Criminal Court Records in Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County criminal court records are held by the Santa Cruz County Superior Court, which serves this coastal county south of San Francisco. The court runs an online portal where you can look up criminal cases by name or case number for free. Santa Cruz County handles felony and misdemeanor filings at courthouses in Santa Cruz and Watsonville. Whether you need to check a case status or get copies of court documents, this page covers the steps and tools for accessing criminal court records in Santa Cruz County, California.

Santa Cruz County Criminal Records Online Portal

The Santa Cruz County Superior Court offers a case portal at portal.santacruzcourt.org. This tool lets you search for criminal cases by defendant name or case number. No account is needed. Results show the case type, charges filed, hearing dates, and the current case status. It is free to use.

The portal covers both felony and misdemeanor cases in Santa Cruz County. You can access it from any device with a web connection. Click on a case number to see the full detail view, which includes all charges and every court date on the calendar. The data shown is for reference. It is not the official court record. For certified copies of a Santa Cruz County criminal court record, contact the clerk's office directly.

How Criminal Cases Work in Santa Cruz County

All criminal cases in Santa Cruz County go through the Superior Court. California does not have city or municipal criminal courts. The county is where cases are filed and heard. The Santa Cruz County Superior Court has two main locations. The main courthouse is at 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. The Watsonville Branch is at 1 Second Street, Suite 300 in Watsonville. Which courthouse hears your case depends on where the arrest happened and the type of charge.

Felony cases in Santa Cruz County start with an arraignment. The defendant is told the charges and enters a plea. From there, the case may go to a preliminary hearing, pretrial, and then trial. Misdemeanor cases follow a shorter track. At any stage, you can check the portal for updated case information. The register of actions on the portal shows each event that has happened in the case.

The California Courts website has resources that apply to all counties, including Santa Cruz. The screenshot below is from the California Courts public records page, which explains who can access court records and the rules around it.

That page makes clear that each county Superior Court is responsible for its own case records. You must contact the Santa Cruz County court directly for copies of criminal case files.

Santa Cruz Criminal Court Record Fees

Standard copy fees in Santa Cruz County are $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $40 per document plus the per-page charge. A $15 search fee may apply when the clerk spends more than 10 minutes finding a record. If the court has to pull files from off-site storage, there is a $10 retrieval charge. These are the same rates used across all California Superior Courts.

Fee waivers can reduce or remove these costs if you meet the income requirements. Ask the clerk for a fee waiver application when you visit. The court also posts fee information on the Santa Cruz Superior Court website.

Get Criminal Court Records in Santa Cruz County

The fastest route is to visit the courthouse in person. Go to 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz or 1 Second Street in Watsonville. Ask the clerk for the records you need. Provide the case number or defendant name. The clerk can look up the case and print copies on the spot. Bring a form of payment for the fees.

You can also send a mail request. Write to the Santa Cruz County Superior Court Clerk at 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Include the case number, defendant's full name, and what documents you want. Enclose a check or money order for the estimated fees. Mail requests may take several weeks. If you are unsure of the cost, call the clerk's office first. Under California's new AB 1524 law, you can now use your own camera or phone to photograph records you view at the courthouse, which can save on copy costs.

For your own state criminal history, the California DOJ record review process costs $25 through Live Scan. That produces your RAP sheet. It is a separate record from the court files held in Santa Cruz County.

Criminal Record Access in Santa Cruz County

Criminal court records in Santa Cruz County are public. You do not need to be a party to the case to request copies. Anyone can ask, and no reason is required. The clerk must provide copies to anyone who pays the fee.

Some records are restricted though. Juvenile cases are sealed. Mental health records in a criminal file are confidential. Certain documents in domestic violence cases may not be available for public viewing. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the California DOJ maintains state summary criminal history information. That database is separate from the court case files. California Rules of Court Rule 2.503 limits what types of criminal case records can be viewed remotely versus at the courthouse. In Santa Cruz County, the portal typically shows registers of action and court calendars. Full case documents usually require an in-person visit to view or copy.

Note: The online portal data may not reflect the most recent filings or court orders in a case.

Santa Cruz County Criminal Record Expungement

People with a conviction in Santa Cruz County who have finished probation may petition for a dismissal. Penal Code Section 1203.4 allows this. The record stays, but it shows the conviction was dismissed. Many people refer to this as expungement. It can help with job searches and background checks. Not every conviction is eligible. Some serious felonies are excluded from this relief.

A separate option exists under Penal Code Section 851.8. If a person is found factually innocent, they can petition the court to seal and destroy their arrest record. Both petitions are filed with the Santa Cruz County Superior Court. Legal aid groups in the area can help you figure out if you qualify and walk you through the filing process.

State Tools for Santa Cruz County Records

State-level resources can add to what you find in Santa Cruz County court records. The CIRIS inmate search from CDCR lets you look up anyone in California state prison. If someone convicted in Santa Cruz County was sent to state custody, this free tool shows their name, CDCR number, current location, and admission date.

The California Courts Self-Help Guide walks through the basics of requesting court record copies. Under Penal Code Section 13300, local law enforcement agencies keep their own criminal offender record information. For arrest records or police reports tied to a Santa Cruz County case, contact the agency that handled the arrest. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff and the Santa Cruz Police Department each have their own records divisions. Court files and police reports are kept in separate systems.

Santa Cruz County Cities

Santa Cruz County does not have any cities with a population over 100,000. All criminal cases from cities in this county go through the Santa Cruz County Superior Court.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Santa Cruz County. Each has its own Superior Court for criminal cases.