Palmdale Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records from Palmdale are stored and managed by the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Palmdale is in the Antelope Valley, in the northern part of LA County. The city does not have a criminal court of its own. All felony and misdemeanor cases from Palmdale end up in the county court system. This page walks you through how to search for Palmdale criminal court records online, where to get copies in person, and what it costs. The LA County Sheriff handles law enforcement in Palmdale, so arrest records come from that agency.

Palmdale Cases in the LA Superior Court

Every criminal case from Palmdale is processed by the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The LA County District Attorney decides whether to file charges after an arrest. If charges go forward, the court creates a criminal case record. Palmdale is part of the North District. Cases are typically heard at the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse at 42011 4th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534. Yes, the courthouse is in Lancaster, not Palmdale. The two cities are right next to each other in the Antelope Valley and share this courthouse.

The clerk's office at the Antelope Valley Courthouse is where you go for in-person requests. You can look up Palmdale criminal court records, get copies, or check the status of a case. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. No appointment needed. Just bring the case number or the defendant's name.

Search Palmdale Criminal Records Online

The LA Superior Court offers two free online search tools. The Criminal Case Summary portal lets you look up a case by its number. It shows the charges, hearing dates, courthouse, and current status. This is best when you already know the case number for a Palmdale criminal court record.

If you only have a name, use the Criminal Index Search. This tool has felony records from 1980 and misdemeanor records from 1988 to now. Enter the name and it returns every matching case in LA County, including Palmdale criminal court records. Results show the case number, date it was filed, and the courthouse. From there, you can plug the case number into the Case Summary tool to see what happened. Both tools are free and open to the public.

The Case Summary uses reCAPTCHA between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The data is for reference only. It is not the official court record. For certified copies, visit the courthouse or send a mail request. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks at the LA Superior Court, so plan ahead if you need documents by a specific date.

Palmdale Arrest Records and the Sheriff

Palmdale does not have a city police department. The LA County Sheriff patrols the city through the Palmdale Station at 750 East Avenue Q, Palmdale, CA 93550. All arrests in Palmdale are made by sheriff's deputies. Arrest records are kept by the sheriff's department, separate from the court's criminal case files.

You can check if someone arrested in Palmdale is still in custody using the Sheriff Inmate Information Center. This free online tool shows current inmates in LA County jails. Enter a name and see the charges, bail, and which facility they are in. The sheriff also runs a daily booking log with recent arrests county-wide.

The arrest record from the sheriff tells you what happened during the arrest. The criminal court record from the Superior Court tells you what happened after charges were filed. They are two different sets of records from two different agencies. For a complete look at a Palmdale criminal record, check both.

Note: Contact the Palmdale Sheriff's Station directly for copies of local arrest reports.

Palmdale Criminal Record Search Tools

You can find your local Superior Court and learn about the court process using the California Courts "Find My Court" tool.

This tool lets you enter a city or zip code and shows you which Superior Court handles cases from that area. For Palmdale, it points to the LA County Superior Court, North District. It also lists the courthouses in the area and their contact information.

Fees for Palmdale Criminal Court Records

Court record copies cost $0.50 per page. That is the state rate. Certified copies are $40 per document plus the per-page fee. A $15 search fee applies if the clerk spends more than 10 minutes looking for a record. Off-site retrieval for older records is $10. These fees come from California Government Code and apply across all counties.

For your own criminal history from the state, the DOJ Record Review costs $25 and uses Live Scan fingerprinting. This gives you a RAP sheet from the California DOJ covering all your arrests and dispositions statewide, not just Palmdale cases. Under Penal Code Section 1203.4, you can petition to dismiss a conviction after finishing probation. The case file stays at the court but reflects the dismissal.

Who Can Access Palmdale Criminal Records

Most criminal court records are public. You can get copies even if you are not involved in the case. Juvenile records are sealed. Mental health records in a criminal file are restricted. California Rules of Court Rule 2.503 limits what you can see online. Case indexes and calendars are available remotely. The full file requires a courthouse visit. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the DOJ keeps the statewide database of criminal histories, but the actual Palmdale criminal court case files are at the LA Superior Court.

Nearby Cities Criminal Records

Lancaster is right next to Palmdale and shares the same courthouse. Santa Clarita is south in the same county.

Los Angeles County Court Records

Visit the Los Angeles County criminal court records page for the full county-level guide, including all courthouse locations and fee information.