Kern County
Kern County, California, was established on April 2, 1866. It covers an area of 8,163 square miles, making it the third-largest county in California geographically. The county is home to over 900,000 people, most of whom are California citizens.
Kern County Superior Court serves as the primary trial court for all criminal and civil cases within Kern County, California. The court is organized into several divisions, each specializing in different cases. These include divisions dedicated to family law, probate, mental health, juvenile law, small claims, and traffic cases. In addition to its regular caseload, the Kern County Superior Court handles cases in which parties seek special relief, such as injunctions or declaratory orders.
Court records in Kern County are public records and subject to public inspection. The Kern County Superior Court maintains these records. You can access court records online through the Kern County Superior Court's case request documents portal. To access the records, select the non-criminal case category you need, such as Civil, Family Law, or Probate. Once you have chosen the case category, click the "Document Requests" link to complete the appropriate request form.
For criminal records, visit the Kern County Superior Court judicial records request portal and complete an online form. Note that there is a $15 fee for this service and an additional $50 per page if you request a hard copy of a court record to be sent to your address. As the fees for photocopying cannot be determined in advance, you must include a check made payable to "Kern County Superior Court" for photocopy costs.
You can also submit a court transcript request by completing an online form. Note that the information in your request will be shared with the court reporter for contact purposes. If you have not received a response from the court reporter or transcriber within ten (10) working days from the date of your request, contact the Kern County Superior Court Receptionist at (661) 610-6000.
