Search Placer County Court Records

Placer County court records are maintained by the Superior Court of California, County of Placer, which serves a fast-growing population of over 400,000 residents in the Sacramento foothills and Lake Tahoe area. The court operates locations in Roseville and Auburn. You can search for civil, criminal, family law, probate, and small claims records through the court's online portal or by visiting the clerk's office in person. This page explains how to find court records in Placer County, the fees involved, and what resources are available to help you.

Placer County Court Records Online Search

The Placer County Superior Court provides an online portal for searching court records. The Placer Online Portal lets you look up case information by name or case number. It covers civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and small claims cases. You can check the register of actions, hearing dates, and case status without visiting the courthouse.

Here is the Placer County online portal page where you can start your court records search.

The portal is powered by Journal Technologies and gives you access to case index data for Placer County court records.

Remote access has some limits. Under California Rules of Court Rule 2.503, full documents in family law, criminal, and certain other case types are not available for remote viewing. You can see the register of actions and case index online, but detailed filings in those categories need an in-person visit. Civil case records have the fewest limits on what you can access through the Placer County online system.

The court does not charge a fee for basic online case lookups. If you need document copies, standard per-page charges apply. The online portal is a good first step for checking whether a case exists and what its current status is before making a trip to the courthouse for full records.

Visiting the Placer County Courthouse

The main courthouse for Placer County is in Roseville. This is where most civil, criminal, and family law cases are handled. The Historic Courthouse in Auburn also handles some case types, mainly traffic and some criminal matters. Bring a valid photo ID to view court records at either location. You can review files on site at no cost. Fees only apply when you ask for copies.

Staff at the clerk's office can look up cases by name or case number. If you need a record search and it takes more than 10 minutes, a $15.00 fee applies. The clerk can also certify copies for you while you wait, though busy days might mean a short delay. Both courthouses have public access terminals where you can search the same system that powers the online portal.

Placer County Court Record Fees

Placer County uses the statewide fee schedule for court records. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $40.00 per document. The search fee is $15.00 when the clerk needs more than 10 minutes to find your record. Comparing a copy with the original costs $1.00 per page. Exemplification runs $50.00 per document.

Certified copies of dissolution judgments are $15.00 in Placer County. This is a lower rate than the standard certification fee and is set by Government Code section 70674. If you need documents for court use or legal proceedings, certified copies carry the court seal and are accepted as official records.

Fee waivers are available for low-income individuals. Ask the clerk or the self-help center about the process. The court will review your income and may waive some or all fees for copies and filings.

Note: Mail-in requests for Placer County court records should include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for the estimated fees.

Court Record Types in Placer County

The Placer County Superior Court handles all trial-level cases. Civil records include lawsuits, property disputes, contract claims, and personal injury cases. Criminal records cover felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions filed in the county. Family law records hold divorce, child custody, child support, and restraining order cases. Probate records deal with wills, estates, and guardianships. Small claims records are for disputes under the state dollar limit, and traffic violations also generate court records.

Retention periods follow state law. Civil case records stay on file for 10 years. Criminal felony records last 75 years. Family law files are kept for 30 years. Some records like adoptions and name changes are permanent. The court destroys older records once the retention period runs out, so earlier cases may not be available depending on when they were filed in Placer County.

Legal Help for Placer County

The Placer County Superior Court runs a self-help center that assists people with court records, forms, and procedures. Staff can point you in the right direction but do not give legal advice. The Legal Services of Northern California provides free legal help to qualifying low-income residents in Placer County. Call (916) 551-2150 for more details.

The California Courts Self-Help Center has statewide guides and forms that apply to Placer County cases. If you need a private attorney, the Placer County Bar Association offers a lawyer referral service. For general questions about court records and how to access them, the clerk's office at either courthouse can help point you to the right resources.

Cities in Placer County

Placer County stretches from the Sacramento suburbs to the Sierra Nevada mountains. All cases file through the Placer County Superior Court. Roseville is the largest city and has the main courthouse:

Other cities and communities in Placer County include Auburn, Rocklin, Lincoln, Loomis, and the North Lake Tahoe area. All court cases from these areas go through the Placer County Superior Court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Placer County. Each has its own court system and keeps separate records.