San Diego Criminal Court Records

San Diego criminal court records are filed and kept at the San Diego County Superior Court. The city is the county seat and the second largest city in California with more than 1.3 million people. Criminal cases from San Diego, from misdemeanor charges to serious felonies, go through the county court system. You can look up case files, check court dates, and pull copies of court documents through the Superior Court. The court runs an online case index that lets you search by name or case number for most criminal filings. Local law enforcement records are held by the San Diego Police Department.

San Diego County Superior Court for Criminal Cases

All criminal court cases from the city of San Diego are heard at the San Diego County Superior Court. California does not have city-level criminal courts. That means every arrest made by the San Diego Police Department, every charge filed by the district attorney, and every criminal case in the city goes to the county court. The main courthouse sits in downtown San Diego. Other court locations in the county also handle criminal matters depending on where the arrest took place and the type of case.

The San Diego Superior Court Case Index is the main online tool for searching criminal court records. You can look up a case by the defendant's name or by case number. The system shows the case type, filing date, charges, and scheduled court dates. This covers most criminal filings in San Diego County. Keep in mind that while the index is free to browse, downloading documents from the court portal costs $7.50 for the first ten pages and $0.07 per page after that, up to a $40 cap per document.

For full details on San Diego County criminal court procedures and courthouse locations, see the San Diego County criminal court records page.

Criminal Record Fees in San Diego

Getting copies of criminal court records in San Diego follows the San Diego County Superior Court fee schedule. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page if you request them at the clerk's window. Online document downloads have their own pricing: $7.50 flat for the first ten pages and $0.07 for each page after that. The court caps online download fees at $40 per document. Certified copies run $40 per document plus the per-page copy fee. If the clerk has to search for a record and it takes more than ten minutes, they can charge a $15 search fee on top of the copy costs.

Mail requests are an option too. Send a written request to the clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was heard. Include the case number, the defendant's name, and a check or money order for the fees. The court does not send files by fax or email. That is a firm rule for San Diego criminal court records.

Note: The San Diego Superior Court does not allow cameras or phones with cameras to be used to photograph the contents of a court file.

San Diego Police Department Records

Arrest records and police reports are separate from criminal court records. The San Diego Police Department keeps its own records of arrests, incident reports, and bookings made within city limits. These are not held by the court. To get a copy of a police report or arrest record in San Diego, you need to contact the SDPD directly. The department has a records division that handles public requests for incident reports, collision reports, and other law enforcement records.

The California courts system provides a self-help guide on how to get copies of court records, which covers the difference between police records and court files.

That guide explains how to request copies from the court where a case was filed. For San Diego residents, the local Superior Court clerk's office handles all criminal court document requests. Police department records are a different channel with different forms and fees.

San Diego Sheriff Inmate Records

The San Diego County Sheriff runs the county jail system. They maintain booking records, custody status, and inmate data for people held in county facilities. This includes people arrested by the San Diego Police Department and booked into county jail. The sheriff's "Who's In Jail" tool lets you search for current inmates online. It shows the person's name, booking date, charges, bail amount, and the facility where they are held.

These records are different from court records. A booking record shows an arrest and the initial charges, but it does not tell you the outcome of a case. For dispositions, plea deals, sentencing, or dismissals, you need the court file. Under Penal Code Section 13300, local law enforcement agencies maintain their own criminal history information. The sheriff's records are part of that local system.

State Criminal Records for San Diego Residents

The California Department of Justice maintains a statewide criminal history database. This is different from court records. The DOJ database, governed by Penal Code Section 11105, contains RAP sheets compiled from arrest and disposition data sent in by police, courts, and other agencies across the state. San Diego residents can request their own criminal history record from the DOJ through the Live Scan process. The fee is $25.

You can learn more about the DOJ background check process at the DOJ Record Review page. You fill out a Live Scan form, go to a Live Scan site in San Diego for fingerprinting, and the DOJ processes the request. Most results come back within a few business days. Third-party requests for someone else's criminal history are not allowed through this process.

The DOJ record review gives you a full summary of your own criminal history from the state database. This is useful for checking your record before a background check for a job or license. It is not the same as getting copies of court documents from the San Diego Superior Court.

San Diego Criminal Record Expungement

If you have a criminal conviction in San Diego, you may be able to get it dismissed. Under Penal Code Section 1203.4, a person who has completed probation can petition the court to dismiss a conviction. This is often called expungement. The petition is filed with the San Diego County Superior Court where the case was originally heard.

An expungement does not erase the record. The court file still exists. But the record will show that the conviction was dismissed. Under Penal Code Section 851.8, people found factually innocent can petition to have arrest records sealed and destroyed. That is a different and more complete form of relief. Both processes go through the San Diego County Superior Court.

Prison Records for San Diego Cases

When a criminal case in San Diego results in a state prison sentence, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation takes over custody. CDCR runs the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search where you can look up current and former inmates. Search results include the person's name, CDCR number, age, current location, and admission date.

This tool covers people serving time in state prison. It does not cover people in county jail, on probation, or who have been released. For county jail inmates, use the San Diego Sheriff's inmate search. For court file details on a San Diego criminal case, go through the Superior Court case index.

Nearby Cities in San Diego County

These cities are also in San Diego County. All criminal cases from these cities go through the same San Diego County Superior Court system.

San Diego County Criminal Records

For complete information on the San Diego County Superior Court, courthouse locations, and all criminal court record procedures, visit the county page.