Sacramento County Criminal Court Records

Sacramento County criminal court records are managed by the Sacramento County Superior Court, which serves the state capital and the wider region around it. The court runs a free online portal with criminal case data going back to 1989. Unlike most California counties, Sacramento has dropped all fees for online case searches and document downloads. You can look up cases by name or case number with no charge at all. This page walks through how to search Sacramento County criminal court records, what the court charges for in-person copies, and where to go for more help.

Search Sacramento County Criminal Records Online

The Sacramento Superior Court operates the Public Case Access System, or PCAS, for online criminal record searches. This tool is free. The court has discontinued all fees for online searches and document downloads, which makes Sacramento County one of the best places in California to look up criminal court records from home. The system covers criminal cases filed from 1989 to the present. You can search by defendant name or by case number, and the results show charges, hearing dates, case status, and court actions. It is a straightforward tool that does not need an account or login to use.

Start your search at the Sacramento County Public Case Access portal. If you want to look up a person by name, the Search by Name page lets you type in a first and last name and pull up all matching criminal cases in the Sacramento County system.

The screenshot above shows the Sacramento County criminal case search portal. Once you run a search, results list out each case with its number, filing date, and current status. Click into any case to see the full register of actions. Because there are no online fees, you can browse as many Sacramento County criminal court records as you need without worrying about charges adding up.

Sacramento County Criminal Court Location

The main courthouse for criminal cases in Sacramento County is the Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Courthouse. It sits at 720 9th Street in Sacramento, CA 95814. This is where most felony and misdemeanor cases are handled. The criminal division can be reached at (916) 874-5744. Hours are Monday through Friday, and you can visit the clerk's window to request copies or view files in person.

If you show up to get copies, bring the case number or the defendant's full name. The clerk can pull up Sacramento County criminal court records on the spot. In-person copies cost $0.50 per page, which is the standard rate across California courts. Certified copies cost $40 per document plus the per-page fee. The clerk may also charge a $15 search fee if it takes more than 10 minutes to find your file. For older records stored off-site, there is a $10 retrieval fee on top of everything else.

Note: The online system is free, but in-person copies still carry standard California court fees.

Sacramento Criminal Record Fees

Sacramento County sets itself apart from other California courts with its free online access. Most counties charge per search or per document download. Sacramento does not. The court dropped those fees entirely, and you can pull up criminal case details, hearing history, and register of actions at no cost through the PCAS portal. This makes it easy to check on a case without paying a dime.

In-person and mail requests still follow the state fee schedule. Plain copies run $0.50 per page under Government Code Section 70627. Certified copies are $40 per document under Government Code Section 70626. The search fee is $15 if the clerk spends more than 10 minutes looking for a Sacramento County criminal court record. You can request a fee waiver if you meet income guidelines. The court website has the forms for that. If you want your own criminal history from the state database rather than a court case file, the California DOJ charges $25 through the Live Scan process. That covers state-level records, not just Sacramento County.

Criminal Record Access in Sacramento County

Criminal court records in Sacramento County are public. Anyone can request them. You do not have to be a party to the case. The court follows state law on public access, and the PCAS system makes it simple to look up cases without going to the courthouse. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the California DOJ holds the statewide criminal history database. But court case files are a separate thing. Those live at the county level. For Sacramento County, the Superior Court is the source for case documents, filings, and hearing records.

Some records are off limits. Juvenile cases are sealed. Mental health documents within a criminal file are restricted. Domestic violence protective orders may be limited too. Under California Rules of Court Rule 2.503, remote electronic access to some criminal case types is restricted, meaning you might see the register of actions online but not the full documents. For those, you need to visit the Sacramento County courthouse. Cases that have been expunged under Penal Code Section 1203.4 still appear in the system but show the conviction was dismissed. Under Penal Code Section 851.8, a person found factually innocent can petition to have their arrest record sealed and destroyed entirely.

State Resources for Sacramento County Records

Sacramento is the state capital, so many state-level criminal record agencies are based right here. The California DOJ headquarters is in Sacramento. If you need to run a Live Scan background check or request your own criminal history, you can find Live Scan sites all over Sacramento County. The DOJ's record review unit can be reached at (916) 227-3849 or by email at recordreview@doj.ca.gov.

The California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) lets you look up anyone serving time in a state prison. This covers people convicted in Sacramento County who were sent to a CDCR facility. The search pulls up the inmate name, CDCR number, current location, and parole hearing dates. The California Courts website can also help you find court locations and contact info for Sacramento County and every other county in the state. For general guidance on getting court record copies, the state self-help page breaks down the process step by step.

Sacramento County Cities

These cities are in Sacramento County. Criminal cases from all of them go through the Sacramento County Superior Court. Select a city for local criminal court record info.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Sacramento County. Each has its own Superior Court handling criminal cases.