Find Downey Divorce Records

Downey divorce decree records are filed and stored at Los Angeles County Superior Court. Downey sits in southeast Los Angeles County. All divorce cases for Downey residents go through the county court system. You can request certified copies of your divorce decree for $15. Plain copies cost 50 cents per page. The court keeps files from all family law cases. Older records get moved to the archives. You can search for case info online or visit a courthouse in person to get documents. Some divorce judgments from cases filed after January 2000 are available to order through the court's online portal.

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Downey residents file divorce cases at Los Angeles County Superior Court. The county operates four main family law courthouses. The Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 North Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles is the largest facility. Other locations serve different parts of the county. Each courthouse processes divorce filings for its service area.

For Downey residents, the most convenient courthouse depends on where you live in the city and which court your case was assigned to. Los Angeles County handles more divorce cases than any other county in California. The court system serves over ten million people. Family law cases filed in the central Los Angeles area typically get transferred to the County Record Center within two to three years of the original filing. This archive facility is located at 222 North Hill Street.

The main phone number for Los Angeles Superior Court is (213) 830-0803. The Family Law Call Center can answer questions about your case at (213) 633-6363. For help filling out forms or understanding court procedures, call the Self-Help Center at (213) 830-0845. If you need information about online services, email OnlineServices@lacourt.org. Staff can direct you to the right courthouse or archive location for your specific case file.

Online Case Search

Los Angeles County provides online access to case information through lacourt.org. You can search for divorce cases by name or case number. The system includes family law cases from 1983 to the present. Document images are available for some cases filed after May 1, 2000. Not all documents are viewable online due to privacy rules for family law records.

Name searches cost $4.75 each. The fee applies even if your search does not find a match. The charge is for conducting the search itself. If you locate your case, you can then order copies of available documents. The first five pages of each document cost $1 per page. Additional pages cost 40 cents each. The maximum fee per document is $40.

Only divorce judgments entered after January 2000 can be ordered online. If your divorce was finalized before that date, you must request copies by mail or in person at the courthouse. The online system does not have older case files available for electronic delivery. You need to create an account and pay by credit card to use the online ordering feature.

According to information at lavote.gov, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk does not maintain divorce records. All records must be obtained from Superior Court. The County Clerk's office cannot provide divorce decrees or certificates.

Getting Certified Copies

You can request certified copies by visiting the courthouse in person or by sending a mail request. In-person visits often result in faster service. Go to the records department at the courthouse where your case was filed. Bring a photo ID and payment. Staff can search for your case and make copies while you wait or within a few days.

Mail requests should be sent to the business office where the case was originally filed. If you do not know which courthouse handled your case, send your request to the Archives and Records Center at 222 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate date of divorce, the case number if you know it, and your contact information. State clearly whether you need certified or plain copies.

Payment should be included with mail requests. Make checks or money orders payable to Los Angeles Superior Court. A certified divorce decree costs $15 plus 50 cents per additional page if the decree is more than one page long. Add sufficient postage to a self-addressed envelope so the court can mail your copies back to you.

Processing times vary. In-person requests are usually fastest. Mail requests may take several weeks depending on the court's workload and whether your file is in storage. If your case is more than two or three years old, it may be at the archives. There is a $10 fee to retrieve files from off-site storage. All requests must be claimed within 30 days according to court rules.

Divorce Decree Fees

Los Angeles County follows California's statewide fee schedule for court records. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $15 under California Government Code Section 70674. This fee includes the certification and the first page of the decree. Additional pages cost 50 cents each.

If you need other documents from your case file certified, such as settlement agreements or custody orders, the certification fee is $40 per document plus 50 cents per page. Plain copies without certification are 50 cents per page. There is no minimum charge for plain copies.

Name searches through the online portal cost $4.75 per search. In-person searches at public terminals in the courthouse are free if you conduct the search yourself. If you ask court staff to search for a case and the search takes more than 10 minutes, the court may charge a $15 search fee. File retrieval from off-site storage costs $10. Confirm current fees before submitting payment as costs can change.

Record Privacy and Access

California law protects family law records from full public access online. According to California Rules of Court Rule 2.503, courts cannot provide remote electronic access to divorce case files. You can view case summaries and registers of action online, but actual documents must be viewed at the courthouse. This rule protects sensitive personal information in family law cases.

Anyone can request copies of divorce decrees if they know the case information. The decree is a public record once the divorce is finalized. However, some documents in the case file may be sealed or confidential. Financial disclosures, child custody evaluations, and certain settlement documents may have restricted access.

If you were a party to the divorce, you have the right to access all non-sealed documents in your case file. Third parties may have limited access to certain documents. The court clerk can explain which records are publicly available and which require special permission to view.

Legal Resources in Downey

The Superior Court Self-Help Center provides free assistance to people handling their own divorce cases. The center is at 111 North Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles. Call (213) 830-0845 for hours and available services. Staff can help you complete forms, understand court procedures, and prepare for hearings. The center cannot provide legal advice but can offer procedural guidance.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles offers free legal services to low-income residents in family law matters. Call (800) 399-4529 to find out if you qualify. They have offices throughout Los Angeles County. Services include representation in divorce cases, help with custody issues, and advice on property division.

The Los Angeles County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at (213) 243-1525. The initial consultation costs $35 for 30 minutes with a family law attorney. The bar association can connect you with an experienced divorce lawyer in the Downey area. Many attorneys offer payment plans for clients who cannot afford full fees upfront.

For general court information, visit lacourt.org or call the main courthouse number at (213) 830-0803. The website has forms, filing instructions, and information about court locations and hours. You can also find links to online services and resources for self-represented litigants.

Archives and Historical Records

Older divorce cases from Downey are stored at the Los Angeles County Archives and Records Center. The facility is at 222 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Phone number is (213) 830-0198. This location houses millions of case files from all court divisions including family law.

Cases from the central Los Angeles area are usually transferred to the archives within two to three years of the filing date. Once a file is moved to archives, the original courthouse no longer has the physical documents. You must contact the archives to request access to these older files.

There is a $10 fee to retrieve files from storage. Staff need advance notice to locate and pull files from the warehouse. Once retrieved, you can view the file at the archives or request copies. Standard copy fees apply. Very old divorce records from decades ago may have limited information available or may be stored in different formats.

Nearby Cities

Other cities in Los Angeles County also file divorce cases through the county Superior Court system.