Los Angeles County Superior Court Case Search & Dockets
A Los Angeles Superior Court case search is not just about finding a case number. The real work is knowing which official tool to open, how to confirm the correct case, how to read the docket or register of actions, and when a downloaded PDF is not the same thing as a certified court record.
Independent guide reviewed September 2026. Confirm case status, hearing dates, fees, document availability, access restrictions and certified-copy requirements on the official court site before relying on any record.
Which Los Angeles Case Search Tool Should You Use?
Los Angeles Superior Court records are split across newer portal access, older name indexes, document-image tools, case-summary pages, traffic services, divorce judgment ordering, public courthouse computers, and archive/copy request routes. The fastest path depends on what you already know.
Start with the Court Access Portal or Access a Case services. A case number is usually more precise than a paid name search.
Open Court Access Portal →Use the civil-side name index for Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate case numbers.
Search civil/family/probate by name →Use the criminal defendant-name index. It is separate from civil-side search and does not cover traffic or other infractions.
Search criminal defendant name →Look for the register of actions, filings, hearings, orders and available document images. Then read the entries in order.
Access a case →How to Search a Los Angeles Superior Court Case and Docket
A strong search starts with the case number, then confirms the case identity, then reads the docket chronologically. Do not jump from the first familiar name to a conclusion.
- Copy the case number exactly. Keep letters, years, spaces and suffixes as shown on a notice, minute order, judgment, attorney letter or filing receipt.
- Open the official Court Access Portal first when you have the number. Use CAP.lacourt.ca.gov for the newer court-access route.
- Use Access a Case services if directed there. The Court’s official access page routes users to case information, name searches, document images, traffic services and related tools.
- Confirm the case identity. Compare case title, party names, case category, filing date, filing courthouse and any available party role before relying on the result.
- Open the docket or register of actions. Read filings, hearings, orders, minute entries, judgments, dismissals and dispositions in chronological order.
- Do not confuse a filing with a result. “Motion filed,” “complaint filed,” or “charge filed” does not mean the motion was granted, the claim was proven, or the charge became a conviction.
- Order document images or certified copies only after verifying the match. Paid downloads and official copies cost money; confirm the case before purchasing.
How to Read a Los Angeles Docket or Register of Actions
A docket is a timeline. It tells you what was filed, scheduled, heard, ordered, dismissed, paid or entered. The trap is reading one line in isolation. A later order may change, deny, continue, vacate or supersede an earlier event.
| Docket field or entry | What it usually means | How to verify it |
|---|---|---|
| Case number | The court-assigned identifier for this case. | Use it for searches, document images, copy requests and courthouse questions. |
| Case title | The caption, such as plaintiff vs. defendant, petitioner vs. respondent, or estate name. | Compare the caption with party names, not just one familiar name. |
| Filing location | The courthouse or court location tied to the filing. | Use it when asking where to request a missing document or copy. |
| Filing date | The date the case or document was filed, not always the date of the incident. | Check later entries before assuming the case remained active. |
| Minute order | A court record of what happened at a hearing or what the judge ordered. | Read the minute order image if available; the docket line may be abbreviated. |
| Motion filed | A party asked the court to do something. | Look for a later order granting, denying, continuing or taking the motion off calendar. |
| Hearing set | A hearing was scheduled. | Look for later continuances, cancellations, submissions, rulings or minute entries. |
| Judgment entered | A judgment was entered in the case or on a claim. | Read the judgment document and later satisfaction, appeal, correction or enforcement entries. |
| Disposition | The outcome or status of a case, count, claim or issue. | Compare the disposition to the specific party, count, charge or claim. |
Los Angeles Case Search by Name: Civil, Family, Probate and Criminal
Name searches are useful but risky. The Court’s civil-side and criminal name indexes are paid legacy services, and the fee can apply even if no result is found. Narrow your clues before submitting a search.
Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate
Use the official civil-side name index when you need a case number for litigants or participants in Civil, Small Claims, Family Law or Probate matters.
- Open the official civil-side name search.
- Enter the person, company or participant name carefully.
- Compare case type, filing date and filing location.
- Save the case number before buying any document image.
Criminal Defendant Name
Use the criminal defendant index for Los Angeles Superior Court criminal case numbers. The Court states that traffic and other infractions are not included in this criminal name search.
- Open the official criminal defendant-name search.
- Use the defendant name and any reliable date clue.
- Compare defendant name, filing date and filing location.
- Use the resulting case number for case-summary or docket access.
| Case category | Online name-index range listed by the Court | What to do if older |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Civil | 1983 to present | Contact Archives or the filing courthouse for availability. |
| Family Law | 1983 to present | Use archive/copy request routes; older cases may not appear online. |
| Probate | 1983 to present | Check Archives and the probate filing location. |
| Limited Civil | 1991 to present | Move to archive or courthouse-copy research. |
| Small Claims | 1992 to present | Ask Archives or the responsible courthouse. |
| Criminal felony | 1980 to present | Use Archives or courthouse inquiry. |
| Criminal misdemeanor | 1988 to present | Some older misdemeanor information may depend on former Municipal Court automation; contact Archives when missing. |
How to View Los Angeles Superior Court Document Images
The docket tells you what happened. A document image lets you read an available scanned filing, order, judgment or minute entry. Los Angeles provides document-image purchasing for several case categories, but not every document is imaged or remotely public.
| Document category | Online image coverage published by the Court | Limit to remember |
|---|---|---|
| General Jurisdiction Civil | Stanley Mosk Courthouse and Central Civil West Courthouse documents listed by the Court. | Not every docket entry has an image, and coverage depends on court/location details. |
| Limited Civil | Available document-image category in Public Access Online Services. | Unlawful-detainer and other restrictions may affect public access. |
| Small Claims | Available document-image category when documents are imaged and public. | A case may be searchable even when a specific image is unavailable. |
| Family Law | Available document-image category for public, imaged documents. | Confidential family, parentage, minor-related or sealed material may be restricted. |
| Probate | Available document-image category for public, imaged probate documents. | Protected probate, guardianship or conservatorship details may not be remotely public. |
- Find the case number first. Document-image search is much easier after the correct case is confirmed.
- Open the official Case Document Images service. Use LA Court Case Document Images.
- Check whether the specific document is listed. A docket line may exist even when the PDF is not offered online.
- Review page count and cost before buying. Fees are calculated by document page count, including blank pages that appear in the image.
- Download and save the purchased file promptly. Guest purchases remain available only for a limited time.
Los Angeles Case Search and Docket Fees
The Court’s Public Access Online Services charge separately for name searches and document images. Read the payment screen carefully because name-search fees apply to the search, not to the promise of a useful result.
| Service | Published charge | Practical warning |
|---|---|---|
| Guest name search | $4.75 per search | The charge applies even if no matching result is found. |
| Registered searches 1–10/month | $1.00 each | Registered-user pricing follows a monthly sliding scale. |
| Registered searches 11–99/month | $4.75 each | The monthly counter resets at the start of each month. |
| Document image pages 1–5 | $1.00 per page | Charged per downloaded document image. |
| Document image page 6 onward | $0.40 per additional page | The Court lists a $40 maximum per document image. |
It can prevent unnecessary paid name searches.
Guest transactions require receipt details for later retrieval.
The Court says guest name-search results remain available for 24 hours and purchased documents for 30 days after receipt date.
Docket, PDF, Certified Copy: What Counts as the Official Record?
A docket line helps you understand case activity. A PDF document image helps you read a filing or order. But a certified copy is different. California Rule of Court 2.504 states that, unless electronically certified by the court, a trial-court record available through electronic access is not the official record of the court.
Good for timeline research
Use to understand filings, hearings, events, orders and case movement.
Good for reading the filing
Use to read available PDFs, but do not assume ordinary PDF download equals certification.
Good for official use
Use when an agency, court, employer, title company, school or other recipient requires certified proof.
How to request Los Angeles court copies
- Identify the exact document. Examples: judgment, minute order, dismissal, decree, complaint, order, letters, will or sentencing minute order.
- Prepare the case number and case title. If unknown, gather names, case type, filing courthouse and approximate year.
- Use ADM-080 Request for Copies. The Court’s local Request for Copies form is used for copy requests.
- Mail or submit the request to the correct courthouse or copy unit as directed. The correct route depends on where the record is located and what type of copy is needed.
- Ask for certification only when needed. Certification is a separate official act and can change the cost.
No Case or Docket Found? What to Try Next
A no-result screen does not always mean no case exists. In Los Angeles, it can mean wrong search route, wrong court, name variation, old filing, access restriction, traffic matter, confidential case, or a document that is not available remotely.
| Problem | Likely reason | Best next move |
|---|---|---|
| Case number fails | Wrong format, wrong system, old record or non-Superior Court matter. | Compare the number with the original notice and confirm it belongs to Los Angeles Superior Court. |
| Name search finds nothing | Spelling variation, former name, business suffix, wrong category or out-of-range filing. | Try variations carefully and check the online coverage years before paying again. |
| Traffic case missing from criminal search | Traffic and other infractions are not included in the criminal defendant-name index. | Use the Court’s Traffic services instead. |
| Docket exists but PDF is missing | Document not imaged, newly filed, restricted, confidential, sealed or not offered remotely. | Use the filing courthouse or copy request route. |
| Older file does not appear | The case predates online index coverage or document-image availability. | Contact Archives and Records Center or the responsible courthouse. |
| Eviction case information is restricted | California law can restrict public access to unlawful-detainer case information during the early access period and in some outcomes. | Use the authorized court process rather than trying to bypass restrictions. |
Local Details That Matter in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles Superior Court operates across many locations. The filing location can help you find the correct operations division or copy route.
Stanley Mosk Courthouse is central and important, but many Los Angeles cases are handled in other courthouses.
Some case information or documents may be available through courthouse public-access computers even when not broadly available online.
Birth, death, marriage and many recorded-property documents are not Superior Court case dockets.
Juvenile, mental health, sealed, confidential, family, parentage and protected records may have limited public access.
Civil, criminal, family, probate, small claims, traffic and juvenile routes do not always share the same public search path.
Official Sources Used for This Guide
These links are included because they help complete real case-search, docket, document, copy, fee or court-location tasks. Commercial background-check and people-search sites are not substitutes for the court of record.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Case Search & Dockets FAQs
1. Where should I start a Los Angeles Superior Court case search?
If you already have the case number, start with the Court Access Portal or official Access a Case services. If you do not know the case number, use the civil-side name index for Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate matters or the criminal defendant-name index for criminal matters.
2. What is a Los Angeles Superior Court docket?
A docket, often shown as a register of actions, is the timeline of case activity. It may show filings, hearings, notices, minute orders, judgments, dismissals, dispositions and other events. Read it in date order because later entries can change the meaning of earlier ones.
3. Can I search Los Angeles Superior Court cases by name?
Yes. Los Angeles Superior Court provides a civil-side name search for Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate case numbers and a separate criminal defendant-name search for criminal case numbers. These are paid legacy search services, so confirm the fee before submitting a search.
4. How much does a Los Angeles Superior Court name search cost?
The Court currently lists guest name searches at $4.75 per search. Registered-user fees use a monthly sliding scale. The search fee can apply even when no matching record is found, so check spelling, case type and date clues before paying for repeated searches.
5. Are traffic tickets included in the criminal defendant-name search?
No. Los Angeles Superior Court states that traffic and other infractions are not included in the criminal defendant-name search. Use the Court’s traffic services for citation and infraction matters.
6. Can I download Los Angeles Superior Court documents online?
Many imaged documents for eligible Civil, Limited Civil, Small Claims, Family Law and Probate matters can be purchased online through the Court’s Case Document Images service. However, not every docket entry has an available image, and restricted or confidential records may not be remotely public.
7. Is a downloaded PDF the same as a certified court record?
No. California Rule of Court 2.504 states that, unless electronically certified by the court, a trial-court record available through electronic access is not the official court record. Use the Court’s copy or certification process when official proof is required.
8. How do I request copies of Los Angeles Superior Court records?
Use the official Request for Copies form ADM-080 or the Court’s copy instructions. Prepare the case number, case title, filing courthouse, document title and whether you need a plain copy, certified copy or another form of authentication.
9. Why can’t I find a Los Angeles case or docket online?
The case may be older than online coverage, filed in a different court, entered under a different name, restricted by law, sealed, confidential, newly filed, traffic-related, juvenile, mental-health-related, or unavailable through that particular online system. Contact Archives or the filing courthouse when the online tools do not resolve the issue.
10. What should I compare before relying on a Los Angeles case-search result?
Compare the case number, case title, party role, case type, filing date, filing location, docket timeline, latest orders, disposition and document images when available. A matching name alone is not enough in a county as large as Los Angeles.