California Court Locations and Records

FamilyCourtHelp is an independent educational platform. It is not a court, law firm, government agency, or government partner. We organize and link to publicly available resources published by courts and government agencies. Official requirements may change. Always confirm current requirements with the applicable court or clerk.

Family cases in California are heard in the Superior Court, usually in the Family Law Division. Each county's Superior Court has a Family Law Division for divorce, custody, and support. There is one Superior Court per county - 58 in all.

The clerk's office is a different thing from the court itself. The clerk accepts filings, keeps the record, and collects fees, while judges and hearings belong to the court. For a filing question, the clerk is the right first call. The official California directory and case record search are below.

Official California court locators

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Find your California superior court (California judicial branch): Find the courthouse or clerk that serves your area, with locations and contact details. https://courts.ca.gov/find-my-court

Find My Court (county Superior Courts) (California courts): Look up existing case records. Access is listed as mixed and the system is organized county-by-county. https://courts.ca.gov/find-my-court

California state courts website (California judicial branch): The official home of the California court system, with statewide rules, news, and links to every court. https://www.courts.ca.gov

California court self-help resources (California courts self-help): Official self-help information for people handling their own California family case, including instructions and plain-language guides. https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp.htm

Find My Court (county Superior Courts): Varies by county. No statewide search - all 58 counties differ. Family files are often courthouse-only; juvenile records are confidential. https://courts.ca.gov/find-my-court

Open courts.ca.gov/find-my-court

Select your county Superior Court

Follow that court's Online Services / Case Access (register if required)

Official link data for California was last verified June 2026. Report anything outdated through our contact page and we will re-check the official source.

Frequently asked questions

Which court hears family cases in California?

Family cases in California are heard in the Superior Court, usually in the Family Law Division. Each county's Superior Court has a Family Law Division for divorce, custody, and support. There is one Superior Court per county - 58 in all.

Can I look up an existing California case online?

Find My Court (county Superior Courts) is the official search. Varies by county. No statewide search - all 58 counties differ. Family files are often courthouse-only; juvenile records are confidential.

Is the clerk the same as the court?

No. The clerk of court accepts filings, keeps records, and collects fees. Judges and hearings belong to the court itself. For filing questions, start with the clerk's office.