location.
Use Criminal, Traffic, Civil, Family, Probate or Archives based on the case type and location.
A docket, minute order, judgment, complaint, petition, decree, disposition, transcript, register, certified copy and full file copy are different requests.
Copy charges, certification charges, file retrieval, mailing, payment methods, processing times and agency-specific fees can change.
Do not separate seals, certification pages, clerk stamps, staples or electronic certification files if the record must be used officially.
Fresno County courthouse locations and visit checklist
Fresno Superior Court has multiple downtown and county court facilities. Before visiting, confirm the case type, exact courthouse, clerk hours, document availability, payment method, security rules and whether the file is stored at Archives.
| Location | Address | Common record use |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno Superior Courthouse Downtown Location | 1100 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA 93724-0002 | Criminal and juvenile dependency-related court location routes; general court phone 559-457-2000. |
| B. F. Sisk Courthouse | 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721-2220 | Civil limited, civil unlimited, family law, probate, restraining orders, small claims, self-help and unlawful detainer. |
| M Street Courthouse | 2317 Tuolumne Street, Fresno, CA 93721-1220 | Traffic infractions and traffic-related court service routing; listed phone 559-457-1700. |
| Jail Annex – Criminal Courts Departments 95 & 96 | 1265 M Street, Fresno, CA 93721 | Criminal and domestic violence departments 95 and 96. |
| Juvenile Justice Court | 3333 East American Avenue, Suite A, Fresno, CA 93725 | Juvenile delinquency court location; juvenile records are often restricted. |
| Archives Facility | 1963 E Street, Fresno, CA 93706 | Stored, older, non-confidential case files, copies, certifications and historical record research. |
Sealed, confidential, restricted and not-online Fresno County records
California court access rules allow public access to many court case records, but some records are confidential by law, sealed by court order, restricted by case type or unavailable remotely. Fresno Superior Court’s portal only displays information that can be viewed by the public.
- Sealed or expunged criminal records.
- Juvenile delinquency and juvenile dependency records.
- Adoption and parentage-related restricted records.
- Domestic violence, restraining-order or protected-person sensitive information.
- Mental health, conservatorship and confidential probate documents.
- Unlawful detainer cases during the court’s sixty-day online availability restriction.
- The portal account or access level is not sufficient.
- The case is confidential, sealed or restricted.
- A civil case number was searched with the final three suffix letters included.
- The case is an unlawful detainer filed less than sixty days ago.
- The file is older, archived or not fully digitized.
- The record belongs to appellate court, federal court, sheriff/jail, recorder or vital records instead.
Court records vs recorder, jail, police, vital and administrative records in Fresno County
Many Fresno County searches fail because the record is real but belongs to a different custodian. Use the correct official source based on the record type.
| Need | Correct source | Do not confuse it with |
|---|---|---|
| Case docket, complaint, order, judgment, disposition or court file | Fresno Superior Court Case Information, public portal, clerk office or Archives | Sheriff inmate search, police report or statewide criminal-history product. |
| Administrative judicial branch records | Fresno Superior Court administrative-record request route | Court case records such as criminal records, divorce decrees, complaints, judgments or orders. |
| Current custody, jail status, booking or release information | Fresno County Sheriff or corrections source | Final court disposition or sentence. |
| Deed, mortgage, recorded lien or land document | Fresno County Recorder | Civil court dockets unless you need the underlying case. |
| Birth, death or marriage certificate | County Clerk/Recorder or vital records route | Divorce case file or family-law decree. |
| Federal civil, criminal or bankruptcy docket | PACER and the appropriate federal court | Fresno Superior Court state case records. |
Fresno County appeals: Superior Court Appeals Division and Fifth District Court of Appeal
Appeals from Fresno Superior Court cases may involve both the trial court and appellate court. Fresno Superior Court’s Appeals Division provides trial-court appeal processing information, while the Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District handles appellate-court matters for Fresno and other central California counties.
- Notice of appeal filing information.
- Record designation or reporter’s transcript route.
- Trial-court case number comparison.
- Certified trial-court documents.
- Local appeal-processing questions.
- Appellate case number or appellate docket.
- Appellate filings, opinions or orders.
- Fifth District Clerk’s Office contact information.
- Appellate rules, practices and procedures.
- Further review routing after the Court of Appeal.
Fresno County federal and bankruptcy records use PACER, not Fresno Superior Court
Federal court records are separate from Fresno County Superior Court records. Federal civil and criminal actions arising in Fresno County are routed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California’s Fresno venue under local federal venue rules. Federal bankruptcy matters use the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California and PACER.
| Federal need | Correct route | Important note |
|---|---|---|
| Federal civil or criminal district case | U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California / PACER | Federal district cases are not searched through Fresno Superior Court’s public portal. |
| Federal case arising in Fresno County | Eastern District of California Fresno venue route | Local federal venue rules route Fresno County federal civil and criminal matters to the court sitting in Fresno, subject to court designations. |
| Federal bankruptcy case | Eastern District of California Bankruptcy Court / PACER | Bankruptcy is federal. Do not search Fresno Superior Court civil records for the federal bankruptcy docket. |
| Unknown federal court | PACER Find a Case / Case Locator | Use Case Locator if you do not know which federal court has the case, but review PACER pricing before broad name searches. |
- Confirm the record is federal, not Fresno Superior Court.
- Review the county-to-venue routing.
- Use PACER for the federal docket and documents.
- Contact the federal clerk for certified federal records.
- Confirm the case is bankruptcy, not state civil debt collection.
- Use PACER or the bankruptcy court’s copy request route.
- Use the Fresno division contact when appropriate.
- Contact the bankruptcy clerk for certified copies.
- Register or sign in through PACER.
- Use Case Locator if the federal court is unknown.
- Search a specific federal district or bankruptcy court when known.
- Save the federal case number for future copy requests.
- Verify the current per-page rate.
- Check document caps and exceptions.
- Check the quarterly fee-waiver threshold.
- Note announced fee changes before relying on older guidance.
How to read Fresno County court-record results responsibly
A court docket or online case result is a case activity timeline, not a background report. One entry rarely tells the whole story. Read the court location, case type, party role, filing date, document list, hearing history, minute orders, judgment and later activity before drawing conclusions.
Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant, appellee, protected person, restrained person, decedent, guardian, conservator, landlord and tenant mean different things. A person can appear in a case without being accused of wrongdoing.
Open, closed, pending, dismissed, stayed, appealed, sealed, transferred, disposed or archived should be read with the full docket and final order.
For criminal and traffic matters, distinguish arrest, complaint, charge, citation, plea, conviction, dismissal, acquittal, sentence, expungement and record-sealing activity.
Frequently asked questions about Fresno County court records
How do I search Fresno County court records by name?
Start with the official Fresno Superior Court Case Information page or the Fresno Superior Court public portal. Search by case number when available. If you search by name, compare the case type, court location, filing date, party role, docket entries, documents, judgment and disposition before relying on a result.
Is the Fresno Superior Court public portal official?
Yes. The portal is linked to Fresno Superior Court and states that it allows users to search case data from the Court’s case management system. The portal also explains that users may need to create or register for an account to search case data.
Are Fresno online case results official certified court records?
No. Fresno Superior Court’s case information terms state that information obtained from the website does not constitute the official record of the Court. To obtain an official certified record, request the specific documents from the Court in person or in writing.
Why does my Fresno civil case number not work in the search?
Fresno Superior Court instructs users that for civil cases they should remove the final three letters from the case number shown on documents before searching in the Case ID field. For example, a case number ending with three judge initials should be searched without those final three letters.
Why can I not find a Fresno unlawful detainer case right after filing?
Fresno Superior Court states that unlawful detainer cases are not available online for sixty days after the complaint is filed with the court. Use the official court process if you are a party or need authorized access before that period ends.
Where do I request older or archived Fresno County court records?
Use the Fresno Superior Court Archives Department. The Archives Department stores, maintains and retrieves case files and records for the court. It is located at 1963 E Street, Fresno, California 93706, and the listed telephone number is 559-457-4903.
Which Fresno courthouse handles civil, family, probate, small claims and unlawful detainer?
B. F. Sisk Courthouse at 1130 O Street handles civil limited and unlimited, probate, conservatorship, guardianship, family law, family court services, restraining orders, self-help, small claims and unlawful detainer matters.
Which Fresno courthouse handles criminal and traffic records?
Criminal matters are associated with the Fresno Superior Courthouse Downtown Location at 1100 Van Ness Avenue and some Jail Annex criminal departments. Traffic infractions are associated with the M Street Courthouse at 2317 Tuolumne Street. Check the case details and official location page before visiting.
Where do I search Fresno County appeals?
Fresno County state appeals generally route to the California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District. Fresno Superior Court’s Appeals Division handles trial-court appeal processing, while appellate docket and appellate case resources are handled by the appellate court.
Where do I search Fresno County federal or bankruptcy records?
Federal district and bankruptcy records are not searched through Fresno Superior Court case information. Use PACER, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, the Fresno federal venue route, the Eastern District of California Bankruptcy Court, or PACER Case Locator depending on the record.
Official-source review checklist
Sources reviewed for this Fresno County court-record guide included Fresno Superior Court Case Information, Fresno Superior Court public portal, portal Terms of Use, portal About the Site, Archives, Locations & Contact Info, B. F. Sisk Courthouse, Downtown Courthouse, M Street Courthouse, Jail Annex Criminal Courts Departments 95 and 96, Criminal Division, Civil Division, Unlawful Detainer, Probate Division, Traffic Division, Appeals Division, eFile resources, Judicial Council of California public-record guidance, Fifth District Court of Appeal, Eastern District of California venue resources, Eastern District of California Bankruptcy Court and PACER resources. Review date: September 2, 2026.