Mendocino County Court Records Search
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Mendocino County spans a large rural stretch of northern California’s coast and interior, with its county seat in Ukiah. The Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino, serves as the sole trial court and handles the full range of case types — criminal, civil, family law, probate, juvenile, small claims, and traffic matters. Court records generated by these proceedings are maintained electronically by the clerk’s office, and all Mendocino County case files now exist in electronic form exclusively. The court no longer keeps paper case files.
For those seeking court records in California, searches can be conducted through official clerk’s offices, in-courthouse public access kiosks, and online tools operated by individual courts. CaliforniaCourts.us may also help users locate publicly available court case data across the state. The Mendocino County Superior Court website provides direct access to its case information portal, local forms, fee schedules, and contact details for each court division.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Mendocino County?
Mendocino County court cases can be searched online, at courthouse kiosks, or through written requests submitted to the clerk’s office. Because all case records are maintained electronically, the court offers several access points depending on the type of case and the requester’s relationship to it.
Online case search — re:SearchCA:
The court’s primary electronic search tool is re:SearchCA, accessible through the court’s Case Information portal. Through re:SearchCA, users can view case information, party details, hearing schedules, case events, and some filed documents. Parties and attorneys of record in a case can view their own cases and documents remotely. All publicly available civil cases can also be viewed remotely by non-parties.
However, under California Rules of Court, rule 2.503©, members of the public who are not parties or attorneys may not remotely view certain case types. These restricted categories include criminal, family law, juvenile, guardianship, conservatorship, mental health, and restraining order cases. To view these records, non-parties must visit the courthouse and use the public access kiosks.
For older cases not yet available on re:SearchCA, the court maintains a separate public case index of imaged records.
In-person access — courthouse kiosks:
The court has set up public access kiosks at both the Ukiah and Fort Bragg courthouses, located adjacent to the clerk’s offices. Instructions are posted at each kiosk. These terminals allow the public to search non-confidential criminal, family law, restraining order, conservatorship, and guardianship records that cannot be viewed remotely.
Courthouse locations and clerk’s office contacts:
| Location | Address | Public Counter Hours | Key Phone Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukiah — Mendocino County Courthouse | 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482 | 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Civil: (707) 468-2003; Criminal: (707) 463-4661; Family Law: (707) 468-2001; Probate: (707) 468-2005; Small Claims: (707) 468-2002; Traffic: (707) 463-4660 |
| Fort Bragg — Ten Mile Branch | 700 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 | 8:30 a.m. – noon, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | (707) 964-3192 |
Additional court locations include the Arena Branch (VFW Hall, 24000 South Highway One, Point Arena, CA 95468) and the Willits Courthouse (101 South Main Street, Willits, CA 95490; Phone: (707) 463-7000). The court’s main administrative line is (707) 463-4664.
Requesting copies by mail:
Requests for copies of court documents not available through re:SearchCA can be submitted using the Research Request form (MMC-900). Include the case number, full party names, date of birth, hearing dates, and a description of the documents requested. Mail the completed form with payment to:
Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino
100 North State Street, Room 108
Ukiah, CA 95482
Allow 30 days for processing. The clerk accepts checks and money orders payable to the Mendocino County Superior Court. Do not mail cash. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return delivery.
Court record fees:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Record search (per name, when case number is unknown) | $15.00 (per Government Code § 70627©) |
| Copy fee | $0.50 per page |
| Certification with court seal | $40.00 per document (plus copy fees) |
If the total amount cannot be determined in advance, the court allows submitting a check for “not to exceed $75.00”. The clerk will fill in the actual amount.
Documents available through re:SearchCA can be purchased and downloaded at $0.50 per page using a credit card.
Are Court Records Public in Mendocino County?
Mendocino County court records are presumed public under the California Public Records Act and the California Rules of Court. Any person may inspect or obtain copies of publicly available records maintained by the court.
The court provides broad electronic access to case information through re:SearchCA. Civil case documents are available for remote viewing by all users. However, certain categories of cases are restricted to in-courthouse viewing only for non-parties, and some records are entirely closed to the public.
Records not accessible to the public include:
- Juvenile court proceedings
- Sealed or expunged cases
- Grand jury proceedings
- Information protected by state or federal privacy laws
- Confidential financial information filed under seal
- Medical and mental health records
- Domestic violence case details protected by statute
- Victim and witness identifying information
- Cases made confidential by court order or changes in law
Remote viewing restrictions under rule 2.503©:
Non-parties cannot remotely view criminal cases, family law cases, juvenile matters, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, mental health cases, or any type of restraining order. These records must be accessed at the courthouse kiosks during business hours. Parties to a case and their attorneys of record retain full remote access to their own cases.
Any time a publicly available case is made confidential by court order or by a change in law, it is removed from public view on re:SearchCA. The court’s electronic systems automatically enforce these restrictions.
For questions about access or ADA accommodations for court visits, contact the Court Administration office at (707) 468-2056 or by email at court.administration@mendocino.courts.ca.gov.
Mendocino County Criminal Court Records
Criminal matters in Mendocino County — including felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions — are prosecuted in the Criminal Division of the Superior Court. The Criminal Clerk’s Office maintains all case files related to criminal proceedings.
Criminal Division contact:
Ukiah Courthouse
100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: (707) 463-4661
Public Counter: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Ten Mile Branch
700 South Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Public Counter: 8:30 a.m. – noon, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Searching criminal court records:
Because non-parties cannot view criminal case records remotely through re:SearchCA, criminal record searches require visiting the public access kiosks at the Ukiah or Fort Bragg courthouses. Parties and their attorneys may view their criminal case records remotely after signing in to re:SearchCA.
Copies of criminal case documents can be requested using the MMC-900 form and mailed to the clerk’s office with the applicable fees. Standard copy and certification fees apply ($0.50 per page; $40.00 for certification; $15.00 for a name search).
Bail schedules:
The court publishes approved bail amounts for criminal offenses. The felony bail schedule and misdemeanor bail schedule are available for download on the court’s website.
Criminal fines and fees:
Payments on criminal cases can be made online through the court’s online payment portal using Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. A convenience fee applies. Payment plans with a minimum monthly installment of $50.00 may be available for those who qualify — the court provides a payment plan request form online.
Sheriff’s Office and arrest records:
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office maintains arrest records, booking logs, and incident reports. Records requests can be directed to:
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office
951 Low Gap Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: (707) 463-4411
Email: records@mendocinosheriff.org
The Sheriff’s Office operates a Jail Inmate Locator where users can search current booking information by name, subject number, or booking number. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation also maintains the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) portal for searching state prison inmate records.
Restricted criminal records:
Criminal records that are sealed or expunged by court order, juvenile criminal matters, active investigation files, sexual assault victim information, confidential informant identities, and details from confidential plea agreements are not available for public inspection.
Mendocino County Civil Court Records
The Civil Division of the Mendocino County Superior Court handles all non-criminal litigation, organized into three jurisdictional tiers based on the amount in dispute.
Civil case jurisdiction:
- Small Claims — Disputes of $10,000 or less. Attorneys are generally not permitted. The Small Claims division provides detailed filing information, including fee tiers: up to $1,500 costs $30.00; $1,500.01–$5,000 costs $50.00; $5,000.01–$10,000 costs $75.00. Filing more than 12 claims in a year raises the fee to $100.00 per claim. Contact: (707) 468-2002.
- Limited Civil — Claims of $25,000 or less.
- Unlimited Civil — Claims exceeding $25,000, as well as cases involving family law, probate, guardianship, conservatorship, juvenile dependency, name changes, and adoption.
Civil Division contact:
Phone: (707) 468-2003
Ukiah Courthouse: 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482
Public Counter: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Accessing civil records:
All public civil cases are available for remote viewing through re:SearchCA, including by non-parties. Users can search by case number or party name and view filed documents, hearing dates, and case events. Documents can be purchased and downloaded at $0.50 per page.
For documents not available on re:SearchCA, submit the Research Request form (MMC-900) to the clerk’s office with applicable fees.
Filing fees and forms:
The court publishes a fee schedule covering filing and appearance fees for all civil case types. Litigants who cannot afford court fees may submit a fee waiver request at no charge — forms are available in the forms packets section. Standard Judicial Council forms can be downloaded from the California Courts forms website, and Mendocino-specific local forms are published separately.
Tentative rulings:
The court posts tentative rulings on certain civil matters by 3:00 p.m. the court day before the scheduled hearing.
Property records:
Real property records in Mendocino County are not maintained by the courts but by the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder’s Office. Recorded documents, including deeds, liens, and encumbrances, can be searched through the Parcel Map Lookup Portal. Property tax information is available through the Tax Collector’s Public Access Portal.
Mendocino County Family Court Records
Family law matters — including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic violence restraining orders, and related proceedings — are handled by the Family Law Division of the Mendocino County Superior Court.
Family Law Division contact:
Phone: (707) 468-2001
Ukiah Courthouse: 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482
Public Counter: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The court also operates a Self Help Center and Family Law Facilitator office at (707) 468-2020, which provides procedural assistance (though not legal advice) to self-represented litigants in family law matters, including child custody and visitation.
Viewing family law records:
Family law cases are among those restricted from remote public viewing under California Rules of Court, rule 2.503©. Non-parties must visit the courthouse kiosks to view family law case records. Parties and their attorneys retain full remote access through re:SearchCA.
Divorce records:
Divorce cases are filed and maintained through the Family Law Division. Certified copies of dissolution judgments can be obtained from the clerk’s office using the MMC-900 form and paying the certification fee of $40.00 per document plus $0.50 per page. Divorce records are public, though certain information within the case file — such as financial declarations, child-related details, and domestic violence allegations — may carry confidentiality protections.
Marriage licenses and records:
Marriage licenses are issued by the Mendocino County Clerk’s Office, not by the courts. Key details:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Regular marriage license | $95.00 |
| Confidential marriage license | $97.00 |
| Marriage ceremony (in Clerk’s office) | $50.00 |
| Witness fee | $10.00 |
Both parties must appear in person with a current photo ID. Appointments are encouraged — call (707) 234-6822. If a prior dissolution occurred within the last 90 days, a certified copy of the final judgment must be presented. Confidential marriages are not part of the public record; certified copies require an in-person appearance by a spouse with identification.
Certified copies of vital records:
Certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates are issued by the County Recorder’s Office:
Mendocino County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder
501 Low Gap Road, Room 1020
Ukiah, CA 95482
Phone: (707) 234-6823
Email: acr@mendocinocounty.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (in-person orders until 4:45 p.m.)
| Record | Fee |
|---|---|
| Birth certificate | $31.00 |
| Death certificate | $26.00 |
| Marriage certificate | $19.00 |
Requests can be made in person (photo ID required), by mail with a notarized application and payment, by fax, or by email to acr@mendocinocounty.gov. A Vital Records Application Form is available for download. Online orders can be placed through VitalChek, which charges an additional service fee.
Certified copies of birth records are restricted to the registrant, parents, legal guardians, legal representatives, or individuals with a court order. Informational (non-certified) copies are available to any person. Death certificate certified copies are similarly restricted to immediate family, legal representatives, or those with a demonstrated legal interest.
Mendocino County Probate Court Records
The Probate Division of the Mendocino County Superior Court handles estate administration, will contests, trust litigation, guardianships of minors and incapacitated adults, conservatorships, and related matters.
Probate Division contact:
Phone: (707) 468-2005
Ukiah Courthouse: 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482
Public Counter: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The Probate Court Investigation Office, located at Room 212 of the Ukiah Courthouse, can be reached at (707) 468-2066. This office conducts investigations in conservatorship and guardianship proceedings as required by law.
Types of probate records:
Probate records in Mendocino County encompass filings related to the probate of wills, intestate succession, estate accounting, trust administration disputes, petitions for appointment of guardians and conservators, partition actions, and escheat proceedings.
Searching probate records:
Probate cases are among the categories restricted from remote public viewing under rule 2.503© when the case involves guardianship or conservatorship. For these case types, non-parties must use the courthouse kiosks. Other probate matters, such as standard estate administrations, may be viewable remotely through re:SearchCA.
If a case number is unknown, the court will conduct a search for a $15.00 fee. This fee can be avoided by searching the court’s online case index in advance to locate the case number.
Copies and tentative rulings:
Copies of probate documents can be purchased through re:SearchCA at $0.50 per page or requested via the MMC-900 form. Certification costs $40.00 per document plus page fees.
The court issues tentative rulings on certain probate matters, posted by 3:00 p.m. the court day before the hearing.
Forms:
Standard probate forms are available on the Judicial Council website. Local forms specific to Mendocino County can be found on the court’s local forms page. Forms may also be obtained in person at the clerk’s office or printed at the Mendocino County Law Library. The court’s fee schedule for probate filings is published on the fee schedule page. Fee waiver applications are available at no charge for qualifying individuals.