West Covina Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records for West Covina are maintained by the Los Angeles County Superior Court. West Covina sits in the eastern San Gabriel Valley and, like every city in California, relies on the county Superior Court to handle criminal cases. All felony and misdemeanor charges from West Covina go through the LA Superior Court system. Free search tools on the court website let you look up West Covina criminal records by case number or by name. This page explains the options for finding and getting copies of criminal court records tied to West Covina cases.

Search West Covina Criminal Records Online

The LA Superior Court offers two online tools that work for West Covina criminal court records. The Criminal Case Summary takes a case number and returns the charges, hearing dates, and current case status. This is not the official record. It is a reference tool. The court runs reCAPTCHA during business hours to keep the portal accessible for all users.

For name-based searches of West Covina criminal records, the Criminal Index Search is the right tool. Enter a first and last name and the system returns matching cases from across the entire LA Superior Court. West Covina cases show up alongside cases from every other city in the county. The index has felony records dating back to 1980 and misdemeanor records from 1988 to today. Each result lists the case number, date it was filed, and the courthouse handling the case. Grab the case number and use the Summary tool for more info about that particular West Covina criminal court record.

The California Courts self-help site at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov walks through the process of getting copies of any court record in the state, which applies to West Covina cases at the LA Superior Court.

That guide on the state court website covers fees, request methods, and what to expect when asking for copies of criminal court records from any California Superior Court.

West Covina Courthouse and Criminal Cases

The West Covina Courthouse at 1427 West Covina Parkway, West Covina, CA 91790 is part of the LA Superior Court system. Criminal cases from West Covina and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley area may be heard here. The clerk's office handles record requests in person. Bring a case number or the defendant's name and ask for copies. Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m.

The LA Superior Court assigns cases to courthouses based on geography, case type, and workload. A West Covina criminal case could end up at a different courthouse depending on these factors. Always check the online Criminal Index first to confirm which courthouse has your case. If it turns out to be at a different location, you can visit that courthouse or mail a request. Older West Covina criminal records may be in off-site storage, which adds a $10 retrieval fee to the cost. For records before 1965, the Archives and Records Center handles requests. Call (213) 974-1378.

West Covina Criminal Court Record Fees

Fees for copies of West Covina criminal court records are set by California state law. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. That is the same rate at every Superior Court in the state. Certified copies are $40 per document on top of the per-page charge. You need certified copies for legal proceedings or official use. If the clerk spends more than 10 minutes finding a record, there is a $15 search fee.

Mail requests for West Covina criminal court records go through the LA Superior Court system and take 8 to 10 weeks. Visiting the courthouse in person is the faster option by a wide margin. Include a check or money order with mail requests. Fee waivers are available for people who cannot afford the copy costs. Ask for the waiver form at the clerk's window or on the court website.

Note: Online access to case summaries and the criminal index is free, but you cannot download actual documents for most criminal cases through the website.

Criminal Record Laws in West Covina

Most West Covina criminal court records are public. Anyone can request copies. You do not have to be a party to the case or even a California resident. Rule 2.503 of the California Rules of Court governs electronic access to criminal records. Registers of action, case indexes, and court calendars are available online. Full case documents typically need to be viewed in person at the courthouse.

California has several laws that affect criminal records. Penal Code Section 11105 established the DOJ as the keeper of state summary criminal history information. The DOJ compiles records from arrests and court dispositions statewide, including from West Covina cases. Penal Code Section 1203.4 allows people to petition for dismissal of a conviction after finishing probation. This is sometimes called expungement. The court record remains in the system but reflects the dismissal. Under Penal Code Section 851.8, arrest records can be sealed and destroyed for someone found factually innocent.

Juvenile cases from West Covina are sealed. Mental health records inside a criminal file are restricted. Certain domestic violence documents have limited public access.

Get Criminal Court Records for West Covina

You can get copies of West Covina criminal court records three ways. The fastest is going to the courthouse in person. Give the clerk the case number or defendant name. They pull the file and print copies while you wait. Pay $0.50 per page right there. If you need certified copies, say so and the clerk adds the court seal and signature for $40 per document.

By mail, send a letter to the clerk's office at the courthouse that has the case. Include the case number, defendant name, and which documents you want. Add a check or money order for the estimated fees. Expect to wait 8 to 10 weeks for a response. Email onlineServices@lacourt.org with questions about online access to West Covina criminal court records. The third method is the online search tools, which let you view case information for free but do not allow document downloads for most criminal cases.

West Covina Background Checks and DOJ

For a statewide criminal history that goes beyond a single West Covina case, the California DOJ offers personal record reviews. The DOJ record review process costs $25. Take the BCIA 8016RR form to any Live Scan site near West Covina, submit your fingerprints, and the DOJ sends you your own rap sheet. Most results come back within three business days.

The DOJ contact directory shown above lists the departments you can reach out to for questions about background checks, record reviews, and fingerprint processing. For questions about your own criminal history from West Covina or anywhere in the state, the Record Review Unit is at (916) 227-3849 or recordreview@doj.ca.gov. The LA County Sheriff has an inmate search for people in county jail and a booking log for recent arrests. The CDCR runs the CIRIS inmate search for state prison inmates.

Nearby Cities for Criminal Court Records

These cities near West Covina share the Los Angeles County Superior Court for criminal matters. Click any city for local criminal court record details.

Los Angeles County Criminal Court

West Covina is in Los Angeles County. Visit the county page for complete information on the LA Superior Court, courthouse locations, and all available record search tools.