Search Ventura Divorce Records
People in Ventura who need divorce records should contact Ventura County Superior Court. The court has all dissolution cases filed in the city. The main Hall of Justice is located at 800 South Victoria Ave, Room 218, Ventura, CA 93009. You can call the Records Department at (805) 289-8668 between 8am and 4pm on weekdays. The court offers online case searches through a web portal where you can look up cases by name or number. Ventura County has family law records in its database going back to September 1, 1991. Older cases exist but may require more time to retrieve from archives. The standard fee for a certified divorce decree is $15, and this includes all pages with no extra per-page charge, which is different from many other California counties.
Ventura County Superior Court Records
The Hall of Justice in Ventura handles all family law filings for the city. Room 218 is where you go to request records or get certified copies. The Records Department staff can help you find a case if you have the case number or both party names. They can also explain what documents are available and how long it takes to get them.
Ventura County also has a Juvenile Courthouse at 4353 Vineyard Ave, Room 122, Oxnard, CA 93036. That location handles certain family matters but not regular divorce cases. For dissolution records, stick with the Hall of Justice in Ventura. The phone number for the Oxnard location is (805) 289-8820 if you need to confirm where your case was filed.
The online portal at ventura.ecourt.com/public-portal lets you search for cases from home. Type in a party name or case number. The system shows case details including the filing date and case status. You can see a list of documents that have been filed. Some courts let you view document images online, but Ventura County may restrict access to certain family law files due to privacy rules.
Finding Ventura Divorce Cases Online
Go to the Ventura County case portal. Enter the last name of one party. The search results will show all cases with that name. If you get too many results, add a first name or use the case type filter. Select family law or dissolution to narrow it down. Cases from 1991 onward are in the database. Earlier cases may not show up online but still exist in the archives.
Each case has a register of actions. This is a list of every document filed from start to finish. The register shows the date each paper was filed and what it was. Look for the judgment entry to see when the divorce was finalized. The case number is at the top of every page. Write it down if you need to order copies.
If the online search does not help, call the Records Department. The staff can search by name, year, or other details you remember. They may find cases that do not appear in the online system. Older files or cases with special restrictions might not be searchable online. The clerk can tell you what is available and how to get it.
What It Costs
Ventura County charges $15 for a certified divorce decree. This fee covers the whole document no matter how many pages. Most divorce decrees are two to five pages, but some are longer if there were many issues to resolve. The $15 flat fee makes it easy to budget. You do not have to worry about extra charges for each page like in other counties.
If you need copies of other documents from the file, the fee is $0.50 per page. Certifying those other documents costs $40 plus the copy fees. For example, if you want a certified copy of the petition and it is 10 pages, you pay $40 for certification plus $5 for copies, totaling $45.
Search fees apply if the clerk has to look through many files. The search fee is $15 and covers up to 15 names. If you only have a partial name or need the clerk to search a wide date range, they may charge the search fee. Most people who have the full name and approximate year do not pay this fee.
In-person payments can be made with cash, check, or card. Mail requests require a check or money order. Make checks payable to Ventura County Superior Court. Include your phone number on the request so the clerk can contact you if there are questions or delays.
How Long It Takes
Walk-in requests at the Hall of Justice can be filled quickly if the file is on-site. Many same-day requests are possible. If you show up early in the morning, you may get your copies before lunch. Busier days take longer. Plan for up to a few hours if you wait at the courthouse.
Mail requests usually take two to three weeks. The court processes mail orders in the order they arrive. If your file is in off-site storage, add another week or two. The clerk will mail the documents to the address you provide. Make sure to include a return address on your request.
Email or online requests may be available through the county portal. Check the court website for current options. Some counties now accept electronic requests for records. This can speed up processing. You still need to pay the fees, which may be handled through an online payment system.
Help for Ventura Residents
Legal Aid of Ventura County provides free legal help to low-income residents. They assist with family law cases including divorce, child custody, and support matters. If you qualify, they can represent you in court or help you prepare documents. Call (805) 648-7263 to see if you are eligible. Their website at legalaidvc.org has info about services and how to apply.
The court self-help center is another option. Staff at the center can explain court procedures and help you fill out forms. They do not give legal advice or represent you in court, but they can guide you through the process. The center has computers and printers you can use. Forms and instructions are available in English and Spanish.
The Ventura County Law Library is open to the public. It has legal research materials including books, online databases, and sample forms. Librarians can help you find resources but cannot give legal advice. The library is useful if you want to research California family law or look up statutes. Call (805) 642-8982 for hours and location details.
Details That Help Your Search
To find a divorce case, start with the basics. You need at least one full name. Both names are better. The more info you have, the easier it gets:
- Last name and first name of one or both parties
- Middle name or initial if known
- Year or approximate date the case was filed
- Case number if you have it from old papers
Common last names can produce many search results. Adding the year helps narrow it down. If you know the case was filed in the 1990s but not the exact year, that still helps. The clerk can limit the search to that decade. Case numbers are unique, so if you have that, the search is instant.
Who Can See Divorce Records
Divorce records in California are public unless sealed by a judge. Anyone can request copies from the court. You do not need to be a party to the case or have a special reason. The court treats these as public documents under state law.
Some information is protected. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and addresses of children are redacted. Parties must file a confidential information form that keeps these details out of the public record. If the case involves domestic violence or child abuse allegations, the judge may seal parts of the file. Sealed records are not available to the public.
If you want to keep your financial information private, you can ask the judge to seal those documents. The court will only agree if there is a good reason. Business trade secrets or sensitive financial data might qualify. Personal embarrassment or preference for privacy is not enough. Most divorce files remain fully public.
Ventura Divorce Records Before 1991
The online database starts in September 1991. Cases before that date are not searchable online but still exist. The court keeps divorce judgments permanently. You can request records from the 1980s, 1970s, or even earlier by contacting the Records Department. These older files are often stored off-site, so retrieval takes longer.
For divorces finalized between 1962 and June 1984, you can also get a Certificate of Record from the California Department of Public Health. This certificate is not the same as a divorce decree. It only shows the names of the parties, the date the divorce was finalized, the county, and the case number. CDPH charges $18 per certificate and warns that processing can take six months or more. If you need the actual decree, contact Ventura County Superior Court directly.
Other Ventura County Cities
Oxnard, Camarillo, and Simi Valley are other large cities in Ventura County. Divorce cases filed in any of these cities go through Ventura County Superior Court. The same Records Department handles requests for all county residents. Use the online portal or call the Hall of Justice for records from any Ventura County city.