Ventura County Divorce Records

Ventura County Superior Court maintains divorce records at the Hall of Justice in Ventura and the Juvenile Courthouse in Oxnard. The Hall of Justice Records Department at 800 South Victoria Avenue, Room 218, handles most divorce record requests and can be reached at 805-289-8668 during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The court offers an online case portal at ventura.ecourt.com where you can search for divorce cases filed from September 1, 1991, onward. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs fifteen dollars and includes all pages with no additional per-page fee, making it unique among California counties, while other certified documents cost forty dollars plus fifty cents per page, and name searches cost fifteen dollars for up to fifteen names at once.

Where to Get Divorce Records

The Hall of Justice Records Department is at 800 South Victoria Avenue, Room 218, in Ventura. This is the main location for divorce record requests. Call 805-289-8668. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Juvenile Courthouse at 4353 Vineyard Avenue, Room 122, in Oxnard also handles some record requests and can be reached at 805-289-8820 during the same hours.

Ventura is the county seat and the primary location for court records. All divorce cases filed in Ventura County are stored in the court system and accessible from the Records Department. The county also has courthouses in other cities, but divorce record requests go through the main Records Department in Ventura or the Juvenile Courthouse in Oxnard.

When you call or visit, have your case number ready if possible. If you don't have it, provide both party names and the year the divorce was filed. The clerk will search for your case. Name searches cost fifteen dollars for up to fifteen names, so you can search for multiple cases in one request if needed.

Search Cases Online

Ventura County has an online case portal at ventura.ecourt.com. You can search for divorce cases by party name or case number. The portal covers family law cases from September 1, 1991, to the present. It shows basic case information like filing dates, case status, and hearing schedules. It's free to search and you don't need to register.

To search, enter a party name or case number. The system returns matching cases. Click on a case to see details. Some documents may be viewable online, but not all files are fully digitized. If you need official certified copies, you must request them from the Records Department and pay the copy fees.

The online portal is useful for finding your case number and checking case status. If your divorce was before September 1991, the case may not appear online. Call the Records Department at 805-289-8668 and they can search for older cases manually.

How to Get Divorce Decrees

Start by using the online portal to find your case number. Once you have it, you can request a certified copy of the divorce decree. In person, go to the Hall of Justice Records Department at 800 South Victoria Avenue, Room 218, in Ventura during office hours. Bring photo ID and the case number. Fill out a request form. Pay the fee. Processing time depends on how busy the office is.

By mail, send a written request with the case number, a check for fifteen dollars, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Make the check payable to Ventura Superior Court. Address your request to Ventura County Superior Court, Records Department, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Room 218, Ventura, CA 93009. Processing time for mail requests is typically two to four weeks.

If you don't have the case number, include both party names and the year the divorce was filed. The clerk will charge fifteen dollars for a name search covering up to fifteen names. This is in addition to the cost of copies. To avoid the search fee, use the online portal first to get the case number.

Certified copies have an official court stamp and signature. You need certification for legal purposes like changing your name, remarrying, or proving marital status. Regular copies are fine for personal use but won't work for official transactions.

Divorce Record Fees

Ventura County has a unique fee structure for divorce decrees. A certified divorce decree costs fifteen dollars and that includes all pages. There is no additional per-page fee for divorce decrees. This makes Ventura County one of the most affordable counties in California for getting a complete divorce decree.

Other fees in Ventura County:

• Certified divorce decree: $15.00 (complete, no per-page fee)
• Other certified documents: $40.00 plus $0.50 per page
• Regular copies: $0.50 per page
• Name search: $15.00 for up to 15 names

The fifteen-dollar fee for certified divorce decrees comes from Government Code Section 70674. Ventura County applies this fee to the entire decree rather than charging per page like most other counties.

Payment can be by check, money order, or credit card in person. Make checks payable to Ventura Superior Court. Write the case number on the memo line. Do not mail cash. If you're unsure of the cost, call 805-289-8668 and ask.

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 Ventura County for three months before filing. Once you file and serve papers, there's a mandatory six-month waiting period 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

Ventura County Superior Court offers a Family Law Facilitator who provides free assistance to self-represented parties. Contact the Records Department at 805-289-8668 to ask about the Facilitator's schedule and services. They can help with forms, answer procedural questions, and explain divorce requirements.

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

Legal aid organizations may offer free or low-cost help to low-income residents. Contact legal services in Ventura County to see if you qualify for assistance with family law matters.

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 Ventura County.