Stanislaus County, California Court Records
Stanislaus County court records are legal records created and maintained by the various courts in Stanislaus County, California. Such records include a wide range of document types, such as calendars, indexes, dockets, case summaries, files, and e-records, that contain information about every court proceeding. These records are created by the county clerk’s office and maintained within the clerk’s office records management unit.
Among the different categories of court records in Stanislaus County are civil and criminal court records. Civil court records include court documents from non-criminal disputes and lawsuits between citizens and organizations in Stanislaus County. Examples of these records include vital records from divorce, birth, and marriage. Stanislaus County courts produce criminal court records from arrest information and criminal reports from law enforcement offices.
Are Stanislaus County Court Records Public?
Yes, most Stanislaus County court records are public documents and must be made available by their custodian per Rule 8.83 of the California court rules and the California Public Records Act. These laws mandate that county clerk’s offices make court records available to citizens in different formats, unless they are exempt from public access or sealed by a court order.
Specific types of Stanislaus County court documents are exempt from public access by state statutes because they contain information that, if made public, would constitute an invasion of privacy. Some examples of Stanislaus County court records that are exempt from public disclosure include
- Juvenile court records
- Mental health records
- Court Records from sexual abuse proceedings
- Guardianship and conservatorship records
County court rules also stipulate that personal information such as social security numbers, driver’s licenses, addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of parties, victims, witnesses, and court personnel must be redacted from public court documents before they are made available to the public.
What Information is Available in Stanislaus County Court Records?
Some of the general Information available in Stanislaus County court records includes:
- Names of the defendant, prosecutors, and other parties
- Case number
- Case type (civil, criminal, probate)
- Case title
- Name of presiding judges
- Name of attorney or law firm
- Date when the case was filed
- Hearing dates
- Motions, pleadings, injunctions
- Appeal information
- Court dates
Stanislaus County Court Records Search
Anyone who wants to find court records in stsnis las cunty can do so using the following request methods provided by the court’s administrative authorities.
Online Access
Court record seekers in Stanislaus County can obtain copies of certified court records by searching the Stanislaus County online public court records portal. The portal is an online tool that provides access to court documents from the Stanislaus County Superior Court. Users can search the portal by specifying the case type (civil, criminal, probate) and then providing one or a combination of the following keywords.
- Case number
- First or last name of a party
- Name of a business
- Date range of case filing
The portal is free to use and provides basic details about any case handled in the superior court in Stanislaus County. For a more comprehensive court case file, users will have to visit the superior court in person or make requests by mail.
In-Person Access
Visitors can walk into the Stanislaus County Recorder’s Office to request copies of comprehensive case records and even court documents with confidential status. In-person visits should be done during the court’s work hours and will require that requesters complete a standard records request form and submit it to the court authorities. Alternatively, individuals can use the self-service computers in the county court lobby to search for documents.
Mail and Phone Requests
Individuals can submit written requests that comply with the California public records law and send them to the superior court clerk’s office to request records. The request should be enclosed in a stamped, self-addressed envelope and include payment for the requested order by check or money order. Requests cannot be completed over the phone. However, individuals can call the county clerk’s office to inquire about a record and to resolve complaints related to the record request process.
Fees for Court Records in Stanislaus County
The standard fees for accessing court records in Stanislaus County are based on the fee guidelines set forth in California Rules of Court, Rule 10.500. The following are some of the standard fees for accessing court records in Stanislaus County.
- Research fee- $15
- Court transcripts -$5
- Case summaries -$10
- Record certification- $10
- Extra copies of documents - $0.50
Stanislaus County Courthouse Locations
The Stanislaus County judicial system consists of one central court: the Stanislaus County Superior Court. The superior court has five (5) locations that handle various civil and criminal matters in the county. Below are the locations of each division of the superior court:
Stanislaus County Superior Court - City Towers
801 10th Street,
Modesto, CA 95354,
Phone: 209-530-3100
Stanislaus County Superior Court - Juvenile Court
2215 Blue Gum Avenue,
Modesto, CA 95358,
Phone: 209-530-3100
Stanislaus County Superior Court - Modesto Central
800 11th Street,
Modesto, CA 95354,
Phone: 209-530-3100
Stanislaus County Superior Court - Traffic Division
2260 Floyd Avenue,
Modesto, CA 95355,
Phone: 209-530-3100
Stanislaus County Superior Court - Turlock
300 Starr Avenue,
Turlock, CA 95380,
Phone: 209-530-3100
Criminal Records Access in Stanislaus County
The criminal division of the Stanislaus County Superior Court can provide interested persons with access to criminal records from cases it handles. Criminal records from the superior court can be requested by completing the Superior Court Criminal Records Request Form and submitting it to the superior court office. However, the criminal records from the Stanislaus County Superior Court are incomplete and do not provide a complete picture of an individual’s criminal history.
The California Department of Justice (DOJ) allows people to request their own criminal records and obtain comprehensive criminal records from Stanislaus County. Citizens can visit the DOJ office in person, provide fingerprint scans, and pay a $25 processing fee to submit a request. Any local Stanislause police department, sheriff’s office, or public application Live Scan website can provide fingerprinting services. Requesters can also download and fill out the DOJ’s Summary Criminal History Record form. The form should be enclosed with either a money order, a certified check payable to the "California Department of Justice," or a personal cheque drawn on a U.S. bank, and sent to the department’s mailing address.
California Department of Justice
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
PO BOX 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207
Eligible persons can also apply for a fee waiver when requesting criminal records from the California Department of Justice.
Stanislaus County Probate Records
Stanislaus County probate records are produced by the probate division of the county’s superior court. A probate record is any document related to the execution of a probate procedure in Stanislaus County. The probate procedure, as defined by the California Probate Code, is a court-supervised process in which a judge distributes a deceased person’s property to the heirs as specified in their will. In the event of intestate succession in the absence of a will, those distributions are carried out through the judicial system. Some examples of these probate records include
- Wills,
- Letters of appointment as executors, administrators, and attorneys
- Estate valuation and inventory records
- Probate financial records,
- Estate appraisal records
- Tax records
- List of claims against an estate
Stanislaus County probate records are public records under California law. However, the law contains special provisions that exempt specific categories of probate documents from public access. For example, probated wills are public documents available to anyone. However, death certificates, doctors’ reports of a decedent, financial statements, and estate valuations are not available to the public.
Stanislaus County Family Court Records
The Stanislaus County Family Court Division produces family court records for legal matters involving the home or family, such as divorce, legal separation, child custody, support, and domestic abuse. These records are mostly confidential because they contain very personal and private information; however, Access to these family court records generally depends on the type of document being requested.
Anyone interested in obtaining copies of Stanislaus County family court records can do so by requesting them in person or by mail from the family court clerk’s office. Requests can be completed by downloading and completing the Stanislaus County family court request form, then submitting it to the family court clerk’s office. Record seekers can also use the Superior Court’s Self-Help Center to search for non-confidential family court records.
Stanislaus County Family Law Clerk’s Office
1100 I Street, Modesto,
CA 95353-1098.
Federal Court Records in Stanislaus County
Federal cases in Stanislaus County are within the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. The court has five locations in California; however, the Fresno courthouse is the closest to Stanislaus County and handles federal cases in the county. Persons who want copies of federal court records in Stanislaus County can request them online through the District Court’s Public Access to Court Records (PACER) system. Alternatively, individuals can visit the district court to submit record requests in person.
