Sonoma County Divorce Records

Sonoma County Superior Court keeps all divorce records at the courthouse located at 600 Administration Drive, Room 110-J, in Santa Rosa. When you need copies of divorce decrees or want to search for case information, the Records Division handles all requests through in-person visits, mail orders, or online submissions. You can reach the Records Division at 707-521-6670 during office hours from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For a certified copy of a divorce decree, the court charges fifteen dollars, and you can submit your request using the online form at forms.office.com or by mailing a written request with payment to the Santa Rosa courthouse. Cases filed before 1984 may be in archived storage, which can add processing time of several weeks to retrieve and copy older files.

Contact Sonoma Superior Court Records

The Records Division is at 600 Administration Drive, Room 110-J, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Phone them at 707-521-6670. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. The office closes for holidays and court closures, so call ahead if you're planning a trip.

Santa Rosa is the county seat and the main location for court records. All divorce cases filed in Sonoma County are stored here. There are no branch locations for obtaining records. Residents from other parts of the county, such as Petaluma, Rohnert Park, or Windsor, must contact the Santa Rosa courthouse for divorce records.

When you call or visit, be ready with your case number or both party names and the year the divorce was filed. The clerk needs this info to find your file. If the case is recent, the file is on-site. Older cases may be in storage, which takes longer to retrieve.

The court's website has information on record requests and fees. You can also download forms for certain types of record requests. For divorce decrees, use the online request form linked from the court's site or mail a written request.

Submit an Online Record Request

Sonoma County offers an online form at forms.office.com where you can request copies of court records. Fill out the form with your contact info, the case number or party names, and what documents you need. The court will review your request and contact you with the cost and payment instructions. Once you pay, they process the request and mail or email the copies to you.

The online form is convenient if you can't visit the courthouse in person. It's faster than regular mail because the clerk gets your request immediately. However, you still need to wait for them to process it and send the copies. Processing time is typically one to two weeks for recent cases, longer for archived files.

After you submit the form, the Records Division will email or call you with the cost. They accept payment by credit card, check, or money order. Once they receive payment, they make the copies and send them. If your case is archived, they'll let you know it will take extra time to retrieve.

If you prefer, you can still mail a written request. Send it to Sonoma County Superior Court, Records Division, 600 Administration Drive, Room 110-J, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Include the case number, party names, your mailing address, and a check for the estimated fees. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want copies mailed back.

Costs for Divorce Records

Sonoma County charges standard California fees for divorce records:

• Certified dissolution decree: $15.00
• Other certified documents: $40.00
• Copies: $0.50 per page
• Research fee: $15.00 for searches over 10 minutes
• Storage retrieval: $5.00 per file for archived cases

The fifteen-dollar fee for certified divorce decrees comes from Government Code Section 70674. This is the same fee in every California county. The fifty-cent per page copy fee is in Government Code Section 70627.

If your case is in storage, the court charges an extra five dollars per file for retrieval. This covers the cost of staff time to locate and pull the file from the archives. Cases from before 1984 are likely in storage. Ask the Records Division before you pay to confirm whether your case is on-site or archived.

Payment can be by check, money order, or credit card. Make checks payable to Sonoma Superior Court. Write the case number on the memo line. Do not mail cash. If paying by credit card, the clerk will take your card info over the phone or you can pay in person.

Older Divorce Cases

Sonoma County has divorce records going back over a century. Cases prior to 1984 may be archived at an off-site storage facility. The Records Division can retrieve archived files, but it takes longer. Allow two to six weeks for archived records. Recent cases are on-site and can be copied much faster.

The California Department of Public Health kept basic divorce records from 1962 through June 1984. These are not full court files, just a Certificate of Record showing party names, county, date, and case number. If your divorce falls in that time frame, you can order a certificate from CDPH Vital Records by mail at P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. The fee is eighteen dollars. Processing takes many weeks, sometimes over six months. After June 1984, CDPH has no divorce records.

For legal purposes, always get records from the Superior Court. CDPH certificates are useful for genealogy or basic proof of divorce, but they aren't detailed enough for most legal transactions. The court's certified copy of the divorce decree is what you need for changing your name, remarrying, or proving marital status.

When requesting old records, give as much detail as you can. Include both party names, maiden names if known, and the year or decade of the divorce. The more info you provide, the easier it is for the clerk to locate the file. Be patient and allow extra time for archived cases.

How to Get Your Divorce Decree

Start by finding your case number. Check any old court papers you have. If you don't have the number, call the Records Division at 707-521-6670 and give them both party names and the approximate year of the divorce. They can look it up for you. Once you have the case number, you can request a certified copy.

Use the online form, visit in person, or mail your request. The online form is at forms.office.com. Fill it out with the case number and your contact info. The court will email you with the cost and payment instructions. Pay, and they'll mail the decree to you.

In person, go to Room 110-J at 600 Administration Drive in Santa Rosa. Bring the case number and photo ID. Fill out a request form. Pay the fee at the window. If the file is on-site, you may get the copy the same day. If it's archived, they'll mail it to you once they retrieve it.

By mail, send a written request with the case number, a check for fifteen dollars payable to Sonoma Superior Court, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Address it to Sonoma County Superior Court, Records Division, 600 Administration Drive, Room 110-J, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Processing time is one to two weeks for recent cases, longer for archived files.

Certified copies have an official stamp and signature. You need a certified copy for legal matters like name changes, remarriage, or proving marital status. Regular copies are fine for personal records but won't work for official transactions.

California Divorce Laws

California is a no-fault divorce state. The only grounds are irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity, as stated in Family Code Section 2310. Nearly all divorces cite irreconcilable differences. You don't have to prove wrongdoing by either spouse.

Residency requirements come from Family Code Section 2320. One spouse must live in California for six months and in Sonoma County for three months before filing. Once you file and serve papers, there's a mandatory six-month wait before the divorce can be finalized. That's under Family Code Section 2339.

Divorce judgments are permanent public records. Government Code Section 68152 requires courts to keep divorce decrees forever. Anyone can request a copy unless the case is sealed by court order, which is rare.

Help with Divorce Matters

Sonoma County Superior Court offers a Family Law Facilitator who provides free help to self-represented parties. Contact the court at 707-521-6670 to ask about the Facilitator's office hours and services. They can explain forms, answer procedural questions, and help you navigate the divorce process.

The California Courts website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov has guides on filing for divorce, responding to a divorce petition, and handling custody and support issues. You can download forms and read step-by-step instructions.

Legal Aid of Sonoma County may offer free or low-cost legal services to low-income residents. They handle family law cases including divorce, custody, and domestic violence. Check their website or call their intake line to see if you qualify for assistance.

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 Sonoma County.

Divorce Records in Surrounding Counties

Sonoma County borders several other counties. If your divorce was filed elsewhere, contact that county's court. Marin County to the south has its courthouse in San Rafael. Napa County to the east is in Napa. Mendocino County to the north is in Ukiah. Lake County to the northeast is in Lakeport. Each has its own court system and record procedures.

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. If you're unsure, call the Sonoma County Records Division and ask. They can sometimes check 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.