Mariposa County Divorce Records

Divorce records in Mariposa County are kept at the Superior Court at 5088 Bullion Street in Mariposa. The clerk's office handles all requests for copies of divorce judgments and case files. Most cases from 1999 onward appear in the online case portal, but older files may need staff help to find. The court is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can call 209-966-2005 if you need info on how to request a copy of a divorce decree or search for a case. Some records may be archived off-site, which takes more time to pull. The court charges $15 for a certified copy of a divorce judgment, plus 50 cents per page for any extra pages. If you just need basic case info, the online portal at portal-camariposa.tylertech.cloud lets you search by name or case number for free.

Getting Divorce Records from the Court

The Mariposa County Superior Court Clerk's Office is where you get divorce records. Walk-in help is at 5088 Bullion Street in Mariposa. The office is small, so wait times can vary. Staff can print copies if the file is on-site. If the file is stored off-site, it may take several days to retrieve it. Call ahead to ask if they have your case ready. They can tell you if the file needs to be pulled from storage.

Certified copies are what you need for official use. A certified divorce decree shows the court seal and the clerk's signature. This costs $15 under California Government Code Section 70674. The first page is included in that price. Each extra page costs 50 cents. Non-certified copies are cheaper but do not work for most legal purposes. Some people just need to see the file, not get a copy. You can view case records at the courthouse during business hours at no charge. Bring ID and the case number if you have it.

The court website at portal-camariposa.tylertech.cloud has a public portal. Type in a party name or case number to see a list of filings and court dates. This portal shows when the case was filed, what type of case it is, and the current status. You cannot view the actual documents online. Those must be requested from the clerk. Older cases from before 1999 may not show up in the online system. For those, you need to call or visit in person. The clerk can search the paper index if needed.

Divorce Record Fees in Mariposa County

Mariposa County follows state fee rules. A certified divorce decree runs $15. Copy fees are 50 cents per page. If you need the clerk to do a search that takes over 10 minutes, that adds $15 per name. Most searches are fast if you have a case number. Searches by name only can take longer, especially for common names.

Payment methods include cash, check, or money order. Make checks out to Mariposa Superior Court. Some credit or debit cards may work at the counter, but call first to confirm. Mail orders must include a check or money order. Do not send cash through the mail. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the records mailed back to you. Otherwise, the clerk will call when your order is ready for pickup. Mail requests can take one to two weeks depending on whether the file is on-site or in storage.

Using the Online Case Portal

The Tyler Technologies portal is free to use. No login is needed for basic searches. Go to portal-camariposa.tylertech.cloud and click on the public case search link. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney name. Results show a list of cases that match your search. Click on a case to see the docket, which lists all the filings in that case. Each entry shows the date, the type of document, and who filed it.

The portal does not show scanned copies of documents. To get the actual papers, you must request them from the clerk. Some case information is sealed or confidential and will not show up online. Juvenile cases and certain family law details are restricted by law. If you see a case but cannot access some filings, that may mean those records are sealed. The clerk can explain what is available and what is not. California courts must protect privacy in family law cases under Family Code Section 2024 and related rules.

Cases from 1999 to the present should appear in the portal. Older cases may be in the system but with less detail. If you are looking for a case from the 1980s or 1990s, the online record might just show the case number and parties without much else. Call the clerk at 209-966-2005 to ask about older records. They can check the archives and tell you if a file still exists. Some very old files may have been destroyed after the legal retention period ended, but divorce judgments are usually kept permanently.

California Divorce Filing Rules

To file for divorce in Mariposa County, one spouse must live in California for at least six months and in Mariposa County for at least three months before filing. These are the residency rules under Family Code Section 2320. The filing fee is about $435 to $450 depending on the year and any legislative changes. Fee waivers are available if you cannot afford to pay. Ask the clerk for form FW-001 to apply for a waiver.

California is a no-fault divorce state. You do not need to prove wrongdoing. The only grounds are irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity under Family Code Section 2310. Once you file, there is a mandatory six-month waiting period before the court can finalize the divorce. This is set in Family Code Section 2339. Even if both spouses agree on everything, the court cannot enter a final judgment until six months after the date the petition was served. The judgment restores both parties to unmarried status and divides property and debts as ordered.

Who Can Access Divorce Records

Most divorce records are public in California. Anyone can request a copy of a divorce decree from the court. You do not need to be a party to the case or have a legal reason to ask. This openness is part of California's public records law. But some parts of divorce files are confidential by law. Financial disclosures, child custody reports, and some settlement terms may be sealed. The court must protect children's privacy in family cases.

If you are a party to the case, you have full access to your own file. If you are not a party, you can still get the judgment and many filings, but you might not get everything. Ask the clerk what is available. If a document is sealed, the clerk cannot release it without a court order. Only a judge can unseal a record. If you think you need a sealed document for a legal matter, talk to a lawyer about filing a motion to unseal. The court will decide if there is good cause to release it.

Mariposa County Court Contact

Reach the clerk by phone at 209-966-2005. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The courthouse is at 5088 Bullion Street, Mariposa, CA 95338. Parking is free on the street and in the lot. Bring ID if you plan to view records or pick up copies. The clerk can answer questions about fees, processing times, and how to request records by mail. If you need legal advice about your divorce case, contact a family law attorney. The clerk cannot give legal advice but can point you to self-help resources.

For general court info, visit the Mariposa County Superior Court website at mariposa.courts.ca.gov. The site has forms, local rules, and contact info for different court divisions. If you need help filling out divorce forms, the California Judicial Council self-help site at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce-forms has step-by-step guides and all the statewide forms you need. Mariposa County uses the same forms as every other California county, so you can download them from the state site and file them at the local courthouse.

Nearby Counties

Mariposa County borders several other counties. If your divorce was filed in a nearby county, you need to contact that county's Superior Court. Tuolumne County to the north has its court in Sonora. Madera County to the south has its court in Madera. Merced County to the west has its court in Merced. Each county keeps its own records and has its own fees and procedures. Links to those courts can be found on the California counties page.