Find Mendocino County Divorce Records

The Mendocino County Superior Court keeps all divorce records. Their office is at 100 North State Street, Room 108, in Ukiah. If you need a copy of a divorce decree or want to search for a case, contact the clerk at court.administration@mendocino.courts.ca.gov or visit during business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The court also has an online case search tool called re:SearchCA where you can look up basic case info. For certified copies of divorce judgments, the fee is $15 plus 50 cents per page for any extra pages. Other certified documents cost $40 plus copy fees. If the clerk needs to search for a case without a case number, that can add a $15 search fee. Mail orders should allow up to 30 days for processing. Walk-in requests are usually faster if the file is on-site.

How to Get Divorce Records

Walk into the clerk's office at 100 North State Street, Room 108, in Ukiah. The staff can help you request copies or view files. Bring the case number if you have it. If not, give them the full names of both parties and an approximate year. The clerk will search the index. Searches that take over 10 minutes may cost $15 per name under Government Code Section 68152. If the file is at an off-site storage facility, it can take extra time to retrieve. Ask the clerk for an estimate.

Certified copies have the court seal and a signature from the clerk. You need these for legal purposes like remarriage or Social Security. The cost is $15 for a certified divorce decree under Government Code Section 70674. Other documents like agreements or orders cost $40 for certification plus 50 cents per page. You can also get non-certified copies for personal use at 50 cents per page. Pay by cash, check, or money order at the counter. Checks should be made out to Mendocino Superior Court.

Mail orders must include a written request with the case number or party names, your contact info, and payment. Send a check or money order. Do not mail cash. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want records mailed back. Otherwise the clerk will notify you when they are ready for pickup. Processing can take up to 30 days for mail requests depending on volume and whether the file needs to be pulled from storage. The mailing address is Mendocino County Superior Court, 100 North State Street, Room 108, Ukiah, CA 95482.

Using the Online Case Search

Mendocino County uses re:SearchCA for public case lookups. The portal is at researchca.tylerhost.net. You can search by name, case number, or date range. The system shows basic info like the case type, filing date, status, and parties. It does not show scanned documents. To get actual copies of filings, you must request them from the clerk.

The portal is free to use. No account or payment is needed for basic searches. Results appear in a list. Click on a case to see more detail. You will see a docket, which is a list of all filings in that case. Each entry has a date, document type, and filing party. Some entries may say "confidential" or "sealed" if the law restricts access. Family law cases often have sealed financial documents or custody reports that do not show up online.

If you cannot find a case in the online system, it may be too old or not yet entered into the database. Call the clerk at 707-463-4664 for help with older records. The staff can search paper indexes if needed. Some cases from before the 1990s may not be digitized. The clerk can tell you if a file exists and how to request it. Very old records may be archived at a separate location, which adds to the processing time.

Divorce Record Fees

Here are the main fees for Mendocino County divorce records:

• Certified divorce decree: $15
• Copies: $0.50 per page
• Certification of other documents: $40 plus copy fees
• Name search (over 10 minutes): $15 per name

If you are a public agency like another government office, the certified copy fee may be lower. Ask the clerk about agency rates. Fee waivers are available if you cannot afford to pay. You need to fill out a form and show proof of low income. The clerk can provide the fee waiver application form FW-001. If approved, you can get copies at no charge. This applies to parties in the case, not to third parties requesting records.

Divorce Filing Requirements in Mendocino County

To file for divorce in Mendocino County, one spouse must have lived in California for at least six months and in Mendocino County for at least three months. This rule comes from Family Code Section 2320. The filing fee is around $435 to $450 depending on legislative updates. If you cannot pay, ask for a fee waiver form at the clerk's office.

California does not require fault for divorce. The only legal grounds are irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity, as stated in Family Code Section 2310. Most divorces cite irreconcilable differences. Once the petition is filed and served, there is a six-month waiting period before the court can finalize the divorce. This is mandatory under Family Code Section 2339. Even if both parties agree on all terms, the judgment cannot be entered until six months from the date of service. This gives both parties time to settle property, support, and custody issues.

All California counties use the same basic divorce forms. You can download them from the Judicial Council website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce-forms. The main forms are FL-100 (Petition), FL-110 (Summons), FL-120 (Response), and FL-180 (Judgment). If you and your spouse agree on everything, you can file a joint petition using form FL-700. The Mendocino County clerk will accept these statewide forms. Some local rules may apply, so check with the court or visit their website at mendocino.courts.ca.gov for details.

Who Can Request Divorce Records

Divorce judgments are public records in California. Anyone can request a copy. You do not need to be a party to the case or show a reason. This is part of the state's open records policy. But some documents in the divorce file may be sealed or confidential. Financial disclosures, child custody evaluations, and certain settlement terms are often restricted by court order or by law. The clerk cannot release sealed documents without a judge's approval.

If you are a party to the case, you have full access to your own file including sealed items. If you are not a party, you can get the judgment and most filings, but not sealed records. If you need a sealed document for a legal matter, you must file a motion in court to unseal it. The judge will decide if there is good cause. Talk to a lawyer if you need help with that process. The court must protect children's privacy and comply with family law confidentiality rules under California Rules of Court.

Contact Mendocino County Superior Court

Reach the court by email at court.administration@mendocino.courts.ca.gov or by phone. The main courthouse is at 100 North State Street, Room 108, Ukiah, CA 95482. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking is available near the courthouse. Bring ID if you plan to view records or pick up copies. The clerk can answer questions about fees, how to request records, and what documents are available. They cannot give legal advice about your case. For legal help, contact a family law attorney or visit the court's self-help center.

The Mendocino County Superior Court website is at mendocino.courts.ca.gov. The site has local forms, court calendars, and contact info for different divisions. If you need help with divorce forms or procedures, the California courts self-help site at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov has guides and videos. You can also call the court's family law facilitator if Mendocino County has one. That office provides free help to people representing themselves in family cases.

Nearby County Courts

If your divorce was filed in a neighboring county, contact that county's court. Mendocino County borders Lake County to the east, Sonoma County to the south, Humboldt County to the north, and Trinity County to the northeast. Each county maintains its own records. Links to other California county courts can be found on the counties page.