Butte County Court Records Search
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Butte County, California is served by the Superior Court of California, County of Butte, which operates as the county’s court of general jurisdiction. The Superior Court handles the full range of civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, and juvenile matters arising within the county. Court records generated through these proceedings — including case filings, motions, orders, judgments, hearing transcripts, and court minutes — are maintained by the court clerk and are generally available to members of the public in accordance with state law.
Records can be located through several avenues, from in-person visits to the courthouse clerk’s window, to online tools maintained by the court. Californians looking to locate publicly available case information may also find it useful to visit CaliforniaCourts.us, which provides access to court records across California counties. The Butte County Superior Court itself maintains a dedicated Case Information portal and a Case Search system that allow users to search the court’s public records database without visiting the courthouse in person.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Butte County?
The Butte County Superior Court provides several practical options for searching case records, whether you prefer searching from home or visiting in person.
Online Search
The court’s Case Information page is the primary online resource for retrieving records. Through this portal, users can look up all non-confidential, non-sealed case types, including Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Probate, Small Claims, and Traffic matters. The portal’s data is live, meaning information is updated in real time as the court system is updated. The portal is generally available around the clock, with occasional maintenance windows. Records are searchable by party name, and the database includes Butte County Superior Court cases dating back to 1988, North County Municipal Court cases from late 1985, and South County Municipal Court records from 1989.
The court uses a specific case number format for cases filed after February 19, 2016, consisting of a two-digit year code, a case type abbreviation, and a number. Common case type codes include:
- CF – Criminal Felony
- CM – Criminal Misdemeanor
- CV – Civil (Unlimited and Limited)
- FL – Family Law
- PR – Probate
- SC – Small Claims
- TR – Traffic
- UD – Unlawful Detainer
Note that per California Rule of Court 2.507, the court is prohibited from displaying date of birth information in its online portal. Certain document types that are restricted online may still be viewable at public access terminals located within the courthouses.
In-Person Search
Members of the public may visit either courthouse to search records in person or submit a written or oral request to the court clerk. Clerks are available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Requesters should bring a valid, government-issued photo ID and be prepared to pay applicable copy and certification fees. The 2026 Fee Schedule is available for download from the court’s website and reflects fees effective January 1, 2026. For example, certifying a copy of a paper, record, or proceeding on file costs $40 under Government Code § 70626(a)(4). Requesters who cannot afford filing or copy fees may request a fee waiver using form FW-001: Request to Waive Court Fees.
Are Court Records Public in Butte County?
Court records in Butte County are presumptively public under the California Public Records Act (CPRA), which establishes that records maintained by governmental agencies — including the Superior Court — are open to inspection by any member of the public. However, the CPRA contains numerous exceptions, and California courts operate under additional confidentiality rules established by the Judicial Council.
Categories of records that are commonly restricted or sealed include:
- Juvenile delinquency and dependency records
- Adoption case files
- Records involving minors in family law matters
- Mental health proceeding records
- Attorney-client privileged communications
- Doctor-patient and medical information
- Records sealed by court order
- Domestic violence restraining order details that could compromise victim safety
Certain personal identifiers, including dates of birth, are withheld from internet display pursuant to California Rule of Court 2.503. Requesters seeking records that are restricted online may be able to view them at a public access terminal located within the courthouse, subject to applicable court rules. Where records contain a mix of public and confidential information, the confidential portions are redacted before release.
Butte County Criminal Court Records
The Criminal Division of the Butte County Superior Court is headquartered at the Butte County Courthouse in Oroville. This division handles all Criminal Misdemeanor and Felony matters for the entire county, as well as specified Penal Code Infraction matters.
| Butte County Courthouse – Criminal Division | |
|---|---|
| Address | One Court Street, Oroville, CA 95965 |
| Phone: (Main) | (530) 532-7002 |
| Phone: (Criminal) | (530) 532-7011 |
| Hours | Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Criminal court records are searchable online through the Case Information portal, which allows name-based searches across all public criminal case types. For local and Judicial Council court forms applicable to criminal matters, the court provides access through its Local Forms and Court Forms pages. Remote appearance options for criminal and traffic matters are also available through the court’s online services.
For broader criminal history information beyond individual court case records, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office Records division maintains incident reports, jail booking records, and statistics reported to the California Department of Justice. The Sheriff’s Office Records division is responsible for registering sex offenders, narcotics offenders, arson offenders, and certain gang members, and also handles Live Scan electronic fingerprinting by appointment at (530) 552-5200. The public can view recent booking logs through the BCSO Booking Logs page on the county website. It is important to note that court records typically reflect only convictions, while arrest records and full criminal histories may require a separate inquiry through the Sheriff’s Office or the California Department of Justice.
Butte County Civil Court Records
All civil matters in Butte County are handled by the Civil Division, located at the North Butte County Courthouse in Chico. This division has jurisdiction over Small Claims, Unlawful Detainer, Limited Jurisdiction Civil, and Unlimited Jurisdiction Civil cases for the entire county.
| North Butte County Courthouse – Civil Division | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1775 Concord Avenue, Chico, CA 95928 |
| Phone: (Civil) | (530) 532-7009 |
| Hours | Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
The court categorizes civil cases by the dollar amount in dispute:
| Case Type | Dollar Amount Involved |
|---|---|
| Small Claims | Under $12,500 |
| Limited Jurisdiction Civil | $1 to $35,000 |
| Unlimited Jurisdiction Civil | Over $35,000 |
Civil case records are publicly accessible through the Case Information portal or in person at the clerk’s window. Requesters may be required to provide a government-issued ID and pay applicable copy fees. Copies of certified records cost $40 per Government Code § 70626(a)(4).
The court also handles Unlawful Detainer (eviction) actions, Civil Harassment Restraining Orders, and name or gender change petitions through the Civil Division. For unlawful detainer guidance, the California Courts Self-Help Guide on eviction cases provides detailed procedural information. For civil harassment restraining orders, the court’s dedicated Civil Harassment Restraining Order page provides filing instructions. Self-represented litigants needing assistance can also contact the Self-Help Assistance and Referral Program (SHARP) at (530) 532-7015. The Butte County Sheriff’s Civil Division, located at 402 Otterson Drive, Suite 120 in Chico, handles service of process for civil matters.
Butte County Family Court Records
The Family Law Division operates out of the North Butte County Courthouse in Chico. It has jurisdiction over all family law matters, including dissolution of marriage, legal separation, nullity (annulment), summary dissolution, paternity, child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, community property division, domestic violence restraining orders, and elder abuse cases. Adoption matters are handled through the Juvenile Division.
| North Butte County Courthouse – Family Law Division | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1775 Concord Avenue, Chico, CA 95928 |
| Phone: (Family Law) | (530) 532-7008 |
| Hours | Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Family law case records are generally public under the CPRA, with significant exceptions for matters involving minors, sealed proceedings, and certain domestic violence filings. Requesters can search family law cases online through the Case Information portal or visit the clerk’s office in person. The court has published a Dissolution Roadmap for persons navigating divorce proceedings, and form packets for self-represented litigants are available through the court’s Form Packets page.
California law requires that, to file for divorce in the state, at least one spouse must have lived in California for the past six months and in the filing county for the past three months. A divorce cannot be finalized sooner than six months after the opposing party is served, regardless of how quickly paperwork is completed. For legal separation, no residency requirement applies. Key pre-conference forms for dissolution and legal separation cases include the Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure (FL-140), the Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150), and the Schedule of Assets and Debts (FL-142). All cases filed after January 1, 2013 are governed by the family-centered case resolution process under California Rule of Court 5.83 and the Butte County Superior Court Local Rules.
Marriage and divorce records are also maintained by the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Vital Records, which holds statewide vital records including marriage certificates and divorce records. The Butte County Clerk-Recorder’s office, located at 155 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965, can also issue certified copies of marriage licenses issued in Butte County and vital records. The office is reachable at (530) 552-3400 and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month). Certified copies of birth certificates cost $31 through the Butte County Clerk-Recorder, and death certificates are available for $24 through the same office, per information on the Birth Certificates page.
Butte County Probate Court Records
Probate matters in Butte County are heard through the Civil/Probate Division at the North Butte County Courthouse in Chico. The Probate Division handles estate administration, wills and trusts, conservatorships, guardianships for minors, and other matters falling under probate jurisdiction.
| North Butte County Courthouse – Probate Division | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1775 Concord Avenue, Chico, CA 95928 |
| Phone: (Probate) | (530) 532-7017 |
| Hours | Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Probate records are publicly accessible through the Case Information portal, which includes searchable probate cases dating back to 1988. The portal operates around the clock except during scheduled maintenance periods. Records are searchable by party name, case number, or other identifying information. In-person requests can be submitted to the Probate Division clerk at the North Butte County Courthouse. Requesters should bring a valid government-issued ID and be prepared to pay the applicable copy or certification fees per the 2026 Fee Schedule.
For self-represented litigants navigating probate proceedings, the court’s Form Packets page assembles the required forms and instructional materials for common probate case types, and the court’s Civil/Probate Local Forms page provides direct access to Butte County-specific forms. Electronic filings for probate matters are accepted through the court’s eFiling system, with a $3.50 per-transaction eFiling fee charged for each electronically filed envelope in addition to any applicable filing fees.