Solano County Divorce Records Search

Divorce records in Solano County are kept by the Superior Court at 600 Union Avenue in Fairfield. The Family Division handles all divorce cases and maintains files for past and current matters. You can request copies of divorce decrees by visiting the courthouse in person, mailing a written request with payment, or calling the Family Division at 707-207-7340 to get instructions. Office hours run from 8 a.m. to noon, then 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The court also offers an online case portal at portal.solano.courts.ca.gov where you can search for divorce cases by name or case number without charge. To get a certified copy of a divorce decree, send a written request with the case number or both party names plus the year, include a check for fifteen dollars made out to Solano Superior Court, and add a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return mailing.

Contact Solano Superior Court

The main courthouse is at 600 Union Avenue in Fairfield. This is where all family law cases are filed and where records are stored. The Family Division phone number is 707-207-7340. You can also email familydivision@solano.courts.ca.gov with general questions, though you still need to submit formal record requests by mail or in person.

Counter hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office closes for lunch. If you plan to visit, arrive early so you have time to complete your request before the lunch break or closing time. Bring photo ID when requesting records in person. You'll need to fill out a request form and pay the fee at the clerk's window.

Fairfield is centrally located in Solano County, making it accessible from Vallejo, Vacaville, Benicia, Suisun City, and other parts of the county. The courthouse is near downtown Fairfield with street parking available. Public transit options exist but check schedules in advance.

Staff at the Family Division can answer questions about how to get divorce records, what fees apply, and how long processing takes. They can't give legal advice but they can explain the record request process. If you're unsure what documents you need, ask when you call or visit.

Search Cases Online

Solano County has a public case portal at portal.solano.courts.ca.gov. You can search for divorce cases by party name or case number. The portal shows basic case information like filing dates, case status, and upcoming hearings. Some case documents may be viewable online, but not all files are digitized.

Searching the portal is free. You don't need to register or create an account. Enter the name or case number and click search. The system returns matching results. If you get many results, try adding more details like a middle initial or the case year to narrow it down.

The online portal is useful for finding your case number, checking the status of a case, or seeing when hearings are scheduled. However, you can't download official certified copies through the portal. For those, you still need to request them from the clerk's office and pay the certification fee.

If your case doesn't appear online, it may be too old to be in the digital system yet. Call the Family Division and ask if they have the file. They can search manually even if the case isn't online.

How to Get a Divorce Decree

The easiest way is to start with the online portal. Look up your case and write down the case number. Then send a written request to the court. Your letter should include the case number, a statement that you want a certified copy of the divorce decree, and your mailing address. Enclose a check for fifteen dollars payable to Solano Superior Court. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope so they can mail the decree back to you.

If you don't have the case number, include both party names and the year the divorce was filed. The clerk will search for the case. This may add a small search fee if it takes more than ten minutes. To avoid extra charges, use the online portal first to get the case number.

Mail your request to Solano County Superior Court, Family Division, 600 Union Avenue, Fairfield, CA 94533. Processing time for mail requests is typically two to four weeks. In-person requests are faster, often same day if the file is readily available.

Certified copies have an official stamp and signature from the court clerk. You need a certified copy for legal purposes like changing your name on government documents, proving marital status for benefits, or getting remarried. Regular copies are fine for personal records but won't work for official transactions.

Fees for Divorce Records

Solano County charges the standard California fees for divorce records. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs fifteen dollars. This fee includes the certification and all pages of the judgment. Regular copies cost fifty cents per page if you just want a photocopy without certification. If the clerk needs to search for your case because you don't have the case number, they may charge an extra fifteen dollars for searches that take over ten minutes.

These fees are set by California law. Government Code Section 70674 establishes the fifteen-dollar fee for certified divorce decrees. Section 70627 covers the fifty-cent per page copy fee and the search fee. Solano County can't charge more or less than these amounts.

Payment by check or money order is required for mail requests. In person, the court may accept cash or credit cards. Call ahead to confirm. Make checks payable to Solano Superior Court. Write the case number on the memo line. Do not send cash through the mail.

If you're not sure how much to send, call the Family Division and ask for a cost estimate. They can tell you how many pages the decree has and confirm the total cost. This prevents delays from sending too little money or waiting for a refund if you send too much.

Divorce Records in Solano County Cities

Solano County includes the city of Vallejo, which has a population over 100,000. All divorce cases in Vallejo are filed and maintained at the Fairfield courthouse, not at any city office. Vallejo does not have a separate court for divorce matters. Residents of Vallejo must contact Solano County Superior Court for divorce records.

Other cities in Solano County, such as Vacaville, Fairfield, Benicia, and Suisun City, also rely on the same court system. There is only one Superior Court location for family law in the county, and it's in Fairfield. No matter where you live in Solano County, you go to the courthouse at 600 Union Avenue for divorce records.

If you live in Vallejo or another Solano County city and need divorce records, use the online portal or contact the Family Division at 707-207-7340. You can mail your request or drive to Fairfield to pick up records in person. The clerk's office serves all county residents equally.

California Divorce Law Basics

California is a no-fault divorce state. You don't need to prove anyone did anything wrong. The grounds for divorce are irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity, per Family Code Section 2310. Almost every divorce cites irreconcilable differences, which means the marriage is broken and can't be fixed.

Before you file in Solano County, one spouse must meet residency requirements. You need to live in California for six months and in Solano County for three months. This comes from Family Code Section 2320. If you haven't met the residency period, you can't file yet.

Once you file and serve the petition, the court imposes a six-month waiting period before the divorce can be finalized. This wait time is mandatory under Family Code Section 2339. The six months starts from the date the respondent is served with divorce papers. Even if you settle everything quickly, you can't get a final judgment until the six months pass.

Divorce judgments are permanent public records. Government Code Section 68152 requires courts to keep divorce decrees forever. That means you can request a copy anytime, no matter how old the case is. Some documents in the file may be sealed, especially those involving children, but the final judgment is almost always public.

Older Divorce Cases

Solano County has divorce records going back decades. Recent cases are in the online portal. Older cases may be in archives or on microfilm. The clerk's office can retrieve archived files, but it takes longer. Allow extra time if your divorce is from the 1980s or earlier.

The California Department of Public Health has limited divorce data from 1962 through June 1984. They don't keep full court files, just a Certificate of Record showing the names, county, date, and case number. If your divorce falls in that window, you can order a certificate from CDPH Vital Records by mail. The address is P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. The fee is eighteen dollars. Processing can take many weeks, sometimes over six months. After June 1984, CDPH stopped collecting divorce records. You must go through the county court.

When requesting old records, give as many details as you can. Include both party names, maiden names if applicable, and the year or decade of the divorce. The more info you provide, the easier it is for the clerk to find the file. Be patient if the case is very old. The clerk may need extra days to locate files that aren't digitized yet.

Help with Divorce Matters

If you're going through a divorce or need legal help, Solano County Superior Court offers a Family Law Facilitator who provides free assistance to self-represented parties. The Facilitator can explain forms, help you fill them out, and answer procedural questions. Contact the Family Division at 707-207-7340 to ask about the Facilitator's schedule and how to make an appointment.

The California Courts website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov has guides on filing for divorce, responding to a divorce petition, and handling issues like child custody and support. You can download forms and read step-by-step instructions. The site also lists legal aid organizations for people who can't afford a lawyer.

Legal Aid of Solano County may offer free or low-cost legal services to low-income residents. They handle family law cases including divorce, custody, and domestic violence matters. Check their website or call their intake line to see if you qualify. They have offices in Fairfield and serve Solano County residents.

If you need a private attorney, the State Bar of California has a lawyer referral service at calbar.ca.gov. You can search for licensed attorneys who practice family law in Solano County. Most offer a free or low-cost initial consultation.

Divorce Records in Surrounding Counties

Solano County borders several other counties. If your divorce was filed elsewhere, you need to contact that county's court. Napa County to the west has its courthouse in Napa. Yolo County to the north is in Woodland. Contra Costa County to the south has courthouses in Martinez and other cities. Sacramento County to the northeast is in Sacramento.

Make sure you know which county handled your divorce. The county where the petition was filed keeps the records. This may not be where you live now or where you lived at the time. If you're unsure, call the Solano County clerk's office and ask. They can sometimes check neighboring counties or point you in the right direction.

You can find contact information for all California courts at courts.ca.gov/find-my-court. The directory lists addresses, phone numbers, and websites for every county court in the state.