Search Sacramento Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records for Sacramento are held at the Sacramento County Superior Court, which offers free online access to criminal case data going back to 1989. Unlike most California courts that charge for online searches, Sacramento has dropped all fees for its online system. You can search by name or case number at no cost. This page covers how to find Sacramento criminal court records, what the free online tool offers, and how to get official copies of case documents when you need them.

Sacramento County Court Handles All Cases

All criminal cases from the city of Sacramento go to the Sacramento County Superior Court. California cities do not run their own criminal courts. When the Sacramento Police Department arrests someone, the Sacramento County District Attorney decides whether to file charges. If charges are filed, a criminal court record is created in the county system. The main courthouse is the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse at 720 9th Street in downtown Sacramento.

Sacramento is the state capital and the county seat. The court handles a large volume of criminal cases each year from across the county. Cases from the city of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, and unincorporated areas all go through the same system. When you search the online portal, Sacramento city cases appear alongside cases from everywhere else in the county.

Note: The criminal division phone number is (916) 874-5744.

Free Online Sacramento Criminal Record Search

Sacramento County stands out from most California courts because its online criminal case search is completely free. The court has discontinued all fees for online searches and document downloads. This is unusual. Most counties charge per-page fees even for online access. The Public Case Access System provides criminal case information from 1989 to the present.

The Sacramento County Superior Court offers free online criminal case searches with no fees for viewing or downloading records.

You can search by name to find Sacramento criminal court records. Enter a first and last name and the system returns any matching criminal cases. Results show the case number, charges, filing date, and case status. You can click into a case to see the full register of actions, which lists every filing, hearing, and court order. The system also lets you search by case number if you already have one. This is one of the best free tools for looking up criminal records in California.

Sacramento Criminal Court Record Fees

Online access to Sacramento criminal court records is free. But if you need official copies from the clerk's office, the standard fees apply. In-person copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $40 per document plus the per-page fee. The $15 search fee applies if the clerk spends more than 10 minutes looking for a record. Off-site retrieval for older cases costs $10.

The free online system gives you case information and the register of actions. That may be enough for many purposes. But if you need a stamped, certified copy of a court document for legal proceedings, you have to get that from the clerk and pay the standard fees. The difference between what is free online and what costs money at the counter is important to understand when dealing with Sacramento criminal court records.

Sacramento Police Department Records

The Sacramento Police Department keeps arrest reports and incident reports separate from the court. Police records cover what happened during the arrest and investigation. Court records cover everything after charges are filed. These are two different sets of records from two different agencies. To get a police report for a Sacramento case, contact the Sacramento PD records division directly.

The Sacramento County Sheriff handles law enforcement in unincorporated parts of the county and some contract cities. If the arrest happened outside Sacramento city limits but still in Sacramento County, the sheriff may have the police records instead of the city PD. Either way, the criminal court record for the case is at the Sacramento County Superior Court regardless of which agency made the arrest. Under Penal Code Section 13300, local law enforcement agencies maintain their own criminal history records separately from the state and court systems.

Criminal Record Laws in Sacramento

Most Sacramento criminal court records are public. You can request copies even if you are not part of the case. The court treats criminal files as open records, with some limits. Juvenile cases are sealed and not available to the public. Mental health records within a criminal file are restricted. Some domestic violence documents may be limited too.

Under Penal Code Section 11105, the California DOJ keeps the statewide criminal history database. Court case files are separate. For Sacramento cases, go to the Sacramento County Superior Court for the actual documents. The DOJ database tells you if someone has a record. The court files tell you the details. For your own record, use the DOJ Record Review process at $25 through Live Scan.

California Rules of Court Rule 2.503 limits remote electronic access to certain criminal case records. Sacramento's free online system shows registers of actions, calendars, and case indexes. But some documents in the file can only be viewed at the courthouse. Under Penal Code Section 1203.4, convictions can be dismissed after probation. The case record will still exist but show the dismissal.

Get Sacramento Criminal Record Copies

Start with the free online system. For many purposes, the case info available on the Public Case Access portal is all you need. If you need official copies, go to the clerk's office at the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse at 720 9th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Give them the case number and they will pull the file.

Mail requests are another option. Send a letter with the case number, defendant name, and what documents you need. Include payment for the fees. You can also check the CDCR inmate search if the person was sentenced to state prison. That gives you different info from the court file, including current location and parole dates. Between the free court portal, the clerk's office, and CDCR, you can piece together a pretty complete picture of a Sacramento criminal court record.

Nearby Cities With Criminal Records

These cities are near Sacramento. Elk Grove is in Sacramento County and uses the same court. Roseville is in Placer County with a different court system.

Sacramento County Criminal Court Records

For full county court details, all courthouse locations, and more on the free online system, see the Sacramento County criminal court records page.