Search Sacramento County Divorce Records

Sacramento County stores divorce records at the Superior Court. The Family Relations Courthouse at 3341 Power Inn Road in Sacramento handles most family law cases including divorce filings. The courthouse is open from 8:30am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday. If you need copies of a divorce decree or other divorce documents, you contact the Civil Division at (916) 874-5522. The court also has an online case portal where you can search for divorce cases by name or case number. The portal shows basic case information and a list of filings but does not let you download full documents. For certified copies or full case files, you must request them from the clerk and pay the standard California court fees.

Sacramento County Superior Court

The Sacramento County Superior Court is the place to get divorce records. The Family Relations Courthouse sits at 3341 Power Inn Road in Sacramento, California 95826. The main phone number is (916) 875-3400. This courthouse handles all family law matters for the county including divorce, custody, child support, and domestic violence cases. The building is open from 8:30am to 4:00pm on weekdays. It is closed on weekends and court holidays.

For divorce record requests, you need to contact the Civil Division. Their phone number is (916) 874-5522. The Civil Division handles requests for copies of divorce decrees and other case documents. If you visit the courthouse in person, bring photo ID. Tell the clerk you need copies of a divorce decree or other divorce papers. Provide the case number if you have it. If not, give the names of both parties and the approximate year the divorce was filed. The clerk will search the system and locate the case file.

Sacramento County keeps divorce files dating back many years. Recent files are stored electronically and are easy to access. Older files may be on paper and stored in a different location. If your case is very old, the clerk may need extra time to retrieve the file. You can request records in person, by phone, or by mail. In-person requests are often the fastest. Mail requests take longer but are convenient if you cannot visit the courthouse.

Search Cases Online

Sacramento County offers an online case portal for public access to court records. The portal is at prod-portal-sacramento-ca.journaltech.com/public-portal. You can search by party name, case number, or attorney name. The system shows basic case information such as the filing date, case type, and a list of documents filed in the case. The portal is free to use. You do not need to register or create an account. Just enter your search terms and click search.

The portal shows a docket for each case. The docket is a list of all the filings, hearings, and court orders in the case. You can see when the petition was filed, when the response was filed, and when the final judgment was entered. This helps you confirm you have the right case before you request copies. The portal does not let you download documents. It is a search and index tool only. For copies of the actual divorce decree or other documents, you must contact the clerk and pay copy fees.

Some documents in family law cases are confidential under California court rules. These include child custody evaluations, financial disclosures, and mediation reports. The portal will list these documents by name and date but will not let you view them. If you need access to sealed or confidential documents, you may need a court order or consent from the parties. The clerk can explain what is available to the public and what requires special permission.

Cost of Divorce Records

A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $15 in Sacramento County. This is the standard fee set by California law under Government Code Section 70674. The fee covers certification and the first page. Extra pages cost $0.50 each. If you need other documents from the case file certified, the fee is $40 plus $0.50 per page under Government Code Section 70626. Regular photocopies without certification cost $0.50 per page.

If the clerk has to spend more than 10 minutes searching for your case, there may be a search fee of $15. This usually only applies when you do not have a case number and the clerk must search by name only. Providing detailed information helps avoid this fee. Make checks payable to Sacramento Superior Court. If ordering by mail, include the check with your request. If visiting in person, you can pay by cash, check, or credit card at the clerk window.

Processing times vary depending on how you request the records. In-person requests can be completed the same day if the file is on-site and the request is simple. Mail requests usually take a few weeks. The court does not publish exact timelines but most routine requests are processed within 10 to 20 business days. If the file is archived or off-site, it may take longer. The clerk will contact you if there are delays or if more information is needed.

Divorce Process in Sacramento County

Sacramento County has a divorce roadmap on the court website to help people understand the divorce process. The roadmap is at saccourt.ca.gov/family/divorce-roadmap.aspx. It explains each step from filing the petition to getting the final judgment. The site also has links to forms and instructions. This is a good resource if you are filing for divorce or just want to understand how the process works.

To file for divorce in Sacramento County, at least one spouse must have lived in California for six months and in Sacramento County for three months before filing. This residency requirement is in Family Code Section 2320. California is a no-fault state. The legal grounds for divorce are irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity. Most cases cite irreconcilable differences. This is covered in Family Code Section 2310.

After you file the petition and serve the other spouse, California law requires a six-month waiting period before the divorce can become final. This is required by Family Code Section 2339. The six months start on the date the other party is served with the summons and petition. Once the six months have passed and all issues are resolved, the court can enter the final judgment. The judgment is the legal document that ends the marriage.

Divorce Forms

All California courts use the same set of divorce forms. These are created by the Judicial Council and available for free online. The main forms are the Petition (FL-100), Summons (FL-110), and Response (FL-120). You can download these from the California Courts self-help website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce-forms. Each form comes with instructions that explain how to fill it out.

The filing fee to start a divorce in Sacramento County is $435 to $450 depending on whether you have minor children. If you cannot pay the fee, you can apply for a fee waiver using form FW-001. The court will review your income and may waive the fee if you qualify. Sacramento County has a Family Law Facilitator office that provides free help with divorce paperwork. The facilitator can help you fill out forms and understand the court process. Call the Family Relations Courthouse at (916) 875-3400 and ask for the facilitator.

Access to Divorce Records

Divorce judgments are public records in California. Anyone can request a copy. Government Code Section 68152 requires courts to keep divorce judgments permanently. This means even very old divorce cases should still be on file. However, some documents in a divorce case are confidential. This includes child custody evaluations, financial disclosures, and some other sensitive documents. The clerk can tell you what is available to the public and what is not.

If you are a party to the divorce, you have the right to see the entire case file including confidential documents. If you are not a party, you can only see public documents. You may need to show ID to prove you are a party to the case. The clerk can explain the access rules and help you get the documents you are entitled to see.

Nearby Counties

Sacramento County is in Northern California. It borders several other counties. To the west is Yolo County and Solano County. To the north is Sutter County and Placer County. To the east is Placer County and El Dorado County. To the south is San Joaquin County. If your divorce was filed in one of these counties, you need to contact that county court. Each county keeps its own divorce records. Sacramento County cannot provide records from another county.