Search Los Angeles County court records without getting lost between LA Court systems
Los Angeles County does not use one simple all-purpose court-record search. The Superior Court separates case-number access, paid name searches, criminal defendant searches, traffic citations, court calendars, document images and older archived files.
The most efficient route depends on one question: do you already know the case number? If you do, start there. If you do not, determine the case type before paying for a name search.
The fastest search depends on whether you already know the case number
Start with the Court’s Case Access page. There is no reason to begin by paying for a party-name search simply to rediscover a case number you already have.
Open Find a CaseFirst identify whether the matter is civil/family/probate/small claims, criminal, or traffic. Those categories use different search systems.
Use the record-route finderLos Angeles Superior Court maintains the court-case systems discussed here. Birth, death, marriage, property-recording and other county records use different agencies and databases.
Which Los Angeles court-record system should you use?
Choose the record type. This tool does not ask for a person’s name, date of birth, driver’s-license number, case number or payment information.
Best starting point when the complete case number is already known.
Finds case numbers using a litigant or company name.
Separate criminal index with its own date coverage and search modes.
Traffic and infractions are not returned by the criminal defendant-name index.
Useful when an older case predates available online index coverage.
California appellate cases and federal cases use separate databases.
How to search Los Angeles County court records step by step
This is the best general starting point because it separates Case Access, Case Calendar, document images and name-search routes.
Open official Find a CaseEnter the complete case number into the applicable Case Access route. Do not pay for a party-name search merely to find a case number you already possess.
Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate use the litigant-name index. Criminal uses a separate defendant-name index. Traffic uses separate Traffic Online Services.
The Court currently charges guest users $4.75 per name search. The charge applies even if the search returns no matching records.
A wrong middle name, wrong case category or guessed filing date can make the correct record harder to identify.
Los Angeles Superior Court operates many courthouses. A case can be handled in downtown Los Angeles, Van Nuys, Long Beach, Torrance, Pasadena, Pomona or another court location.
Do not label every person returned by a court search a criminal defendant. Civil and family cases can include plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents and other participants.
The first filing describes how the matter started. It does not necessarily describe the final result.
Those two details are especially valuable when requesting a copy or contacting a courthouse.
The general Find a Case page provides a separate route for future scheduled hearings in supported case types.
Do not pay to download a document before determining which exact pleading, order, judgment or docket event you need.
LA County court name searches are not free
Los Angeles Superior Court charges cost-recovery fees for online name-index searches and scanned document images.
Applies to civil/family/probate party-name searches and criminal defendant-name searches.
Current monthly search tiers:
- Searches 1–10: $1.00 each
- 11–99: $4.75 each
- 100–999: $4.50 each
- 1,000–10,000: $4.25 each
- 10,001+: $4.00 each
Pages 1–5: $1.00 per page.
Additional pages: $0.40 per page.
Maximum: $40 per document.
How far back does the Los Angeles online court index go?
Coverage depends on the type of case. Older records can exist even when they are outside the online name index.
*The Court says some misdemeanor index information extends to 1983 depending on when former Municipal Court locations automated their criminal records. Bar lengths are only visual representations of relative start dates, not record volume.
Search LA criminal cases through the defendant-name index—not the civil name search
Los Angeles Superior Court provides a separate paid index for searching a criminal case number by defendant name.
Returns defendant names that exactly match the search characters entered.
Helpful when the beginning of the name is known but the full spelling may vary.
A phonetic search option that can produce broader similar-sounding names.
Start with the most precise method justified by the information you know. A broad phonetic search can return many unrelated defendants.
The Court allows filing-start and filing-end dates to narrow criminal index results.
A no-match criminal search is still charged.
The name index is designed to locate case numbers; the case summary provides the next level of case information.
One paid party-name index covers four major LA Superior Court case groups
The Search for Case by Name service covers available Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate cases.
| Case type | Online name-index start | Search by | Useful result details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Civil | 1983 | Party or company name | Litigant, case type, filing date, filing location and available image count. |
| Limited Civil | 1991 | Party or company name | Includes available landlord-tenant / unlawful-detainer indexing subject to access restrictions. |
| Family Law | 1983 | Party name | Can help locate a case number for divorce and other available family cases. |
| Probate | 1983 | Party / participant / company as applicable | Case type, filing date, filing location and image count when available. |
| Small Claims | 1992 | Party or company name | Helps identify case numbers and filing location. |
Finding a docket entry and obtaining the filed document are separate steps
| You need | Online route | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | Case Access / name index | Save the complete identifier before purchasing documents. |
| Case summary | Available for supported public cases | Use the case-number access route. |
| Scanned civil document | Often available if imaged | Use Case Document Images and review the fee before purchase. |
| Small Claims document | Selected images available | Search the case and check the available document list. |
| Family Law image | Verify live service | Official LA Court pages currently contain inconsistent descriptions; check the live document-image service for the specific case. |
| Criminal pleading / sentencing detail | Limited | Contact or visit the courthouse handling the criminal case when the online summary is insufficient. |
| Certified copy | Court-issued copy process | Contact the courthouse or Archives and confirm the current certification procedure and fee. |
The detailed Online Services FAQ lists certain Family Law document images beginning May 1, 2000, while the general Find a Case landing page still states that criminal or Family Law documents are not available online. Because availability can vary, check the live document-image service for your exact case or contact the court.
The Court publishes different image-start dates for different record types
| Document category | Published online-image starting point | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Civil — Stanley Mosk | March 15, 2000 | Only scanned/imaged documents are available. |
| Limited Civil | January 1, 1970 | Includes unlawful-detainer images subject to access law. |
| Small Claims | January 21, 1988 | Image list may not include every filed document. |
| Family Law | May 1, 2000 in current FAQ | Check live service because another Court page contains conflicting availability language. |
| Probate | January 1, 2001 | Confidential or sealed materials are excluded. |
Do not search a traffic ticket in the criminal defendant-name index
Los Angeles Superior Court expressly directs traffic and other infractions to its separate Traffic Division services.
Select the assigned court and issuing agency, then enter the citation information and date of birth when required by the official system.
The Court also offers a driver’s-license search workflow that requires the license number and date of birth.
Use Case Calendar when you need future Los Angeles court hearings
The LA Superior Court Find a Case page includes a Case Calendar option for available future hearings in civil, criminal, family law, probate and small claims matters.
The case number reduces the risk of confusing similarly named parties.
Use the Court’s Find a Case page rather than an old screenshot or third-party court calendar.
Los Angeles County has numerous courthouses, so the hearing location matters.
Hearings can be continued, reassigned or updated. Contact the handling courthouse when missing an appearance could have consequences.
A matching name is not enough to identify the correct LA court case
Educational match-strength check
Check only information you independently know. No selections leave your browser.
Use the Los Angeles Archives and Records Center when the online index does not go back far enough
Room 212
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 213-830-0198
Hours published by the Court: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., except court holidays.
The Court says appointments can be made by phone and recommends scheduling at least two business days ahead so staff can make records available before arrival.
Confirm that the case year actually falls outside the published online coverage range.
These are especially important when you do not know the old case number.
Tell Archives whether you believe the matter was criminal, divorce/family, civil, probate or another court type.
An advance appointment can give staff time to locate the physical or archived record.
The Archives guidance identifies Form ADM-080 for requests for copies.
Do not assume every Los Angeles County record is located at Stanley Mosk Courthouse
Stanley Mosk is an important downtown Los Angeles courthouse, but LA Superior Court operates many court locations across the county. Search results and case summaries can identify the filing or handling location.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
General information: 213-830-0800
Court currently lists building hours of 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Clerk’s Office hours of 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday except court holidays.
Certifications and Copies of Court Records are listed in Room 112.
Phone: 213-830-0803
Use this only when Stanley Mosk is the correct record location for your case.
An appeal from LA Superior Court may use a different record system
The local Appellate Division handles appeals in categories including infractions, misdemeanors, limited civil matters and certain small-claims post-judgment enforcement matters.
Applicable Court of Appeal cases can be searched by appellate or trial-court case number, party, attorney or case caption.
Federal Los Angeles cases use the Central District of California and PACER
Los Angeles County is within the Western Division of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Federal court records are not stored in LA Superior Court’s case systems.
255 East Temple Street
Suite TS-134
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Records phone: 213-894-3863
Use PACER for federal district-court docket information and electronic federal filings. The federal court also provides public terminal access at its courthouses.
Why an LA County court record may not appear in your search
| Problem | Possible reason | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| No civil/family result | Name variation, old case, restricted case or wrong case category. | Verify spelling and date range; use Archives if the case predates online coverage. |
| No criminal result | Wrong defendant spelling, traffic matter or case older than index coverage. | Try an appropriate criminal search mode or move to Traffic/Archives. |
| No traffic result in Criminal Index | Traffic and infractions are excluded. | Use Traffic Online Services. |
| Name search charged but no case found | The fee is for performing the search. | Do not repeatedly rerun uncertain variations without a clear reason. |
| Case found but no scanned document | Document may not be imaged, may be confidential or may require courthouse access. | Contact the handling courthouse with the case number and exact document name. |
| Old divorce/civil case missing | Online index may not cover the year. | Contact Archives and Records Center. |
| Appellate case missing | The appeal may be in a different appellate system. | Check the LA Appellate Division or Second District Court of Appeal. |
| Federal lawsuit missing | Federal cases use PACER. | Search the Central District/PACER route. |
Online Los Angeles court information is not the official court record
Los Angeles Superior Court warns users that its online case information does not constitute the official record of the Court and may contain errors or omissions.
A charge, complaint, information or criminal filing does not prove guilt. Review later proceedings and the disposition.
Being named in a lawsuit, divorce or petition does not establish liability or tell you who ultimately prevailed.
Official Los Angeles County court-record links
Central route for case access, future calendars and search options.
Open Find a CasePaid party-name search used to locate available case numbers.
Open party-name searchPaid defendant-name index for available felony and misdemeanor cases.
Open criminal indexGuest/registered access to available paid court services and documents.
Open Online ServicesCurrent name-search and online document-image charges.
Check feesTicket-number and driver’s-license traffic workflows.
Open TrafficOlder files, archived court records and copy-request guidance.
Open ArchivesLocate the courthouse responsible for a specific case.
Find courthouseDowntown LA court location, hours and general information.
Open Stanley MoskLocal appellate information for applicable Superior Court case types.
Open Appellate DivisionSearch California appellate cases by number, party, attorney or caption.
Search appellate casesFederal district, bankruptcy and appellate court record search.
Open PACERLos Angeles County court records search FAQs
Where can I search LA County court records?
Start with the official Los Angeles Superior Court Find a Case page. If you know the case number, use Case Access. If you do not, use the appropriate name-search system for the case type.
Is a Los Angeles County court-record name search free?
No. As reviewed August 15, 2026, guest users are charged $4.75 per name search. The fee applies even when the search returns no matching case.
How far back does the LA criminal court index go?
The Court currently lists felony records from 1980 to the present and misdemeanor records from 1988 to the present. Some misdemeanor index information extends to 1983 depending on the former Municipal Court location.
How far back can I search civil and family cases by name?
Unlimited Civil, Family Law and Probate currently begin in 1983; Limited Civil in 1991; and Small Claims in 1992.
Can I download actual LA court documents online?
Certain scanned documents can be purchased through LA Court Online Services. Availability depends on the case type, filing date, whether the document has been imaged and whether confidentiality restrictions apply.
Can I search traffic tickets in the criminal defendant index?
No. The Court says traffic and other infractions are not included in the criminal defendant-name search. Use Traffic Online Services.
Where do I search old Los Angeles court cases?
Contact the Archives and Records Center at 222 North Hill Street, Room 212, Los Angeles. Calling ahead is useful because staff can determine whether the record should be prepared before your visit.
Is an online LA Court case summary the official court record?
No. Los Angeles Superior Court expressly warns that online case information does not constitute the official court record and can contain errors or omissions.
Where do I search an appeal from a Los Angeles case?
Some appeals are handled by the Los Angeles Superior Court Appellate Division. Applicable Court of Appeal matters can be searched through California’s Second Appellate District case-information system.
Where do I search federal court records involving Los Angeles County?
Los Angeles County is within the Western Division of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Use PACER for federal case records.
How this LA County court-record guide was checked
This guide was organized around practical user decisions: whether the case number is known, which case type is involved, whether a paid name search is necessary, what the online index covers, whether documents are available and when Archives or another court system is required.
Official Los Angeles Superior Court, California appellate court and U.S. District Court resources were reviewed instead of relying on third-party people-search websites.
Do not convert a search result into a conclusion about a person
A charge, complaint, information or pending prosecution is not proof of guilt. Read the later proceedings and final disposition.
Being named in a lawsuit, divorce, probate or other court matter does not itself establish wrongdoing.