Common Questions About San Francisco County Court Records
How do I search San Francisco court records online?
Start at the Superior Court Case Information page, not a third-party site. Civil, family, probate, and small claims cases filed from 1987 to the present can be searched by case number or case name. Criminal case data has its own query and cumulative criminal index. Full criminal files are not online. The search uses a captcha gate. For a deeper walk-through of each portal, see the San Francisco court records page.
The court lists every case type, the access rules, and the right contact on one page. The Superior Court records page is the official starting point for any San Francisco County court records lookup.
Bookmark that page rather than any third-party site, since it links every San Francisco County court records portal in one place.
Can I search San Francisco criminal records online?
Some criminal case data is online through the official criminal case query and the cumulative criminal index. The court's records page is clear that full criminal records are not posted online. To view or copy a file, submit the Criminal Records Request Form in person at the Hall of Justice, Room 101, windows 7 or 8, or by mail with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. More detail on the process is on the San Francisco criminal records page.
Where are San Francisco civil records kept?
Civil records are at the Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister Street, Room 103. The Civil Records Department email is CCCRecordsDepartment@sftc.org and the phone is 415-551-3802. A public viewing room is on site, first come, first served. Files may only be viewed at the courthouse. Bring a valid government photo ID to deposit with the clerk. For the full civil search workflow, see court records.
Are divorce records public in San Francisco?
Divorce cases are family law records kept by the Unified Family Court through Civil Records. The register of actions can be viewed online when you have the case number, but family law imaged documents are not online. Copies are requested through the Civil Records process. Some financial, child, domestic violence, or sealed materials are restricted. Step-by-step guidance is on the San Francisco marriage and divorce records page.
Where do I get a marriage certificate in San Francisco?
Public marriage certificates come from the Assessor-Recorder at City Hall, Room 190, at $17 per copy. Confidential certificates come from the County Clerk in Room 160, and only authorized parties can request them. Public certificates are usually ready 10 days after recording. Confidential ones may take about four weeks. Full hours, forms, and fees are on the marriage and divorce records page.
Does San Francisco have a district court?
For local cases, no. California uses a unified Superior Court. The local trial court is the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. "District court" usually means federal court here, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Local civil, family, probate, criminal, and traffic cases all run through the Superior Court. The court's structure is laid out on the San Francisco Superior Court page.
How do I find someone in San Francisco jail?
Use the Sheriff's Find a Person in Jail tool. You can search by first and last name, SF number, or booking number. Results show name, age, facility, SFNO, booking date, next court date, booking number, total bond, and charge details. If no result comes back, the Sheriff's page says the person is not in San Francisco jail. Step-by-step search help is on the San Francisco inmate records page.
Is there a recently released inmate list for San Francisco?
No separate public roster of recently released people was located. The Sheriff home page does post daily counts of bookings and releases, but not names. For an active case, use the inmate locator first. To confirm a release, call the Sheriff's public information line at 415-553-1430. More on release timing and what to do next is on the released inmates page.
How do I schedule a jail visit in San Francisco?
Use the Sheriff's jail visiting page and online scheduler. Scheduling opens the day before the visit, from 9:00 a.m. to midnight. You need the person's name or SF number, a visitor account, your name, date of birth, email, home address as printed on your ID, phone, and a valid government photo ID. Arrive 30 minutes early. Visit rules, mail, and book policy are on the inmate records page.
How much commissary can someone receive each week?
The Sheriff says commissary and care packages must be ordered through the approved vendor. The sender creates an account, has the person's name or eight-digit wristband number, and pays by credit card. The person in jail can receive and spend up to $100 in commissary items each week. Money window hours and accepted funds are on the inmate records page.
How do I find a San Francisco warrant?
No full public active warrant database was located for San Francisco. Check the official criminal case query, call the Criminal Clerk's Office at 415-551-0651, or talk to a lawyer. SFPD Most Wanted is a fugitive page, not a full warrant list. Search warrants can be requested when you know the warrant number. The full set of options is on the San Francisco warrant records page.
What happens if I miss a court date?
A missed court date can lead to a bench warrant, added assessments, or other penalties. Call your attorney or the Criminal Clerk's Office right away. For a missed traffic case, the court says California law allows a $100 civil assessment for failure to appear or pay after notice without good cause. To check if a warrant was issued in your case, see warrant records.
Are juvenile records public in San Francisco?
Generally no. Juvenile files are restricted under Welfare and Institutions Code 827. Access is usually limited to the parties, their attorneys, certain agencies, and people with statutory authorization or a court order. The court will not hand a juvenile file to the general public. For broader rules on what is open and what is sealed, see court records.
Are San Francisco probate records online?
Some are. Probate registers of actions are online for estate, trust, guardianship, conservatorship, and elder abuse cases. Estate and trust images are online from 2001 forward. Guardianship, conservatorship, and elder abuse images are not online. Confidential probate documents need court approval. Filing windows, contact numbers, and image rules are on the San Francisco probate records page.
What does a San Francisco court record show?
A court record can show case number, case title, parties, filing date, case type, register of actions, hearings, orders, judgments, and documents. Online image coverage differs by category. Civil images run from 2001 forward. Small claims images run from 2008 forward. Probate estate and trust images run from 2001 forward. Family images are not online. More on what each file holds is on the court records page.
How do I get help without a lawyer?
Use the ACCESS Center at 400 McAllister Street, Room 509. It helps self-represented people with non-criminal matters. It does not represent you, give private legal advice, or speak to a judge for you. The helpline runs Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. LiveChat for dissolution and domestic partnership runs the same days, 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. More self-help links are on the court records page.
The court publishes the ACCESS Center scope, helpline hours, and case-type list on a single self-help page. The ACCESS Center self-help page spells out what the center can and cannot do for self-represented users.
Read the scope notes before walking into Room 509, since ACCESS gives legal information, not legal advice, on San Francisco County court matters.
How do I get a public defender in San Francisco?
In criminal court, the judge tells defendants that if they cannot afford a lawyer, the court will appoint one free of charge. San Francisco's elected Public Defender is Mano Raju. The downtown office is at 555 7th Street. The phone is 415-553-1671. Eligibility is set through the criminal court process. To see how a criminal case moves through the system, see criminal records.
Can I clean up my San Francisco criminal record?
Possibly. California offers conviction dismissal under Penal Code 1203.4, arrest sealing under Penal Code 851.91 or 851.93, and factual innocence relief under Penal Code 851.8. The San Francisco Public Defender Clean Slate Program and court self-help resources help you find the right path. Relief does not erase every consequence or restore every right. More on what is sealed, dismissed, or still public is on the criminal records page.
Where do appeals from San Francisco go?
State appeals from the San Francisco Superior Court go to the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District. From there they can move to the California Supreme Court. Federal cases from San Francisco sit in the Northern District of California and appeal to the Ninth Circuit. The court tier list is on the Superior Court page.
How do I pay or contest a San Francisco traffic ticket?
Start at the Superior Court Online Services page and use the official traffic portal. Enter the citation number or driver license number, confirm the charge and amount, then choose a path: pay the bail, ask for a court trial, ask for a court trial by written declaration, ask for traffic school if eligible, or request a continuance. The Traffic Division phone is 415-551-8550. The court does not send text messages about tickets. More on citation lookup is on the traffic court records page.
Why does the case search ask for a captcha?
The Superior Court says the prompt confirms that a person, not an automated program, is asking for case data. The gate keeps bots from degrading public access. Complete the prompt, allow pop-ups, and use the official court page, not a bookmarked third-party URL. If a portal will not load, check browser blockers and PDF settings first. Then call or email the right records division. The list of division contacts is on the court records page.
Are court records the same as public records requests?
No. Case files are handled through the Superior Court's case systems and division records offices. Judicial administrative records are requested under California Rule of Court 10.500. Agency records from the Sheriff, DA, SFPD, County Clerk, or Assessor-Recorder are CPRA records. The court warns that the judicial administrative records form should not be used for case records. More on the CPRA path is on the public records page.
How do I request an interpreter for a San Francisco court hearing?
The Superior Court has an Interpreter Division page and a service desk at the Hall of Justice. For a live case, ask for an interpreter as early as you can through the court's interpreter process or the courtroom clerk. Do not assume an interpreter for every language will be ready at the last minute. For self-help matters, the ACCESS Center and court forms may have language help links. General access rules are on the court records page.
Does the San Francisco jail locator show mugshots?
No. No mugshot field appeared in the Sheriff's locator. The public fields shown are name, age, facility location, SF number, booking date, next court date, booking number, total bond, court or department when set, and charge details. Sites that promise San Francisco jail mugshots are not pulling them from the official locator. The full field list is on the inmate records page.
Still Have Questions?
For the right office, see Clerk of the Superior Court. For broader access rules, see public records. For records by topic, browse court records, criminal records, inmate records, warrant records, marriage and divorce, or probate.