Berkeley Divorce Records

Divorce decree records for Berkeley are held by Alameda County Superior Court. All family law cases filed in Berkeley go through the county court. The main records office is in Alameda at 2233 Shoreline Drive. Your divorce file includes the petition, response, financial disclosures, settlement agreements, and the final judgment of dissolution. The court keeps these records indefinitely. You can request copies at any time after your case concludes. Certified copies cost $15 for the divorce decree. Plain copies are 50 cents per page. You can request records in person, by mail, or through the court's online portal for some documents.

Alameda County Court System

Alameda County has several courthouse locations. The main office for court records is at 2233 Shoreline Drive in Alameda. The phone number is (510) 891-6005. Hours are 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays. This office handles requests for certified copies and record searches.

Berkeley residents filed their divorce cases through the county court system. The specific courthouse depends on when you filed and where exactly in Berkeley you lived. All records end up in the central records office regardless of which courthouse initially handled the case.

You can search for cases online using the Alameda County court portal. The website is alameda.courts.ca.gov. The portal lets you look up cases by name or case number. You can see case summaries, filing dates, and lists of documents. California law prevents viewing the actual documents online, but you can see what exists in the file.

Record Request Process

To request records in person, go to the Alameda office at 2233 Shoreline Drive. Bring photo ID. Provide your case number if you have it. If you do not know the case number, give both parties' full names and approximate divorce date. Court staff will search for the case.

The search fee is $15 if you do not provide a case number and the search takes more than ten minutes. Most name searches exceed ten minutes. This fee is separate from copy fees. You pay both the search fee and the copy fees if a search is needed.

If the file is on site, you can usually get copies the same day. Files stored off-site require retrieval. There is a $10 file retrieval fee for off-site files. This applies to older cases that have been moved to archive storage. Allow extra time for off-site retrieval.

For mail requests, send your information to Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, 2233 Shoreline Drive, Alameda, CA 94501. Include the case number, both parties' full names, what documents you want, and payment. Use a check or money order payable to Alameda County Superior Court. Add return postage. Processing takes about four to six weeks for mail requests.

Fees and Costs

California law sets standard fees for court records across all counties. Certified copies of divorce decrees are $15 under Government Code Section 70674. This includes all pages of the judgment plus the certification.

Certified copies of other documents cost $40 plus 50 cents per page under Government Code Section 70626. The higher fee applies to orders, agreements, and other court documents that are not the final dissolution judgment.

Plain uncertified copies are 50 cents per page. Use these for your own reference. Get certified copies when you need official proof for agencies or other legal purposes.

The $15 search fee applies when you request records without a case number. If staff must search by name and it takes longer than ten minutes, you pay this fee. It is in addition to copy and certification fees.

The $10 file retrieval fee applies to cases in off-site storage. Ask when you call or visit if your case is stored off-site. This helps you know what fees to expect.

Online Case Access

Alameda County provides an online court portal for case lookups. You can access it from any computer. Search by party name, attorney name, or case number. The system covers family law, civil, probate, and other case types.

The portal shows case summary information. You can see the case number, filing date, case type, and party names. The register of actions lists all documents filed in the case. This tells you what is in the file.

You cannot view or download the actual documents through the portal. California Rules of Court prohibit remote access to family law documents. You must visit the courthouse to see the full file. Public access computers are available at the courthouse for free case viewing.

Legal Resources

The Alameda County Superior Court Self-Help Center provides free assistance with family law matters. They help with forms, procedures, and basic questions. Staff cannot give legal advice but can explain court processes and what forms you need.

Bay Area Legal Aid offers free legal services to low-income Berkeley residents. They handle divorce, custody, support, and domestic violence cases. Eligibility is based on income and case type. Contact their office for an intake screening to see if you qualify.

The Alameda County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. You can find family law attorneys who practice in the county. Many offer reduced-fee consultations through the referral program. This gives you a chance to discuss your situation with a lawyer and get advice.

Why You Need Your Divorce Decree

A certified divorce decree proves your marriage legally ended. You need it to remarry anywhere in the United States. County clerks require it before issuing a marriage license. Keep it in a safe place once you obtain it.

Government agencies use the decree to process name changes. If the decree changed your name back to a previous name, it serves as legal proof. The DMV, Social Security Administration, and passport offices all accept it. The decree must specifically state the name change for this purpose.

Banks and financial institutions may request a copy. They use it to verify marital status and update account records. Insurance companies need it to process beneficiary changes or remove a former spouse from policies.

Order multiple certified copies at once. Get three to five copies when you make your first request. Each costs $15, and having extras is convenient. You can submit copies to different agencies simultaneously instead of waiting to get your copy back from each one.

Privacy Protections

California restricts access to family law records to protect privacy. California Rules of Court Rule 2.503 prohibits remote electronic access to divorce documents. Courts can show case indexes and summaries online. The actual documents must be viewed at the courthouse.

Certain information in divorce files is confidential or sealed. Income and expense declarations may be restricted. Child custody evaluations are not public. Domestic violence cases may have sealed information to protect safety.

Only the parties to the case and their attorneys can view sealed portions of the file. The public version excludes sealed documents. If you need address confidentiality, ask the court about the Safe at Home program. This keeps your address out of public records.

Older Records

Alameda County maintains divorce records from many decades past. Very old files are in archive storage. The court can retrieve them, but it takes extra time. If your divorce was before 1980, expect longer processing times and the $10 retrieval fee.

The California Department of Public Health kept limited records from 1962 to June 1984. These are certificates of record, not full divorce decrees. A certificate shows only names, date, county, and case number. The actual decree comes from the county court.

For divorces before 1962, the county court is the sole source. Contact Alameda County Superior Court Records Division. Provide all information you have. Full names, approximate date, and any other details help staff search historical records.

Nearby Cities

Other Alameda County cities over 100,000 population include Oakland and Fremont. All use the same Alameda County Superior Court system. Records for all three cities are at the same courthouse in Alameda.

Neighboring Contra Costa County includes Richmond, Concord, and Antioch. Those cities use a different court system. Make sure you know which county handled your case. That determines where your records are kept.