Find Criminal Court Records in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County criminal court records are kept by the LA Superior Court, the largest trial court in the United States. The court handles hundreds of thousands of criminal cases each year across dozens of courthouses spread through the county. You can search felony records going back to 1980 and misdemeanor records from 1988 on the court's online portals. Los Angeles County also runs a sheriff inmate search and a public booking log. This page covers the main ways to find and get criminal court records in Los Angeles County, California.

Search Los Angeles County Criminal Records Online

The LA Superior Court runs two main online tools for criminal case searches. The first is the Criminal Case Summary portal. This lets you search by case number to pull up a summary of a criminal case. It shows charges, hearing dates, and the current status. The court has added reCAPTCHA to this tool between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. daily to keep access open for everyone. Keep in mind that the data on this site is not the official court record. It is for reference only.

The Criminal Case Summary portal at lacourt.org is the place to start if you have a case number for a Los Angeles County criminal court record.

The summary page shows the defendant name, case number, charges filed, and court dates. You can also see the courthouse where the case is being heard. This works best when you already know the case number for a Los Angeles County criminal record.

The second tool is the Criminal Index Search. This lets you search by name instead of case number. The online index has felony case records from 1980 to the present and misdemeanor records from 1988 forward. You can look up anyone by first and last name to see if they have criminal cases on file in Los Angeles County. The Criminal Index is at lacourt.org/paos/v2public/CriminalIndex.

Enter a name and the index returns any matching criminal cases. Results show the case number, filing date, and courthouse. From there, you can use the case number in the Criminal Case Summary tool to get more details. For older cases not in the index, contact the Archives and Records Center at 222 North Hill Street, Room 212, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Call (213) 974-1378 for records before 1965 or (213) 893-0809 for records after 1965.

Los Angeles County Criminal Court Fees

Copies of criminal court records in Los Angeles County cost 50 cents per page. That is the standard rate. Certified copies cost $25 per document on top of the per-page fee. If you need a document certified for legal use, expect to pay more than for a plain copy.

Mail requests for Los Angeles County criminal court records take 8 to 10 weeks to process. That is a long wait. If you need records faster, visit the courthouse in person. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Email onlineServices@lacourt.org for questions about online access or records requests. For records older than what is stored at the courthouse, the court charges a $10 off-site retrieval fee.

Note: The court may charge a $15 search fee if the clerk spends more than 10 minutes looking for a Los Angeles County criminal court record.

LA County Sheriff Inmate Records

The Los Angeles County Sheriff runs the largest jail system in the country. They keep records on everyone booked into a county jail facility. This is separate from the Superior Court's criminal case records. The sheriff's inmate data covers current bookings, charges, bail amounts, and release dates. You can search the Sheriff Inmate Information Center online.

The inmate search shows who is currently in custody at any LA County jail. Enter a name and the system returns booking info, charges, bail, and the facility where the person is held. The sheriff also publishes a daily booking log that lists recent arrests. Both tools are free to use and do not need an account. These resources give you a different angle on Los Angeles County criminal records beyond what the court system provides.

For arrest records or police reports, contact the law enforcement agency that handled the case. The LAPD handles arrests within the city of Los Angeles. The sheriff handles unincorporated areas and contract cities. Each agency has its own records division.

Get Criminal Record Copies in Los Angeles County

There are several ways to get copies of criminal court records from the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In person is the fastest option. Go to the courthouse where the case was heard and ask the clerk for copies. You will need the case number or the defendant's name. The clerk can look up the case and print copies while you wait.

By mail, send a written request to the court. Include the case number, defendant name, and what documents you need. Add a check or money order for the copy fees. Mail it to the clerk's office at the courthouse that handled the case. As noted above, mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks in Los Angeles County. Under Penal Code Section 1203.4, a person can ask to have a conviction dismissed after completing probation. If a case has been expunged, the record may still exist but will show the dismissal. Check with the clerk about what criminal court records are available for cases that have been through the expungement process in Los Angeles County.

Criminal Record Access in Los Angeles County

Most criminal court records in Los Angeles County are public. Anyone can request copies. You do not have to be a party to the case. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the California DOJ maintains state summary criminal history information. But court case files are held separately by each county. In Los Angeles County, the Superior Court is where you go for the actual case documents, not the DOJ.

Some criminal records are not fully public. Juvenile cases are sealed. Mental health records within a criminal case are restricted. Certain documents in domestic violence cases may be limited too. The register of actions and calendar info are generally available online. But to see the full file in a criminal case, you usually need to visit the courthouse. California Rules of Court Rule 2.503 limits remote electronic access to certain types of criminal court records in Los Angeles County and across the state.

For your own criminal history from the state database, contact the California DOJ. The fee is $25 through the Live Scan process. This is different from getting copies of court case files in Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles County Cities

These major cities are in Los Angeles County. All criminal cases from these cities go through the LA Superior Court system. Select a city for local criminal court record resources.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Los Angeles County. Each has its own Superior Court for criminal cases.