Santa Ana Divorce Records
Santa Ana residents file for divorce through the Orange County Superior Court system. The city sits in the heart of Orange County and most divorce cases go through the Central Justice Center on Civic Center Drive West. This courthouse handles all family law matters for Santa Ana and nearby cities. You can search for divorce records online through the county portal or visit the courthouse in person. The court keeps files going back many decades. Some older records from before 1968 get stored at the Records Management office on the first floor. Online searches are free but downloading copies of documents costs money. Most people start with a name search to find the case number, then request certified copies of the divorce decree if they need them.
Orange County Superior Court
Orange County Superior Court maintains all divorce records for Santa Ana. The Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana serves as the main courthouse for family law cases. This building houses the Records Management office on the first floor. The Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange also handles family law matters and has a Family Law Division on the seventh floor. Most Santa Ana residents file at the Central Justice Center because it is right in the city.
The court clerk keeps track of all divorce filings. When you file for divorce in Santa Ana, your case gets a number and goes into the county computer system. All the forms you submit become part of the court file. This includes the petition, summons, response, financial disclosures, and any settlement agreements. The final judgment gets added to the file once the judge signs it. You can ask for copies of any document in the file. The clerk charges $0.50 per page for copies and $15 for a certified divorce decree.
If you need to look up a divorce case from Santa Ana, the Orange County Family Law Portal at fampub.occourts.org lets you search by name or case number. The system shows you a list of filings in the case and when each document was filed. You cannot see the actual documents online for most family law cases due to privacy rules, but you can see the case activity. If you need copies, you can order them online, by mail, or in person at the courthouse.
How to Get Divorce Records
Start by searching the online portal. Go to fampub.occourts.org and type in the name of one spouse. If you know the year the divorce was filed, enter that too. The search will show all matching cases. Look for case types that say dissolution or family law. Write down the case number.
Once you have the case number, you can request copies. Orange County offers three ways to get records. You can order online through the portal. You can mail a request to the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. Or you can go to the courthouse in person during business hours. In-person requests are usually fastest.
For a certified divorce decree, fill out Form L-0696. This is the copy request form used in Orange County. You need to provide the case number, the names of both parties, and the date of the divorce if you know it. The fee is $15 for a certified copy of the divorce judgment. If you need other documents from the case, those cost $40 for certification plus $0.50 per page for copies. Mail orders typically take 30 to 45 days to process. In-person requests can be done the same day if the file is on site.
The court accepts checks or money orders. Make them payable to Orange County Superior Court. Some courthouse locations also take credit cards. Do not send cash through the mail. If the court cannot find the record you requested, they will return your payment.
Divorce Records Before 1968
Orange County keeps older divorce files at the Records Management office. Cases filed before 1968 may not show up in the online portal. You can still get these records but you need to submit a search request. Use Form L-0006 for record searches. The search fee is $15. Staff will look through the older indexes to find the case. This process takes longer than searching current records.
Historical divorce records for Santa Ana go back to 1889. The county has kept these files for well over a century. Some very old files are stored on microfilm or microfiche. Others are still on paper but kept in off-site storage. You may need to wait several weeks for the court to retrieve an old file. Once they find it, you can order copies the same way you would for a newer case.
Online Portal Details
The Orange County Family Law Portal provides case information for divorces filed from 1997 to the present. Dissolution cases make up a large part of the family law docket. The portal shows the case number, filing date, case type, and status. You can see a register of actions that lists every document filed in the case. Each entry shows the document name and the date it was filed.
The portal does not display full documents for family law cases. California court rules limit public access to certain family law records to protect privacy. You can see that a petition was filed and when, but you cannot view the petition itself online. To get actual copies of documents, you must order them from the court.
Searching the portal is free. You do not need to create an account for basic searches. Just go to fampub.occourts.org and enter your search terms. The system will return matching cases right away. If you get too many results, try adding more details like a middle name or approximate filing year.
What Information You Need
To find a divorce record from Santa Ana, you need at least one spouse's name. The more information you have, the easier it is to locate the right case. Here is what helps:
- Full legal name of at least one party
- Approximate year of divorce
- Case number if available
- Date of marriage or divorce
Common names can return many results. If you search for someone with a name like John Smith, you might get dozens of cases. Adding the year narrows it down. If you have the case number, the search becomes very simple. Just type in the case number and the portal will pull up that exact case.
Fees and Processing Times
Orange County charges standard fees set by state law. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $15. This is the complete judgment showing that the divorce is final. Regular copies cost $0.50 per page. If you need a certified copy of some other document like a settlement agreement, the fee is $40 plus the per-page copy charge. Search fees are $15 if the search takes more than a few minutes.
Processing times depend on how you order. Walk-in requests at the courthouse can be done right away if the file is available on site. Mail orders take 30 to 45 days according to the court website. Online orders fall somewhere in between. If the file is stored off-site, add extra time for retrieval. The court will contact you if there are any delays.
Privacy and Access Rules
California law protects certain information in divorce files. Financial documents, child custody evaluations, and some declarations may be sealed or confidential. The basic case information is public, but some details are not. When you request records, the court will provide what is available under the law. They will not release sealed documents unless you are a party to the case or have a court order.
Anyone can request a copy of a divorce decree. You do not need to be one of the parties involved. The decree is a public record. Other documents may have restrictions. If you are not a party to the case and you want something beyond the basic decree, check with the court clerk about whether that document is available to the public.
Contact Information
The Central Justice Center is at 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701. The main phone number is (657) 622-6878. The Lamoreaux Justice Center is at 341 The City Drive South in Orange. Their Family Law Division is on the seventh floor and you can reach them at (657) 622-8457. Court hours are 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm on weekdays.
For questions about family law records, call (657) 622-8457. For general court information, call the main line. You can also email the court through their website at occourts.org. The website has forms, instructions, and links to the online portal. You can find the family law records page at occourts.org/divisions/family-law/family-law-records for more details on how to get copies of divorce records.