Find Sacramento County Divorce Decree

Divorce decrees in Sacramento County are maintained by the Superior Court of California. All dissolution records from cases filed in this county are kept by the court clerk's office. You need to contact the court to get copies. The court has both recent files and older archived records going back many decades. Public cases filed after November 13, 2007 can be viewed through an online portal. Older cases require viewing the physical file at the courthouse or ordering copies by mail. Certified divorce decrees cost $15. Regular copies are 50 cents per page. Written requests can take four to six weeks to process depending on court workload.

Court Records Access

The Sacramento County Superior Court keeps all divorce records. The main courthouse is located at 720 9th Street in Sacramento. The Records Unit handles requests for copies of court documents. They process requests received in person, by mail, and sometimes by fax. Phone inquiries can be made but you will still need to submit a written request with payment.

Cases filed after November 13, 2007 are available digitally. You can view case information through the court's Public Portal at services.saccourt.ca.gov. The portal shows case summaries, register of actions, and hearing dates. Full divorce decree documents are not viewable remotely due to privacy rules. You must request copies from the Records Unit.

Cases filed before November 13, 2007 are not in the digital system. These older files exist only as physical records. You need to view them in person at the courthouse or order copies by submitting a request form.

Online Portal Features

The Public Portal at Sacramento Superior Court lets you search for cases by party name or case number. Family law cases from 2007 onward appear in search results. You can see basic information like when the case was filed, current status, and upcoming hearings. The register of actions shows all documents filed in the case with dates.

According to saccourt.ca.gov, public cases and documents filed after November 13, 2007 may be viewed via the Public Portal. However, California Rules of Court Rule 2.503 prevents remote access to actual family law documents. You can see that a divorce decree was filed, but you cannot download or view the decree itself online. That requires a formal request to the Records Unit.

Search is free. No account is needed. Just go to the portal and enter the information you know. The system will return matching cases.

Ordering Copies

To order a certified copy of your divorce decree, submit a written request to the Records Unit. Include your name, the other party's name, the case number if known, and the approximate date of divorce. Specify that you need a certified copy of the final divorce decree.

Your request should list these details:

• Full names of both parties
• Case number or date of filing
• Document type needed
• Certified or plain copy
• Mailing address for delivery

Include payment with your request. Make checks payable to Sacramento Superior Court. The fee for a certified divorce decree is $15. Plain copies are 50 cents per page. If you do not have the case number, there is a $15 search fee if the search takes more than 10 minutes.

Mail your request to the Records Unit at the courthouse address. Processing time is approximately four to six weeks according to the court website. In-person requests may be completed faster. Walk-in service is available during court business hours.

Fee Schedule

Sacramento County uses California's standard fee structure. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $15 under California Government Code Section 70674. This fee covers certification plus any pages in the decree. Plain copies without certification cost 50 cents per page.

Other court documents require a $40 certification fee. That applies to orders, agreements, and filings other than the final decree. Copies are still 50 cents per page on top of the certification charge. Records searches over 10 minutes cost $15. This fee applies when you do not provide a case number and court staff must search by name.

Exemplification of records costs $50 if needed. That service adds an extra level of authentication beyond standard certification. Most people only need the $15 certified copy for their divorce decree. Check with the Records Unit if you are unsure which service you need.

Physical Records Viewing

You can view your divorce case file in person at the courthouse. Go to the Records Unit and ask to see the file. Bring photo ID. Provide the case number or enough information for staff to locate your file. Viewing files is free. You can take notes but cannot remove documents from the file.

If your case is very old, the file may be stored off-site. The court will need to retrieve it. This can add days to the process. Call ahead if your divorce is from many years ago. Staff can tell you if the file is on-site or in storage. Some counties charge a retrieval fee for off-site files, but Sacramento County does not list a separate retrieval charge on their fee schedule.

Once you view the file, you can request copies of any pages you need. Pay the copy fee at the clerk's window. Copies can usually be made while you wait if the request is not too large. For big requests, the court may ask you to come back later or have copies mailed.

County Clerk Office

The Sacramento County Clerk-Recorder does not maintain divorce records. Their office at ccr.saccounty.net states that certified copies of divorce decrees are only available from the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was filed. Do not contact the County Clerk for court records. They handle vital records like birth and death certificates but not divorce decrees.

All divorce record requests must go through the Superior Court Records Unit. The County Clerk can direct you to the correct court location but cannot process requests or provide information about your case.

Legal Resources

Sacramento County Superior Court operates a Family Law Facilitator's Office. This office provides free help to people representing themselves in family law cases. Staff can explain forms, procedures, and court rules. They cannot give legal advice or represent you. Call the court's main number for the Facilitator's Office hours and location.

Legal Services of Northern California offers free legal help to low-income residents. They handle divorce and other family law matters. Call (916) 551-2150 to see if you qualify for their services. They have offices in Sacramento and surrounding areas.

The Sacramento County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. You can get matched with a family law attorney. The initial consultation is usually $35 for 30 minutes. Call (916) 564-6104 for the referral line.

Cities in Sacramento County

Sacramento County has several cities over 100,000 population. All divorce filings go through the county Superior Court system.

Nearby Counties

Sacramento County is surrounded by Yolo, Placer, El Dorado, San Joaquin, and other counties. Each has a separate court system.