County Superior LA Court Case Search & Dockets

California Judicial Branch • Los Angeles County Case Information

County Superior LA Court Case Search & Dockets

Need to check a Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit, criminal charge, divorce, probate case, hearing or court order? You can search through official LA Court case-access services, but the correct search depends on whether you know the case number, only know a person’s name, or need the actual filed document.

This guide separates those tasks. It shows how to use the Court Access Portal, search by case number or party name, check public docket entries, find a hearing, understand access fees and request an official certified record.

Open LA Court Access Portal Find a Case or Calendar Official Superior Court

2026 system update: Los Angeles Superior Court announced the launch of its unified Court Access Portal on July 31, 2026. Some older official services remain accessible, including separate civil and criminal case-number searches, name indexes and document-image purchases.

Independent guide reviewed October 2026. Public-access rules, court schedules and online features may change. The official court is the final authority for case-specific information.

Do not pay for the wrong search

Choose the Correct Los Angeles Superior Court Search

The Los Angeles Superior Court is a countywide court system with many courthouses. There is no need to search every courthouse individually when the correct online case number or case-access service is available.

Known case number

General Court Case Access

Start with the Court Access Portal or Find a Case page to locate supported case information and available court events.

Open Case Portal

Civil, Family, Probate

Civil Case Summary

Use the established case-number service for civil, small claims, family law and probate matters. You may need to select the filing courthouse.

Civil Case Access

Criminal case number

Criminal Case Access

Use the criminal case-summary system when you already know the criminal case number.

Criminal Case Search

Unknown case number

Party Name Index

Find a case number using a person’s or business’s name. Legacy online name-index searches incur a fee.

Civil Name Index

Criminal defendant name

Defendant Index

Find possible felony or misdemeanor case numbers. This search does not include traffic or other infractions.

Criminal Name Index

Traffic citation

Traffic Case Services

Use Traffic Citations rather than the criminal defendant-name index for tickets and traffic infractions.

Select Traffic Citations

Save money first: if you already have a case number printed on a court notice, complaint, summons or previous order, start with a case-number search. Do not pay for a name search simply to recover a number you already possess.

Main court-search procedure

How to Search an LA Superior Court Case by Case Number

Find the original case number. Look at your summons, notice, complaint, minute order, judgment or attorney’s letter. Copy the number exactly.
Open an official search. Start with Court Access Portal, or use the Find a Case page.
Select the appropriate case-access option. Use the service connected to your civil, criminal, family law, probate or small claims matter.
Enter the case number. Follow the format shown in the selected official system. For legacy civil access, choose the filing courthouse as requested.
Check the case caption. Compare parties, case type and courthouse against your paperwork.
Open case details. Read the available docket or case-summary information in date order.
Identify your required result. Look for the hearing, entry, judgment or disposition that answers the reason you searched.
Request the actual document if necessary. If the entry lists an order but not its full contents, use the Court’s document-image service or the filing courthouse’s records procedure.

STEP 1Identify case number

STEP 2Use official portal

STEP 3Review docket

STEP 4Obtain record

What a case summary is: Los Angeles Superior Court expressly warns that its online civil case-access information is not the official record of the court and can contain errors or omissions. When a legal or financial decision depends on the contents, obtain appropriate official confirmation.

Civil cases and lawsuits

Los Angeles Superior Court Civil Case Search

The Court’s Civil Case Access service includes supported civil, small claims, family law and probate cases. The legacy search asks for both a case number and a filing courthouse.

Open Civil Case Access.
Enter the exact case number.
Select the filing courthouse from the dropdown.
Submit the search and review the case caption.
Check available case activity, event dates and orders.
For a judgment or complaint PDF, use the Court’s document service when available.

Unlimited Civil

General civil matters outside limited jurisdiction, including many significant lawsuits and disputes.

Limited Civil

Civil cases within limited jurisdiction, including many qualifying landlord-tenant and collection actions.

Small Claims

Cases under California’s applicable small-claims limits, with procedures distinct from ordinary civil lawsuits.

Unlawful Detainer

Eviction cases. Public online access to some case information can be restricted under California law.

Eviction records: California Code of Civil Procedure section 1161.2 restricts public access to specified unlawful-detainer information, including during the initial 60-day period. Some restrictions can continue depending on the proceeding’s outcome.

Felony and misdemeanor case information

How to Search LA Superior Court Criminal Cases

The Court offers Criminal Case Access when the criminal case number is known and a paid defendant-name index when it is not.

With a Case Number

Open Criminal Case Access.
Enter the full criminal case number.
Select Search.
Check the defendant and case details.
Review available case information and later proceedings.
Ask the assigned courthouse for official documents when needed.

Without a Case Number

Open the criminal defendant-name search.
Read the search fee and coverage.
Enter the defendant’s name.
Use Exact Match, Starts With or Sounds Like as appropriate.
Compare the results before identifying a case as belonging to a particular person.
Save the case number and filing courthouse.

Do not misread a criminal result: the existence of a case or criminal charge does not establish a conviction. Review the actual disposition, sentencing or dismissal entries. The defendant-name index excludes traffic and other infractions.

Family, divorce, probate and restricted cases

LA Superior Court Divorce, Family Law and Probate Records

Family Law

Divorce and Dissolution

Search supported case information with a case number or use the family-law portion of the civil party-name index when the number is unknown.

Family Law

Custody and Support

Case details can have privacy restrictions. A publicly searchable case does not guarantee public access to every filing.

Probate

Estates and Trusts

Search probate case information by number or through the civil name index, subject to its historical coverage.

Restricted access

Juvenile and Confidential Matters

Juvenile, sealed and otherwise protected records are subject to special access rules and may be absent from public online search.

How to locate a divorce or probate case

Search by case number through Civil Case Access.
If the number is unavailable, open the paid civil party-name index.
Enter the legal party name or appropriate business/estate name.
Compare case type, filing date and location before selecting a match.
Save the correct case number.
For a divorce decree, probate order or certified judgment, confirm document availability and request it through the appropriate court service.

Paid party-name searches

LA Superior Court Case Search by Name: Fees, Results and Coverage

The Court maintains separate paid name indexes. A civil-side result may identify the litigant, case type, filing date, filing location and document-image count. A criminal defendant result provides case-number leads, defendant name, filing date and location.

Case category	Available index range	Important note
Unlimited Civil	1983–present	Name index, not guaranteed document-image coverage.
Family Law	1983–present	Restricted cases and protected filings excluded.
Probate	1983–present	Older records may require Archives.
Limited Civil	1991–present	Unlawful-detainer restrictions can apply.
Small Claims	1992–present	Search results and document images are different services.
Criminal Felony	1980–present	Defendant-name index.
Criminal Misdemeanor	1988–present	Some records reach back to 1983 depending on prior Municipal Court automation.

A historical search range is not an image range. A case filed in 1985 may appear in the name index without having downloadable electronic court documents. Older files can require courthouse or Archives research.

Hearings and scheduling

How to Find an LA Court Hearing Date or Courtroom

Locate the case number through an official case search.
Open Find a Case.
Use the Case Calendar option for available upcoming hearing information.
Enter the case number and submit the calendar search.
Confirm the date, time, courthouse and department if listed.
For actual case activity following a hearing, inspect the later docket or minute order.
If attendance or a deadline depends on the information, verify the details with the assigned courthouse.

Remote hearing check-in is a separate task

LACourtConnect supports searching by case number, courthouse/department or name for eligible remote-hearing check-in. Its same-day check-in service displays only hearings scheduled for that day. It is not a substitute for researching older case dockets.

Do not confuse a scheduled hearing with a completed hearing. The calendar may show an event without telling you whether it occurred, was continued or resulted in an order. Check later case entries and the actual minute order.

Downloads, files and certified copies

How to Obtain LA Superior Court Documents and Certified Records

The Court’s document-image service covers selected scanned civil, small claims, family law and probate filings. It excludes sealed or confidential documents. Public availability and remote availability are not the same thing.

Download an available court document

Find the correct case number.
Open official Case Document Images.
Use the case number or the offered party-name search fields.
Find the exact filing by title and date.
Check its page count and cost before purchasing.
Download and save the document promptly.
If the document is unavailable, contact the courthouse handling the case.

Request a certified or older record

✓Case number — identify the precise case.

✓Case type — civil, criminal, family, probate or small claims.

✓Filing courthouse — use the case’s assigned location.

✓Document description — judgment, decree, complaint, minute order, sentencing entry or dismissal.

✓Copy type — ordinary, court-certified or another required authentication.

Identify the filing courthouse using the official courthouse directory.
Ask that courthouse about the record’s availability and copy procedure.
Use the applicable Request for Copies form (ADM-080) when instructed.
For older cases, ask whether Archives and Records Center research is required.
Confirm page, search, certification, mailing and other applicable fees before submitting the request.
Verify that the copy contains the certification required by the receiving agency or court.

Official-copy rule: California Rule of Court 2.504 provides that a trial-court electronic record is not the official court record unless electronically certified by the court. A PDF download alone should not be described as a certified court document.

Avoid unnecessary purchases

LA Superior Court Name-Search and Document Fees

Legacy online service	Published price	Details
Guest name search	$4.75	Charged per search, even when no matching record is returned.
Registered searches 1–10/month	$1 each	First monthly registered-user tier.
Registered searches 11–99/month	$4.75 each	Applies according to monthly search count.
Registered searches 100–999/month	$4.50 each	Higher-volume tier.
Registered searches 1,000–10,000/month	$4.25 each	Higher-volume tier.
Registered searches 10,001+/month	$4 each	Higher-volume tier.
Document pages 1–5	$1 per page	Per purchased document image.
Additional document pages	$0.40 per page	Maximum $40 per document.

These are the Court’s published legacy Public Access Online Services rates, not necessarily charges for other court services. Check the official fee schedule before paying.

Important payment detail: a name search is charged for conducting the search, not for producing a match. Use the exact spelling, case category and approximate year whenever possible before authorizing payment.

Recover a previously purchased search or document

Open Guest Information.
Find the Receipts section.
Enter the receipt number and last four card digits.
Review available transactions and retrieval options.
Download any purchased document before the access period ends.

The Guest Information page says name-search results are available for 24 hours and purchased documents for 30 days. An older Court FAQ describes a shorter two-hour redo-search option. To avoid relying on inconsistent retrieval windows, save needed search results immediately.

Troubleshooting and public access

No LA Court Case Found? Check These Causes

Problem	Possible cause	Best next step
Case number fails	Wrong court category, incorrect number or filing location.	Compare the original court paperwork and search fields.
Person name missing	Different spelling, restricted case or older record.	Check coverage and correct the name before paying again.
Traffic ticket absent	Criminal defendant index excludes infractions; ticket may not yet be filed.	Use Traffic Citations and check filing status.
Eviction record missing	Unlawful-detainer public-access restrictions.	Ask the court what public access is permitted.
Docket entry without PDF	Document not imaged, delay or access restriction.	Contact the filing courthouse.
Case predates index	Older record is outside the electronic name-search range.	Ask about Archives and Records Center access.
Federal case missing	Federal court records use separate systems.	Search the appropriate federal court or PACER.

New traffic citation timing: Los Angeles Superior Court says traffic citations typically take up to 30 days to appear online after issuance. Its official Traffic Citation Alert program can notify users when a citation has been filed.

Use the Court’s Traffic Citation Alert instructions, or contact its Traffic Call Center at (213) 633-6300 for traffic-specific assistance.

Court locations and records routing

Which Los Angeles Courthouse Should You Contact?

Los Angeles Superior Court operates multiple locations across the county. The correct courthouse is the one assigned to the case, not simply the courthouse closest to your home.

Find the court location in the case result or original filing.
Open the official courthouse directory.
Select the assigned location.
Check the address, phone, services and courthouse notices.
For copies, ask the records or operations division about the exact case and filing.
For in-person visits, check court hours, holidays, security and any appointment requirements.

Why this matters: civil, criminal, family, probate and juvenile cases can be assigned to different LA courthouses. A downtown court building’s address is not automatically the correct records-request destination for every Los Angeles County case.

Verified court resources

Official Los Angeles Superior Court Search Links

The following resources serve distinct tasks. They are provided so readers can complete searches, obtain documents and confirm applicable access conditions directly with the Court.

LA Superior Court Official Website Unified Court Access Portal Find a Case and Calendar Civil Case Summary Criminal Case Access Civil Name Index Criminal Defendant Name Index Document Images Official Search Fee Schedule Guest Purchase Retrieval Courthouse Locations CourtConnect Hearings Traffic Citation Alert California Rule 2.504

Frequently asked questions

LA Superior Court Case Search: 10 FAQs

1. How can I search a Los Angeles Superior Court case online?

Start with the official Court Access Portal or Find a Case service. Enter the known case number, select the appropriate case category and review the matching case information. Separate civil and criminal case-summary services are also available.

2. Can I search LA Superior Court cases by a person’s name?

Yes. Los Angeles Superior Court offers paid civil-party and criminal-defendant name indexes. Civil-side searches cover supported civil, family law, probate and small claims matters. Criminal name searches exclude traffic and other infractions.

3. Is the LA Superior Court name search free?

The Court’s legacy public-access name indexes charge $4.75 per guest search, regardless of whether matching records appear. Registered users have a monthly tiered fee schedule. Case-number access is a separate service.

4. Where can I find an LA Superior Court criminal case?

Use Criminal Case Access when you have the criminal case number. Without a number, use the paid defendant-name index to locate possible case numbers and filing courthouses. Verify the final outcome from the case information or official court documents.

5. How far back does the Los Angeles Superior Court case index go?

The civil-side name index lists Unlimited Civil, Family Law and Probate from 1983, Limited Civil from 1991 and Small Claims from 1992. The criminal defendant index lists felony records from 1980 and misdemeanor records from 1988, with some older misdemeanor coverage.

6. Can I download LA Superior Court documents?

Selected public civil, small claims, family law and probate documents can be purchased through the Court’s Case Document Images service. Not every filed document is scanned or available remotely, and sealed or confidential records are restricted.

7. How much do LA Court document images cost?

The published legacy document-image price is $1 per page for the first five pages and $0.40 per additional page, up to $40 per document. The Court may count blank pages included in the scanned image.

8. How do I check my LA Superior Court hearing date?

Use the official Find a Case page and select Case Calendar, or review available scheduling information in the Court’s case-access services. Confirm the assigned department and time directly with the court when your appearance is required.

9. Why is my Los Angeles Superior Court case not showing online?

Possible reasons include an incorrect case number, wrong case category, older filing, document-imaging delay or protected record. Traffic citations may take up to 30 days to appear after issuance. Contact the responsible courthouse if the issue is urgent.

10. How can I get a certified LA Superior Court judgment or divorce decree?

Find the case number and filing courthouse, identify the exact document and contact the responsible court records division about a certified copy. An ordinary downloaded electronic record is not automatically an official certified record under California Rule of Court 2.504.