Common Questions About Marin County Court Records
How do I search Marin County court records online?
Create a free Marin Superior Court ePortal account, then run a case search or a calendar search. Public access shows the parties, the documents filed, and the past and future hearings. It does not open document PDFs or minute orders from home. For those, use the public viewing kiosk in Room 113 or submit a records request. The full walkthrough, including the search fields, is on the court records page.
Can I see actual court documents online?
Not generally through public access. Marin lets the public see filed-document information but not the public document PDFs or minute orders from home. Parties and attorneys can request enhanced access that opens the documents. Everyone else views public case documents at the courthouse kiosk in Room 113 or orders copies. The court dockets page explains what the public side shows and where the limits fall.
Where is the Court Records Division?
Court Records is in Room 113 of the Civic Center Hall of Justice at 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. The phone is 415-444-7080, and the email is courtrecords@marin.courts.ca.gov. Office hours run Monday through Friday, with a midday closure from noon to 1. The office does not give case information or run research by phone or email. See the Clerk of the Superior Court page for the request process.
How much do court record copies cost?
Marin charges $0.50 per page for copies and $40 to certify a document. A staff file or name search is $15 per case, and an estate search is also $15 per case. Exemplification runs $50 plus the per-page copy fee. These amounts come from the state Government Code, so they match other California courts. The fee table and request steps are on the Clerk of the Superior Court page.
Where do I find divorce records?
Divorce decrees are Superior Court records, not Recorder vital records. The county Recorder's vital records page sends divorce requests to the court, because a decree is a court file. The Family Law Division keeps the case, and the Family Law Clerk in Room 113 handles requests. The full process, including filing for divorce, is on the marriage and divorce records page.
Where do I get a marriage license?
The Marin County Clerk issues marriage licenses in Room 234 on the second floor at 3501 Civic Center Drive. Both people must appear together, bring valid unexpired photo ID, and pay the fee, finishing by 3:30 p.m. No appointment is needed for the license, but a civil ceremony does require one. The requirements, fees, and the public versus confidential choice are on the marriage and divorce records page.
How do I look up someone in the Marin County Jail?
Use the Marin County Public Booking Log linked from the Sheriff's Detention Bureau page. It lists bookings from the last 48 hours that are still in custody, plus the current in-custody list. The visible search field is last name, and it is optional. Bail shown there may be approximate. For the search fields and the visitation rules, see the inmate records page.
How do I post bail at the Marin County Jail?
The jail accepts bail 24 hours a day for someone in Marin custody or held on a Marin warrant. You can pay the full cash amount, bring a cashier's check or money order payable to the Marin County Jail, or use a surety bond from a California-based company. Some bookings are no-bail. Because the posted amount can be approximate, confirm it at 415-473-6653 first. More is on the inmate records page.
Does Marin publish a released-inmates list?
No separate released-inmates list exists. The booking log shows current and recent custody, so a name drops off once the person is released. To confirm a release, check the log, call jail information, or register with VINELink for an automatic alert. State and federal releases use the CDCR and BOP locators. The tools and steps are on the released inmates page.
How do I check for a warrant in Marin County?
The Sheriff's Office is the warrant repository for the whole county and links an online warrant search, plus a phone option through the Warrants Division. By law the Sheriff can only confirm warrants issued in Marin, so check other counties directly. A clean Marin result does not rule out an order elsewhere. The search and the recall steps are on the warrant records page.
Does putting myself on calendar clear a warrant?
No. The Sheriff is clear that a warrant stays active until the court recalls it, and the court will not recall it until you appear. Scheduling a court date does not make the warrant go away on its own. If you have an active Marin warrant, contact the court for recall instructions and appear as directed. The warrant records page covers how recall and bail work.
What court handles probate in Marin County?
The Probate Division of the Marin County Superior Court handles estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships, including LPS conservatorships. Judge James Chou is assigned to Juvenile and Probate in Courtroom C. A will must be lodged with the court within 30 days of a death. Filing is at Room 113, and the estate search fee is $15 per case. The full picture is on the probate records page.
How do I pay or contest a traffic ticket?
Marin lets you handle most citations online any time or by phone at 415-448-8230 during listed hours. Enter a case number, a citation or driver's license number, and a date of birth. You can pay, set a payment plan, sign up for traffic school, post bail to contest, or request a one-time extension. The steps and the citation lookup fields are on the traffic court records page.
What is the difference between a court traffic record and a DMV record?
They are two different files. The court traffic record is about resolving the ticket, with the citation, fine, and disposition. The DMV driver record is about your driving privilege, with convictions, points, and suspensions. You fix a court error through the court and a DMV error through the DMV. Completing traffic school keeps a conviction confidential on the DMV record. The comparison is on the traffic court records page.
How long does a records request take?
Marin processes records requests in the order received, and a request can take more than six weeks depending on what it covers. The court asks people not to send duplicate requests and not to call for status, because both push the request further back in the queue. If you have a deadline, build in that lead time. The request steps and fees are on the Clerk of the Superior Court page.
Are confidential cases available by phone or email?
No. Marin says confidential case information can only be released to authorized parties, and it cannot be discussed by phone or email because the office cannot verify identity that way. A remote confidential request needs a notarized copy of photo ID by mail, drop box, or in person. Juvenile, adoption, and mental health files are confidential by law. The rules are explained on the court records page.
Who is the Marin County Public Defender?
David Joseph Sutton is the Marin County Public Defender. The office represents people who cannot afford a lawyer in criminal, juvenile, and mental health cases. It also runs reentry help, including Clean Slate, immigration services, and DMV support. The office is in Suite 127 at the Civic Center. For arrest, charge, and record-clearing information tied to its work, see the arrest records page.
Where can self-represented people get help?
The court's Legal Self-Help Center in Room C-44 helps people without a lawyer with family law, small claims, guardianship, restraining orders, and more. Staff give legal information and point to the right forms, but they cannot give legal advice. The center offers in-person, phone, and online clinics. For the court structure and divisions behind these matters, see the Marin County Superior Court page.
Still Have Questions?
For the right office, see the Clerk of the Superior Court or the County Clerk-Recorder. For broader access rules, see public records. To browse by topic, try court records, arrest records, inmate records, warrant records, marriage and divorce, or probate records.