Riverside Criminal Records Search

Criminal court records for Riverside are maintained by the Riverside County Superior Court. Riverside is the county seat with a population over 314,000. As the largest city in Riverside County, it generates a significant volume of criminal cases each year. All criminal charges in Riverside go through the county court, not a city court. You can search for Riverside criminal court records online through the court's public access portal, visit the courthouse for copies, or send a written request by mail.

Riverside County Superior Court Handles All Criminal Cases

Every criminal case in Riverside goes to the Riverside County Superior Court. That is how California works. There are no city criminal courts. The Riverside Police Department makes arrests. The Riverside County District Attorney files charges. The Superior Court hears the case. Riverside is the county seat, and the main courthouse is located downtown. Criminal matters are heard at the Riverside Historic Courthouse and other court facilities in the area.

Riverside County is large. It stretches from the outskirts of the Los Angeles metro area all the way east to the Arizona border. The Superior Court has multiple locations spread across the county to serve different regions. Cases from the city of Riverside are typically assigned to the Riverside branch. For a full overview of all courthouse locations and criminal court procedures in the county, see the Riverside County criminal court records page.

Note: Riverside County uses the Journal Technologies eCourt system for its public access portal.

Search Riverside Criminal Court Records Online

The Riverside County Superior Court runs a Public Access Portal where you can look up criminal case information. Search by name, case number, or other criteria. The portal shows case type, charges, court dates, and case status. It covers criminal filings from across Riverside County, including the city of Riverside.

The California Courts public records page explains that each Superior Court independently maintains its own case records. That is why you search through the Riverside County portal for Riverside cases, not a statewide database. The online portal provides case index and calendar information. For the actual documents in a criminal case, you typically need to visit the courthouse or request copies by mail.

The portal screenshot above shows what the Riverside County court's online search looks like. Enter a defendant's name and you can see their criminal case history in the county.

Criminal Record Copy Fees in Riverside

Copies of criminal court records from the Riverside County Superior Court cost $0.50 per page. That is the standard rate set by California Government Code Section 70627. Certified copies are $40 per document, plus the per-page copy charges. If the clerk spends more than ten minutes searching for a record, there is a $15 search fee.

These are the same fees charged at every Superior Court in California. They apply whether you are getting copies of a Riverside criminal case or any other case in the county. If you need a record stored off-site, the court may charge a $10 retrieval fee. Fee waivers are available for people who qualify financially. The California Courts self-help guide explains the fee waiver process.

Riverside Police Department Records

The Riverside Police Department maintains arrest records, incident reports, and booking logs for cases within city limits. These are separate from the court records held by the Superior Court. A police report documents the circumstances of an arrest. A court record documents the legal proceedings that follow. To request police records from Riverside, contact the RPD records division.

Under California's Public Records Act, most police records are available to the public. Some information may be withheld in active investigations or for privacy reasons. The Riverside County Sheriff also maintains booking records for anyone processed through county jail facilities. This includes some people arrested within the city of Riverside who are booked into county jail rather than a city facility.

For jail searches, the Riverside County Sheriff's inmate lookup tool shows current inmates. It covers all county jail facilities. Search by name to find booking information, charges, and bail amounts.

State Criminal History for Riverside Residents

The California Department of Justice maintains the state's criminal history database. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the DOJ compiles RAP sheets from arrest and disposition data sent by law enforcement and courts across the state. Riverside residents can request their own criminal history through the Live Scan process. Fill out the BCIA 8016RR form, go to a Live Scan site for fingerprinting, and pay the $25 fee.

The DOJ Record Review page has forms, instructions, and information about fee waivers. Most results are processed within three business days. The DOJ record shows your statewide criminal history. It does not replace the detailed case file at the Riverside County Superior Court. Both serve different needs.

Third-party requests for someone else's criminal history are not processed through the DOJ record review. That channel is only for your own record.

Riverside Criminal Record Expungement

People convicted of crimes in Riverside can petition to have the conviction dismissed under Penal Code Section 1203.4. You must have completed your probation term. The petition goes to the Riverside County Superior Court. If granted, the court record is updated to show the conviction was dismissed. The record itself still exists, but the dismissal can help with employment and licensing background checks.

For those who were arrested but found factually innocent, Penal Code Section 851.8 provides a path to have the arrest record sealed and destroyed. This is a more thorough form of clearing a criminal record in Riverside.

Prison Inmate Records from Riverside

When a Riverside criminal case ends with a state prison sentence, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation takes custody. CDCR runs the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search, where you can look up current and past inmates. The search shows name, CDCR number, age, facility, and admission date.

This only covers state prison inmates. For county jail inmates from Riverside, use the Riverside County Sheriff's inmate lookup. For the court case file, go through the Superior Court portal or visit the courthouse.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Riverside. Cities in Riverside County share the same Superior Court system for criminal cases.

Riverside County Criminal Records

For courthouse locations, contact details, and all criminal court procedures in Riverside County.