Search Kern County Court Dockets

Kern County Superior Court provides online access to court dockets through a public case portal. The system runs on Tyler Technologies Odyssey software. You can search for cases by party name, case number, or attorney. Civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic dockets are all available. The main courthouse is in Bakersfield at 1415 Truxtun Avenue. Court hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Searching online is free. You only pay if you need copies or certified documents from the clerk office.

Online Docket Search

You can search Kern County court dockets at portal.kern.courts.ca.gov. The portal lets you look up any public case. Type in a name to see all cases for that person or business. Or enter a case number if you already have it. Results appear instantly. Click on a case to view the full docket with all entries, filings, and hearing dates.

The docket shows each action taken in the case. You see when papers were filed. You see hearing dates and outcomes. You see what motions were filed and how the judge ruled. Some documents are available for viewing online. Others require a trip to the courthouse to inspect in person.

Kern County uses Tyler Odyssey software. Many other California counties use this same system. If you have searched cases in another county with Tyler software, the Kern portal will look familiar. The search fields and layout follow the same basic design across all Tyler systems.

Kern County Superior Court

The main courthouse for Kern County sits at 1415 Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield, CA 93301. This building handles most court proceedings. The clerk office is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. You can visit the courthouse to search at public terminals. You can also file papers, pay fees, and request certified copies.

Kern County has additional court locations beyond the main Bakersfield courthouse. These branch courts serve other areas of the county. All locations connect to the same case management system. So any case filed in Kern County shows up in the online portal no matter which courthouse handled it.

The court website at www.kern.courts.ca.gov lists all courthouse locations with addresses and phone numbers. Check the website before visiting to confirm hours and location for your case type. Some courthouses specialize in certain matters like traffic or family law.

Types of Court Dockets

Kern County court dockets cover many case types. Civil dockets track lawsuits between parties. These include contract disputes, personal injury claims, real estate matters, and business litigation. The docket lists every pleading, motion, and hearing from filing through judgment.

Criminal dockets show prosecutions for misdemeanors and felonies. You see arraignment dates, bail amounts, plea negotiations, and trial dates. The docket reflects the outcome once a case closes. Family law dockets handle divorce, custody, support, and domestic violence orders. California law restricts remote access to some family law records. You may need to visit the courthouse to view certain documents.

Probate dockets manage estates, wills, conservatorships, and guardianships. These cases can run for months or years depending on complexity. Traffic dockets list tickets and infractions. You can look up a traffic case online to check on fines, court dates, and completion status in Kern County.

Fees for Court Records

Searching Kern County court dockets online is free. You do not pay to look up cases or view docket entries. Paper copies from the clerk office cost fifty cents per page. This is the standard fee under California law. Certified copies cost forty dollars plus fifty cents per page. You need a certified copy if you plan to use the document in another court proceeding or for an official purpose.

Some documents may be available for free download from the online portal. Check before you visit the courthouse. If the document is online, you can save it to your computer at no charge. If not, you will need to request it from the clerk and pay the copy fee.

Contact Kern County Superior Court

The main courthouse address is 1415 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. For general questions, visit the court website at www.kern.courts.ca.gov. The website has contact numbers for each division and courthouse location across Kern County.

Major Cities in Kern County

Kern County includes one city with a population over 100,000. Court dockets for residents are maintained by Kern County Superior Court:

Nearby Counties

Kern County borders several other counties. Each maintains its own Superior Court system: