San Luis Obispo Court Records

San Luis Obispo County Superior Court serves coastal and inland communities along California's Central Coast. Court dockets are available through re:SearchCA, a new multi jurisdictional case search platform. San Luis Obispo was the first county in California to roll out this system. You can search court dockets for civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases. The platform allows searches by case number, party name, or attorney name. Results show docket information from all courthouse locations in San Luis Obispo County. The system makes it easy to find cases without knowing which courthouse handled the filing.

Search San Luis Obispo Dockets

The re:SearchCA platform sits at researchca.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/. This is a Tyler Technologies system designed to let multiple counties share one search interface. San Luis Obispo launched the platform as the first pilot county. You enter a case number or party name to search. The system pulls results from the county case database.

Results show basic case details like filing date, parties, case type, and status. Click on a case to see the full docket register. The docket lists every filing in chronological order. You can track motions, hearings, orders, and judgments from start to finish. Some documents may be available for online viewing. Others require a courthouse visit to inspect.

The system covers cases filed after the court switched to electronic records. Older cases may have limited information or may not appear in the online database. You can call the clerk office to ask about cases that do not show up in search results. Staff can check if a case exists in paper files or archives.

San Luis Obispo County Courthouses

The county has three courthouse locations. The main courthouse sits in San Luis Obispo. This building handles most civil and criminal cases. Paso Robles has a courthouse serving the north county region. Grover Beach has a facility for south county cases. Each courthouse has public access terminals for case searches.

You can use courthouse computers to search for cases at no charge. Staff can print copies for fifty cents per page. Certified copies cost forty dollars plus the per page charge. If you need help finding a case, clerks can assist during regular business hours. The main courthouse phone number appears on the court website at www.slo.courts.ca.gov.

Clerk offices typically stay open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Some departments may have different hours. Call ahead to confirm hours for the specific courthouse and department you need to visit. Parking is available near all three courthouses.

Types of Court Cases

San Luis Obispo County Superior Court handles all trial court matters. Civil dockets include lawsuits over contracts, property, personal injury, and business disputes. A typical civil case has many docket entries. Each motion, hearing, and order gets recorded. You can follow the entire case from filing through judgment by reading the docket register.

Criminal cases track prosecutions by the District Attorney. The docket shows arraignments, bail hearings, preliminary hearings, plea deals, and sentencing. Traffic cases also appear in the criminal system. You can look up a traffic ticket online to find your court date. Family law dockets cover divorce, custody, child support, and restraining orders. Probate dockets handle estates, conservatorships, and guardianships.

Small claims cases allow people to sue for up to ten thousand dollars without hiring a lawyer. These cases move fast. The docket typically shows a filing date, hearing date, and judgment all within a few months. You can search for small claims cases through the same portal as other case types.

New Search Platform

San Luis Obispo became the first county to use re:SearchCA. This platform is designed to let multiple counties share one search system. Users can search cases from different counties without visiting separate websites. The goal is to expand the platform to other counties over time. For now, San Luis Obispo is the main county using it.

Tyler Technologies built the system. They provide case management software to many California counties. The multi jurisdictional search tool makes it easier for lawyers, reporters, researchers, and the public to find cases across different courts. San Luis Obispo serves as the test site for this new approach to online case access.

Legal Help in San Luis Obispo County

The court has a self help center where staff answer procedural questions. They cannot give legal advice. They can explain how to fill out forms and where to file them. The self help center has computers with court forms and instructions. You can visit during regular business hours at the San Luis Obispo courthouse.

Legal aid services are available for low income residents. Legal Services of Northern California serves San Luis Obispo County. They handle cases involving housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer issues. You must meet income guidelines to qualify for free help. The San Luis Obispo County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a private attorney.

Cities in San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County has no cities with populations over 100,000. The largest city is San Luis Obispo, which is the county seat. All court dockets for the county are maintained by the county Superior Court system.

Nearby Counties

San Luis Obispo County borders several other counties. Each maintains its own court system: