Search Long Beach Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records from Long Beach are handled by the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Long Beach does not have its own criminal court. Every felony and misdemeanor case from the city goes into the county system. You can look up Long Beach criminal court records through the county's online search tools. The Long Beach Police Department keeps separate arrest and police report records. This page explains how to find both court case files and local arrest data for Long Beach, California.

Long Beach Cases at LA Superior Court

All criminal cases from Long Beach are filed at the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The LA County District Attorney handles prosecution. Once a Long Beach police officer makes an arrest and the DA files charges, the case enters the county court system. The court assigns a case number and a courthouse. Long Beach criminal court records then become part of the county's case index.

Cases from Long Beach may be heard at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach or at other LA County courthouses depending on the type of case and current caseloads. The Deukmejian Courthouse sits at 275 Magnolia Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802. This is the main courthouse for the South District of the LA Superior Court. You can visit the clerk's office there to get copies of Long Beach criminal court records in person.

The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Walk in and ask for copies. Bring the case number if you have it. If not, the clerk can search by defendant name. Copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $40 per document plus the page fee.

Search Long Beach Criminal Records Online

The LA Superior Court has two online tools you can use to find Long Beach criminal court records. The Criminal Case Summary portal lets you pull up a case by its number. You get the charges, hearing dates, and case status. It is a quick way to check the current state of a case. The data is for reference and is not the official record.

The Criminal Index Search lets you look up cases by name. It covers felony records from 1980 and misdemeanor records from 1988 to the present. If you want to see if someone has a criminal case on file in Long Beach or anywhere in LA County, this is the tool to use. Enter the name and the system shows matching cases with the case number, date filed, and the courthouse where it was heard. You can then take the case number to the Case Summary tool for more detail.

Note: The court uses reCAPTCHA on the Case Summary tool between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. to manage traffic.

Long Beach Police Department Records

The Long Beach Police Department maintains arrest reports and crime reports separately from the court. These are police records, not court records. An arrest report documents what the officer saw and did. A court record documents what happened in front of a judge. Both are part of the broader picture of a Long Beach criminal case, but they come from different agencies.

To get a police report or arrest record from LBPD, call (562) 570-7260. You can also go to the police station in person. The department may charge a fee for copies of reports. Fees for police records are set by the city, not the court. If you need both the police report and the court file for the same Long Beach criminal case, you will deal with two agencies and pay two sets of fees. The police department can tell you the arrest date and charges. The court has the case outcome.

The California DOJ also keeps statewide criminal history records. You can get your own record through the DOJ Record Review process. It costs $25 and uses Live Scan fingerprinting. This gives you a RAP sheet that covers all California arrests and dispositions, not just Long Beach cases.

Long Beach Criminal Court Record Tools

The California courts system provides a self-help guide that explains how to get copies of court records, including Long Beach criminal cases. You can view it on the California Courts self-help page.

The guide walks you through each step: how to find the right court, how to ask for copies, and what fees to expect. It applies to all California courts, including the one that handles Long Beach criminal court records.

Inmate and Booking Data for Long Beach

People arrested in Long Beach go to the LA County jail system. The Sheriff Inmate Information Center lets you search for current inmates. Enter a name and find out if someone is in custody, what the charges are, and the bail amount. The sheriff also posts a daily booking log with recent arrests from across the county, including Long Beach.

These tools are free to use. They give you real-time data on who is in jail right now. Court records show the legal case history. Inmate records show who is currently locked up. For a complete view of Long Beach criminal records, use both sources. If the person has been sent to state prison, the CDCR inmate search will show their current location and parole hearing dates.

Access Rules for Long Beach Criminal Records

Criminal court records in Long Beach are public. Anyone can ask for copies. You do not have to be the defendant or a party to the case. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the state keeps summary criminal history info. But the actual case files are with the county court. For Long Beach cases, that means the LA Superior Court.

Some records are restricted. Juvenile cases are sealed. Mental health evaluations in a criminal case are not public. Domestic violence case documents may have limits. Online, you can only see case indexes and calendars. The full file requires an in-person visit under California Rules of Court Rule 2.503. Under Penal Code Section 851.8, a person found factually innocent can petition to seal their arrest records. If that happens, the Long Beach criminal record may no longer show up in public searches.

Nearby Cities in Los Angeles County

These cities near Long Beach are also in LA County and use the same Superior Court for criminal cases.

Los Angeles County Court Records

For full county-level details on courts, fees, and all courthouse locations, visit the Los Angeles County criminal court records page.