Fresno County Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Fresno County are held by the Fresno County Superior Court. As one of the larger courts in California's Central Valley, it processes a high volume of felony and misdemeanor cases each year. The court runs an online portal built on Tyler Technologies Odyssey, which makes searching for criminal case records straightforward. You can look up cases by name or number and view filing details, court dates, and case outcomes. This page explains how to search, what fees to expect, and how to get copies of criminal court records in Fresno County.

Search Fresno County Criminal Court Records Online

The Fresno Superior Court's public portal at publicportal.fresno.courts.ca.gov is the best place to start. It runs on Tyler Technologies Odyssey, one of the most widely used case management systems in California. You can search by case number if you have one. Or search by the defendant's name to find any criminal cases on file. The portal shows charges, hearing dates, and the current status of the case. It covers both felony and misdemeanor filings in Fresno County.

The Fresno County criminal court records portal is shown below. The search interface lets you pick a case type and enter search terms.

Results from the Fresno County portal display case summaries with the defendant name, case number, charges, and scheduled court dates. You can click into a case to see more detail. The register of actions, which is the timeline of everything that has happened in the case, is usually available to view online. Full documents may not all be downloadable remotely.

Under California Rules of Court Rule 2.503, criminal case records have limits on what can be viewed electronically from outside the courthouse. The register of actions and calendar data are generally fine for remote access. But things like police reports, probation reports, and certain sensitive documents in Fresno County criminal court records can only be viewed in person at the courthouse.

Fresno County Criminal Court Locations

The main courthouse for criminal cases in Fresno County is the B.F. Sisk Federal Courthouse area, but the Superior Court operates multiple locations. The Fresno County Superior Court clerk's office handles record requests. If you want copies of criminal court records, you can visit the courthouse during business hours. Bring the case number. That speeds things up considerably. Without a case number, the clerk will search by name, and if the search takes more than 10 minutes, a $15 fee may apply.

Fresno County is large geographically. It stretches from the valley floor into the Sierra foothills. The court has satellite locations to serve different parts of the county. Most criminal matters are handled at the main Fresno courthouse. Check the court's website or call ahead to confirm which location has the records you need.

Note: Walk-in record requests at the Fresno County courthouse are typically processed the same day.

Fresno County Criminal Court Record Fees

Fees for criminal court records in Fresno County are set by California state law, so they match every other county. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $40 per document plus the per-page fee. The certified copy fee comes from Government Code Section 70626. You will need certified copies if you are using the record for legal purposes outside of the Fresno County court system.

Other fees you might run into: a $15 clerk search fee if the search takes over 10 minutes, and a $10 off-site retrieval charge for records stored in archives. If you want your own state criminal history from the California DOJ, that is $25 through the Live Scan record review process. This is separate from the Fresno County court files.

How to Get Criminal Record Copies in Fresno County

Getting copies of criminal court records from Fresno County is not complicated. The most direct way is to walk into the clerk's office at the courthouse. Give them the case number and tell them what documents you need. They will pull the file and make copies. You pay the fees and leave with your copies. This is same-day service in most cases.

You can also mail a request. Send a letter with the case number, defendant name, the specific documents you want, and a check or money order for the estimated fees. Mail it to the Fresno County Superior Court clerk's office. Expect to wait a few weeks for mail requests. For older cases stored off-site, it will take longer and cost an extra $10 for retrieval.

The California Self-Help guide provides step-by-step instructions on requesting court record copies from any county, including Fresno. It also covers fee waiver options. If paying the copy fees would cause you financial hardship, you can ask the court for a fee waiver.

Criminal Record Access Laws for Fresno County

Criminal court records are public in California. That means anyone can walk into the Fresno County Superior Court and ask to see a case file. You don't need to be a lawyer or a party to the case. The clerk will let you view the non-confidential portions of the file. Some things are always off-limits: juvenile records, sealed cases, mental health evaluations, and certain domestic violence documents.

The state DOJ keeps a separate criminal history database under Penal Code Section 11105. That database holds RAP sheets compiled from arrests and court dispositions across all of California. It is different from the Fresno County case file. The court has the actual documents. The DOJ has the summary history. For most people searching for criminal court records in Fresno County, the court portal or a visit to the clerk's office is the right place to start.

Convictions in Fresno County can be expunged under Penal Code Section 1203.4 after probation is done. The conviction gets dismissed, but the record does not disappear. It shows the dismissal. Arrest records can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.8 if you were found factually innocent.

Fresno County Cities

These major cities are in Fresno County. All criminal cases from these cities go through the Fresno County Superior Court. Click a city for local criminal court record details.

Nearby Counties

These counties share a border with Fresno County. Each has its own Superior Court for handling criminal cases.