Civil Records

The Clerk’s Office - Public Viewing Room
400 McAllister St., Room 103
San Francisco, CA  94102-4514
Customer Service: (415) 551-3802

Hours of Operation

8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday, excluding Court holidays.

TELEPHONE HOURS

8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday - Friday, excluding Court holidays.

Know Before You Go:

The Clerk's Office provides access to information related to Limited and Unlimited Civil, Probate/Wills, and Family Law case files. For all other cases (Criminal, Small Claims and Traffic), contact  those court departments directly.

The clerks can assist or provide you with:

• Use of computers for case search and inquiry
• Use of microfilm and microfiche machines
• Requests to view files
• Requests for photocopies, certified copies of dissolution (divorce), and requests for off-site/warehouse file retrieval
• Copies of court forms for a fee

They cannot assist or provide you with:

• Legal advice (GC 24004, CCP 6125)
• Filling out court forms

Need Legal Help?

• The Access Center may be able to help you.
• Visit the California Courts Self-Help Center online

Looking for case information?

• Some Civil, Small Claims, Probate, and Family Law (by case number only) cases can be accessed on the Court’s Civil Case Inquiry & information page.

Need to request copies by mail?

• Read and fill out the Research Request form for further instructions.

Before starting your file search, please be aware that you may not have access to the following:

• Sealed/Confidential Records
• Case files in-use by the Court

Court Policies

It is a Felony to remove files and documents from the Clerk’s Office and any of its facilities. It is also a criminal act to steal, destroy, mutilate, deface, alter or falsify any files or documents, Pursuant to G.C. 6200/6201.

• Copy Policies
  • If your request for copies is less than five pages and the court file is on-site, your request will be processed while you wait.
  • If your request for copies is more than six pages, it may take 12 to 15 court days to process your request.
  • Exemplification requests may take 12 to 15 working days to process.
• File Review Policy
  • You must deposit a valid, government-issued photo identification card with the clerk in order to view case files. There are no exceptions.
• Off-Site/Warehouse File Retrieval Policy
  • If your case is at least two years old, it is possible that your file is located off-site. To view your file, you must fill out a warehouse request card and pay the $12 retrieval fee (per Local Rule 2.9). It will take five working days to process your request. You will be issued a receipt with the date to come back and view your file.

 court forms

• Civil and probate Judicial Council and local court forms may be purchased in the Clerk's Office, Civic Center Courthouse, Room 103 - Public Viewing Room. See fee schedule below.
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• Family Law Judicial Council and local court forms may be purchased in Room 402 of the Civic Center Courthouse.
• Civil, Probate, and Family Law Judicial Council forms and some local court forms may be printed at no cost from the Forms & Fees page.
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• Name change, Name and Gender Change, and Small Claims packets may be printed at no cost from the Forms & Fees page.
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• Requests for forms by mail may be sent to:
  • San Francisco Superior Court
    Attn: Forms Clerk
    400 McAllister St., Dept. 103
    San Francisco, CA 94102-451

Please include the following with your request:

1. Form name and/or number;

2. Self-addressed stamped envelope; and

3. A check made payable to "San Francisco Superior Court" indicating "Not to exceed $20.00" on the MEMO line. Leave the payment amount blank.

**LOCAL RULE 2.9: Fees For Certain Court Services or Products. Pursuant to CRC 10.815, the Court may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed the Court's cost of providing the following products and services: forms, information materials, publications, off-site retrieval and return of documents to the off-site storage facility, and postage. These fees are published in the Court's fee schedule.