Sonoma County Superior Court: Case Search & Records
Need to locate a Sonoma County court case, find a defendant’s hearing, check a family-law filing, request a probate record, or obtain a certified judgment?
The first thing to know is that Sonoma Superior Court has several different ways to access information. Its Court Case Portal, case-information request services, courthouse public-access terminals, daily calendars and Records Department do not all provide the same information.
This guide explains which route to use, what details to prepare, what you can actually see online, how to request documents and how to avoid spending money on the wrong record.
Independent informational guide · Reviewed October 2026 · Not affiliated with the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma
Which Sonoma County Superior Court Service Do You Need?
A case lookup, court calendar, records request and payment service are separate tasks. Choose the one that matches what you are actually trying to accomplish.
Begin with the Court Case Portal and available online case-information services. Some categories support request-based research rather than unrestricted online file inspection.
Open official case servicesUse the Records Department or the appropriate online civil/family record request service. Provide a case number and document name if available.
Read copy-request instructionsThe Court publishes daily criminal calendars, but these are not a substitute for a complete criminal docket or official certified case history.
Open Criminal DivisionTraffic services offer eligible payment, traffic school, date extension and installment-account functions.
Open Traffic DivisionThe Court provides separate Family Law and Probate case-information or copy-request routes. Sensitive documents may be restricted.
Choose Family Law or ProbateSome files, especially cases before 1984, require archive research and may take longer to retrieve.
Check Records Department instructionsHow to Search Sonoma County Superior Court Cases
Start with the case number if you have it. If you do not, gather the legal names of the parties, approximate filing year and likely case category. This reduces unnecessary record searches and helps the clerk locate the correct case.
- Open the official online-services directory. Go to Sonoma Superior Court Online Services.
- Choose the relevant function. For a recently filed case, use the Court Case Portal or recently filed cases route. For older or document-specific research, select Civil, Family Law or Probate Case Information or Copy Request as appropriate.
- Enter the identifying information requested. Use the complete case number when known. If the service accepts a party name, include the correct spelling and approximate year when possible.
- Read any portal disclaimer. Court-provided internet results may be informational rather than the official certified court record. Some documents cannot be viewed remotely.
- Compare the returned details. Verify case number, case type, party names, filing year and available status or hearing information. A similar name does not establish a correct match.
- Determine whether the document itself is accessible. If not, use the court’s records request or courthouse terminal rather than assuming the document does not exist.
- Record what you need. Save the case number, document title, approximate filing date and whether an ordinary, certified or exemplified copy is required.
- Contact the Records Department for official copies. Use its current request instructions before mailing payment or traveling to Santa Rosa.
Sonoma Court Case Searches by Case Type
| Type of case | What you can search or request | Best official route |
|---|---|---|
| Civil | Contract disputes, personal injury, property claims, general civil cases and eligible small claims matters. | Civil case-information or copy request, and courthouse public terminals. |
| Criminal | Case events, charges, minute orders, sentencing documents and criminal calendars where public. | Criminal Division, daily calendars and Records Department. |
| Family Law | Divorce, legal separation, custody, parentage, support and related orders. | Family Law case-information request or Family Law Clerk. |
| Probate | Decedent estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships and court-supervised probate proceedings. | Probate case-information or copy request. |
| Traffic | Citations, court dates, payment and traffic-school eligibility. | Traffic Court services and Hall of Justice public-access terminals. |
| Juvenile | Certain juvenile dependency and delinquency proceedings. | Official Juvenile Court instructions; confidentiality restrictions may apply. |
How to Request Sonoma Superior Court Records
The Court’s Records Department is the central public request point for non-confidential case files. It accepts requests by mail, in person and through designated online request services.
What to prepare before requesting copies
Option 1: Request documents online
- Open the Records Department page.
- Find the section headed Requesting Documents Online.
- Select Civil Records Request or Family Records Request when those categories match your case. Other matters may require another division or request route.
- Supply the case number and the specific document information requested by the service.
- Review the court’s response and payment instructions before ordering.
Option 2: Request records by mail
- Open the current CR-01 Request for Records Search and/or Copies PDF.
- Fill in the requesting party’s information, case number if known, names, case type and document details.
- Indicate whether a document needs certification or exemplification.
- Include the required payment method and a self-addressed stamped envelope large enough for the returned documents.
- If paying by check where the amount is uncertain, follow the Court’s instruction to specify a “Not to exceed” amount. Never mail an unrestricted blank check.
- Send the request to the currently listed Records Department mailing address: Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma, 625 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
Option 3: Make a request in person
Visit the Records Department at the Hall of Justice, 625 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa. Its published public counter hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., excluding court holidays. Confirm access to the specific case before visiting.
Sonoma County Court Records Search & Copy Fees
These are published records-related charges, not filing fees to start a lawsuit.
| Service | Published amount | How it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary court-record copy | $0.50 per page | Charge for copied pages. |
| Document certification | $40.00 | In addition to applicable copying fees. |
| Certified divorce judgment | $15.00 | Special published charge for dissolution judgment certification. |
| Exemplification | $50.00 | Additional document-copy costs may apply. |
| Record research | $15.00 | For a search that exceeds 10 minutes. |
| Off-site file retrieval | $5.00 per file | For records ordered from storage. |
| Certified copy for certain public agencies | May differ | Special statutory fee categories and exemptions may apply. |
The official CR-01 form includes records search, document copy, certification, divorce-decree certification, exemplification and off-site retrieval fields. Avoid treating a regular printout as certified evidence.
How to Find Older Sonoma County Court Records
Sonoma Superior Court’s Archived Records Division maintains civil, family-law and probate materials extending into the nineteenth century. The Court says files from the past roughly twenty years are often more readily available, while cases originating before 1984 may be archived and require additional retrieval time.
- Collect the parties’ names, case type and approximate filing or completion year.
- Look for an old case number on a judgment, court letter, attorney file or prior certified copy.
- Open the official Records Department archive instructions.
- Complete the records request with the exact documents required and state whether they need certification.
- Ask about research fees when the case number is unknown and retrieval fees for stored files.
- Allow additional processing time for records that must be located in archives.
How to Check Sonoma Court Calendars, Tentative Rulings & Transcripts
The Court posts criminal calendars daily at 4:00 p.m. but changes can occur after publication.
- Open the Online Services page.
- Select Daily Criminal Calendars.
- Check the correct date and case details.
- If uncertain, confirm with the Court at (707) 521-6500.
These may appear before designated civil or probate hearings. A tentative ruling is not automatically the court’s final order.
- Open Tentative Rulings.
- Use the available case number or name search.
- Read the applicable instructions and response deadline.
- Confirm whether the ruling became final.
Identify the court reporter from the minutes or docket, then use the Court’s transcript instructions to request a transcript from the appropriate reporter.
Court Reporter & Transcript InformationSonoma Court does not distribute the audio recordings themselves. It provides procedures for transcription of eligible recorded hearings.
The Court states that felony recordings on or after September 23, 2025, and other eligible electronically recorded hearings on or after December 1, 2025, follow the designated For The Record process.
Read Current Electronic Recording InstructionsWhich Sonoma Superior Court Records Are Restricted?
The Court’s online portal disclaimer specifically warns that some case documents cannot be displayed remotely under California Rule of Court 2.503. Public access to a case number or hearing date does not mean the entire case file is available to everyone.
Some family-law records require authorized party access. Sonoma Family Law instructs eligible parties to arrange identity verification when a confidential record is unavailable online.
Dependency and juvenile-case information may be protected under special statutory and court-access restrictions.
Sealed documents cannot be obtained through ordinary public requests without appropriate legal authority.
Addresses, sensitive identifiers and other confidential content may be redacted or withheld.
For family-law confidential-record questions, see Sonoma Family Law FAQs and contact the Family Law Clerk at (707) 521-6630.
No Sonoma Superior Court Case Found? Check These Possibilities
| Problem | Why it may happen | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Party name returns no result | Spelling variation, wrong case category or limited online coverage. | Try other accurate names and confirm the court division. |
| Case number rejected | Incorrect formatting, court code or year. | Copy the complete number from the original notice. |
| Criminal case not visible | The criminal calendar is not a complete public docket. | Use the Criminal Division and Records Department. |
| Old case missing | Archive storage or incomplete electronic indexing. | Submit a written archive research request. |
| Family case unavailable | Confidentiality or remote-access restrictions. | Contact the Family Law Clerk about authorized access. |
| Court date differs from notice | Rescheduling or last-minute calendar changes. | Confirm directly with the relevant clerk before the hearing. |
| File unavailable for copy | Record may be restricted, archived, destroyed or otherwise unavailable. | Ask whether a certified docket or alternative court record can be provided. |
Sonoma Superior Court: Addresses, Phone Numbers & Visiting Tips
Hall of Justice — Records Department
625 Administration DriveSanta Rosa, CA 95403
Records phone: (707) 521-6670
Records counter: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., excluding court holidays.
Central route for public records requests, criminal matters and other Hall of Justice services.
Records Department DetailsCivil and Family Law Courthouse
3055 Cleveland AvenueSanta Rosa, CA 95403
Main phone: (707) 521-6500
Clerk counter: generally Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Important location for civil and family-law cases and access to public court terminals.
Official Location & DirectionsBefore visiting in Santa Rosa
Sonoma Superior Court Sources Used in This Guide
Sonoma County Superior Court Case Search & Records FAQs
1. Can I search Sonoma County Superior Court cases online?
Sonoma Superior Court provides a Court Case Portal, recently filed case information and online case-information or copy-request services for selected categories. However, not all case details or documents can be accessed remotely. Some research requires public courthouse terminals or a clerk request.
2. How do I search a Sonoma court case by name?
Start with the Court’s Online Services page and choose the relevant case-information or records request route. Provide the person’s or business’s accurate legal name, case category and approximate filing year. If the available portal does not return a result, request a search through the appropriate clerk or Records Department.
3. Are Sonoma County criminal records available online?
The Court publishes daily criminal calendars, but its Criminal Division states that full public case information is not generally provided over the internet through that division. Public terminals and official Records Department requests provide other access routes, subject to restrictions.
4. How much does Sonoma Superior Court charge for copies?
The Court lists ordinary copies at $0.50 per page, document certification at $40.00, certified divorce judgments at $15.00, exemplification at $50.00, certain records research at $15.00 and off-site file retrieval at $5.00 per file. Additional charges may apply.
5. How do I get a certified Sonoma County divorce decree?
Locate the divorce case number, identify the final judgment and use the Court’s Family Law records request or CR-01 copy-request process. Specify that you need a certified dissolution judgment. The published certification fee for that judgment is $15.00, with any other applicable charges confirmed by the Court.
6. Where do I request old Sonoma County court records?
The Records Department manages archived civil, family-law and probate records, some dating to the nineteenth century. Cases originating before 1984 may require additional archive retrieval. Submit the identifying details and any certification requirements using current Records Department instructions.
7. Can I view confidential family-law or juvenile records online?
Not generally through ordinary public access when records are protected by law or court order. Authorized parties may need to arrange identification verification with the appropriate clerk. Juvenile, sealed and other confidential files follow specialized access restrictions.
8. How do I check an upcoming Sonoma criminal court date?
Use the Court’s Daily Criminal Calendars on its Online Services page. They are posted daily at approximately 4:00 p.m., but changes can occur after posting. Confirm uncertain hearing information with the Court at (707) 521-6500.
9. Can I order a court hearing transcript from Sonoma Superior Court?
Yes, depending on whether the proceeding had a court reporter or was electronically recorded. Reporter transcripts follow the Court Reporter and Transcripts process. For qualifying electronically recorded hearings, the Court provides transcription request procedures but does not provide the raw audio recording to requesters.
10. Where is the Sonoma County Superior Court Records Department?
The Records Department is at the Hall of Justice, 625 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Its published telephone number is (707) 521-6670, and counter hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., excluding court holidays.
Editorial notice: This independent informational article is not legal advice. Court calendars, filing rules, record availability, fees and courthouse operations can change. Obtain official confirmation from the Superior Court before relying on records for legal deadlines or formal proceedings.