Divorce Records in San Benito County

San Benito County keeps divorce records at the Superior Court in Hollister. The courthouse is at 450 Fourth Street in Hollister, California 95023. Phone is (831) 636-4057. If you need to search for a divorce case or get copies of divorce documents, you contact the court clerk. The court has an online case portal where you can search by name or case number and view basic case information. The portal does not let you download full documents, but it shows you a list of filings in the case. For certified copies of a divorce decree or other documents, you must request them from the clerk and pay the standard California court fees. San Benito County is a small county so the clerk staff can often help you quickly.

San Benito County Superior Court

The San Benito County Superior Court is located at 450 Fourth Street in Hollister, California 95023. The main phone number is (831) 636-4057. This is a small courthouse that handles all case types including family law, civil, criminal, and traffic matters. The court is open during regular business hours on weekdays and closed on weekends and court holidays. If you need to visit in person, bring photo ID. You will go through security screening at the entrance.

All divorce records in San Benito County are kept at this courthouse. When someone files for divorce in San Benito County, the case goes into the court database. The file includes the petition, response, financial disclosures, and the final judgment. The clerk office maintains these files and can provide copies to anyone who requests them. Recent files are usually 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 divorce records in person, by phone, or by mail. In-person requests are often the fastest. If you visit the courthouse, tell the clerk you need a copy of a divorce decree or other divorce documents. Provide the case number if you have it. If not, give the names of both parties and the year the divorce was filed. The clerk will search the system and locate the file. If the file is on-site, you may be able to get copies the same day. Mail requests take longer but are convenient if you cannot visit the courthouse.

Search Divorce Cases Online

San Benito County has an online case portal for public access to court records. The portal URL is portal.sanbenito.courts.ca.gov/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 create an account. Just enter your search terms and click search.

The online portal shows a docket for each case. The docket is a list of all the filings, hearings, and court orders in the case. This helps you see what happened in the divorce. For example, you can see when the petition was filed, when the response was filed, and when the final judgment was entered. The portal does not let you download full 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.

Fees for San Benito County Divorce Records

A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $15 in San Benito County. This is the standard fee set by California law under Government Code Section 70674. The fee covers certification and the first page. Additional 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 search for your case for more than 10 minutes, 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 as much detail as you can helps avoid this fee. Make checks payable to San Benito Superior Court. If ordering by mail, include the check with your request letter. 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.

California Divorce Law

To file for divorce in San Benito County, at least one spouse must have lived in California for six months and in San Benito County for three months before filing. This residency requirement is in Family Code Section 2320. If you do not meet this requirement, you must file in a different county or wait until you do.

California is a no-fault divorce state. The legal grounds for divorce are irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity. Most divorces cite irreconcilable differences. This is covered in Family Code Section 2310. Once the divorce petition is filed and the other spouse is served, there is a mandatory six-month waiting period before the divorce can be finalized. This requirement is in Family Code Section 2339. The six months start on the date the other party is served with the summons and petition.

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 records should still exist in the court files. However, some documents in a divorce case are confidential. This includes child custody reports and some financial documents. The clerk can tell you what is available to the public and what is not.

Divorce Forms and Filing

All California courts use the same set of divorce forms. The Judicial Council creates these forms and updates them regularly. The main forms for a divorce are the Petition (FL-100), Summons (FL-110), and Response (FL-120). You can download these for free from the California Courts self-help website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce-forms. The site also has instructions for each form.

The filing fee to start a divorce in San Benito County is $435 to $450 depending on whether you have minor children. If you cannot afford 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. San Benito County may have self-help resources or a family law facilitator to help with divorce paperwork. Call the courthouse at (831) 636-4057 and ask what services are available.

How to Request Records by Mail

To request divorce records by mail, write a letter to the San Benito County Superior Court Clerk. The address is 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, CA 95023. In your letter, state that you want a certified copy of a divorce decree or other divorce documents. Include the case number if you have it. If not, provide the full names of both parties and the year the divorce was filed. The more details you give, the easier it is for the clerk to find the right case.

Include a check or money order for the fees. If you are ordering a certified divorce decree, send $15 plus $0.50 for each additional page beyond the first. If you do not know how many pages the decree is, you can send an estimated amount and the clerk will let you know if more is needed. Also include your return address and a phone number in case the clerk needs to reach you. Some people include a self-addressed stamped envelope to make it easier for the clerk to send the copies back.

Once the court receives your request, the clerk will search for the case and prepare the copies. Most mail requests are processed within a few weeks. If the clerk cannot find the case or if there is a problem, they will contact you by phone or mail. Make sure your contact information is clear in your letter.

Nearby Counties

San Benito County is in Central California. It borders several other counties. To the west is Santa Clara County and Monterey County. To the north is Santa Clara County. To the east is Merced County and Fresno County. To the south is Monterey 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. San Benito County cannot provide records from another county.