San Mateo County, CA Courts and Public Records
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The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo is the single trial court for the county, handling criminal, traffic, civil, family, probate, and juvenile cases.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Court Name | Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo |
| Main Address | 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 (Hall of Justice and Records) |
| Main Phone | (650) 261-5100 |
| Website | www.sanmateo.courts.ca.gov |
| Presiding Judge | Hon. Stephanie Garratt, presiding judge (term start not stated on the court site) |
| Judicial Officers | 28 authorized judges and 5 subordinate judicial officers (33 total authorized judicial positions) as of June 30, 2025 (Judicial Council, FY 2024-25) |
| Courthouse Locations | 4 public locations: Central Branch and Juvenile Branch in San Mateo, Northern Branch in South San Francisco, and Southern Branch (Hall of Justice and Records) in Redwood City |
| Handles | Felonies, misdemeanors, infractions, traffic, civil (limited and unlimited), small claims, unlawful detainer, family law, probate, mental health, and juvenile matters |
| Does NOT Handle | Federal cases (U.S. District Court), DMV matters, and parking tickets (issued by the citing agency) |
| Online Case Search | MIDX |
| Criminal Records Requests | Search the MIDX index online, or request copies by mail or in person through Records Management, 400 County Center, Redwood City. Juvenile and traffic case files must be requested from those departments directly. Court site: court website |
| Pay Traffic Tickets Online | odyportal-ext.sanmateocourt.org/portal-external |
How to Search San Mateo County Court Records
Have the full name, the case number if you know it, and the approximate dates ready before you search. Superior Court records for San Mateo County are kept by the court clerk.
Online
Go to MIDX and search by name or case number.
Open the case summary to review the docket and parties.
Check the portal notes, since some case types are not shown.
Best for: Checking case status and docket entries
In Person
Go to 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 (Hall of Justice and Records).
Bring the case number and party names if you have them.
Ask the clerk for the division that handles your case type.
Best for: Viewing case files in person
By Phone or Mail
Call (650) 261-5100 to confirm the case type and records process.
Send a written request to the courthouse address with the case number and party names.
Confirm the mailing address by phone before you send anything.
Best for: Requests when you cannot visit the courthouse
Search by Name on CaliforniaCourtAccess.org
Go to CaliforniaCourtAccess.org and enter a full name.
Search across record types at once without a case number.
Confirm results in the official court portal, since they are not official court records.
Best for: Finding leads without a case number
San Mateo County Court Statistics (FY 2024-25)
San Mateo County's Superior Court received 108,650 new filings in fiscal year 2024-25 and reported 94,999 dispositions. Its filings per authorized judicial position rank 15 of 58 counties.
108,650
Total filings in FY 2024-25 (FY 2023-24: 90,691)
94,999
Total dispositions in FY 2024-25 (FY 2023-24: 86,376)
3,292
Filings per judicial position (rank 15 of 58 counties; 1 = most)
+19.8%
Change in total filings vs FY 2023-24 (90,691)
| Metric | FY 2024-25 | FY 2023-24 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Filings | 108,650 | 90,691 | +19.8% |
| Total Dispositions | 94,999 | 86,376 | +10.0% |
| Criminal Filings (includes traffic) | 90,161 | 74,672 | +20.7% |
| Civil Filings (includes small claims) | 12,438 | 10,030 | +24.0% |
| Family Law Filings | 3,393 | 3,379 | +0.4% |
| Probate Filings | 1,504 | 1,481 | +1.6% |
| Mental Health Filings | 533 | 572 | -6.8% |
| Juvenile Filings (delinquency and dependency) | 595 | 524 | +13.5% |
| Authorized Judicial Positions | 33.0 | 33.0 | No change |
The largest driver of the change was criminal (+15,489 filings), followed by civil (+2,408).
How Have Court Filings Changed in San Mateo County?
Total filings in San Mateo County moved up over the five fiscal years shown; dispositions are shown beside filings.
| Fiscal Year | Total Filings | Total Dispositions | YoY Filing Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2024-25 | 108,650 | 94,999 | +19.8% |
| FY 2023-24 | 90,691 | 86,376 | +0.4% |
| FY 2022-23 | 90,337 | 90,309 | -3.7% |
| FY 2021-22 | 93,767 | 93,191 | -4.6% |
| FY 2020-21 | 98,314 | 94,555 | -16.3% |
Total filings changed +10.5% between FY 2020-21 and FY 2024-25, from 98,314 to 108,650. The largest annual change was +19.8% in FY 2024-25. The latest change, FY 2024-25, was +19.8%, led by criminal filings (+15,489).
What Types of Cases Are Filed in San Mateo County?
Criminal cases make up the largest share of San Mateo County filings at 83.0% of the 108,650 filed in FY 2024-25.
| Case Type | Filings FY 2024-25 | Share of Total | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal | 90,161 | 83.0% | +20.7% |
| Traffic infractions | 76,340 | 70.3% | +26.4% |
| Traffic misdemeanors | 3,056 | 2.8% | -0.1% |
| Felonies | 2,746 | 2.5% | +5.1% |
| Nontraffic misdemeanors and infractions | 8,019 | 7.4% | -7.0% |
| Civil | 12,438 | 11.4% | +24.0% |
| Unlimited civil | 3,499 | 3.2% | +9.5% |
| Limited civil (includes unlawful detainer) | 7,727 | 7.1% | +33.5% |
| Small claims | 1,212 | 1.1% | +15.8% |
| Family law | 3,393 | 3.1% | +0.4% |
| Mental health | 533 | 0.5% | -6.8% |
| Probate | 1,504 | 1.4% | +1.6% |
| Juvenile delinquency | 507 | 0.5% | +10.2% |
| Juvenile dependency | 88 | 0.1% | +37.5% |
| Appeals and habeas corpus | 26 | 0.0% | -21.2% |
Juvenile dependency cases were the fastest-growing category at +37.5%, while mental health cases fell fastest at -6.8%.
How Does San Mateo County Compare With California Overall?
San Mateo County accounted for 2.05% of the 5,306,078 cases filed statewide in California superior courts in FY 2024-25, and its filings grew 19.8% while statewide filings grew 8.5%.
| Metric | San Mateo County | California | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total filings | 108,650 | 5,306,078 | 2.05% of statewide filings |
| YoY change in filings | +19.8% | +8.5% | +11.3 points vs state |
| Filings per judicial position | 3,292 | 2,636 | +24.9% vs state |
| Dispositions per judicial position equivalent | 2,859 | 1,741 | +64.2% vs state |
| Criminal share of filings (includes traffic) | 83.0% | 70.1% | +12.9 points vs state |
| Civil share of filings (includes small claims) | 11.4% | 19.5% | -8.1 points vs state |
| Family law share of filings | 3.1% | 5.9% | -2.7 points vs state |
San Mateo County's criminal share is higher than the statewide share and its civil share is lower. Its filings per judicial position are above the statewide figure.
San Mateo County Crime Statistics (2024)
These figures cover offenses reported by all law enforcement agencies in San Mateo County, as published by the California Department of Justice (OpenJustice).
Total reported violent and property offenses fell 14.9% from 16,611 in 2023 to 14,131 in 2024.
1,927
Violent crimes in 2024
12,204
Property crimes in 2024
~259.4
Violent crime rate per 100K residents
-14.9%
Change in total reported crimes vs 2023
| Offense | 2024 | Rate per 100K | 2023 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 12 | ~1.6 | 17 | -29.4% |
| Rape | 234 | ~31.5 | 223 | +4.9% |
| Robbery | 502 | ~67.6 | 646 | -22.3% |
| Aggravated assault | 1,179 | ~158.7 | 1,412 | -16.5% |
| Violent crimes total | 1,927 | ~259.4 | 2,298 | -16.1% |
| Burglary | 901 | ~121.3 | 1,636 | -44.9% |
| Larceny-theft | 9,638 | ~1297.4 | 10,702 | -9.9% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1,665 | ~224.1 | 1,975 | -15.7% |
| Property crimes total | 12,204 | ~1642.8 | 14,313 | -14.7% |
The county violent crime rate of ~259.4 per 100K compares with 477.1 statewide, and its property crime rate of ~1642.8 per 100K compares with 2069.1 statewide.
San Mateo County Courthouse Locations
San Mateo County has 4 official Superior Court locations listed on the court website. Check your notice or case paperwork for the courthouse and courtroom before you go, because not every location handles every case type.
| Courthouse | Address | Phone | Verified Services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Branch (San Mateo) | 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo, CA 94401 | (650) 261-5100 | See location page |
| Juvenile Branch (San Mateo) | 222 Paul Scannell Drive, San Mateo, CA 94402 | (650) 261-5100 | See location page |
| Northern Branch (South San Francisco) | 1050 Mission Road, South San Francisco, CA 94080 | (650) 261-5100 | See location page |
| Southern Branch: Hall of Justice and Records (Redwood City) | 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 | (650) 261-5100 | Records Management (1st Floor, Room A) |
Which Court Handles Your Case in San Mateo County?
The Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo hears all case types in the county, and the court divides them into divisions. Parking tickets and federal cases are handled outside this court.
| Your Situation | Go To | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic ticket | Superior Court, Traffic Division (Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center, Redwood City) | Traffic cases are handled by the court, and you can pay or request an extension through the court's listed payment options. |
| Parking ticket | The agency that issued the ticket | The Superior Court Traffic Division does not handle parking tickets. |
| Misdemeanor | Superior Court, Criminal (Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center, Redwood City) | Misdemeanor cases are heard in the Superior Court criminal division. |
| Felony | Superior Court, Criminal (Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center, Redwood City) | Felony cases are heard in the Superior Court criminal division. |
| DUI | Superior Court, Criminal (Hall of Justice and Records, 400 County Center, Redwood City) | Check the charge on your paperwork, since misdemeanor and felony DUI cases follow the criminal routes. |
| Domestic violence | Superior Court, Family or Criminal (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Restraining order requests and criminal charges follow different routes, so confirm the case type with the clerk. |
| Civil lawsuit | Superior Court, Civil (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Civil cases are split into unlimited and limited civil divisions. |
| Small claims | Superior Court, Small Claims (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Small claims cases are heard in the Superior Court small claims division. |
| Eviction | Superior Court, Unlawful Detainer (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Unlawful detainer (eviction) cases are handled by the court's unlawful detainer division. |
| Divorce | Superior Court, Family Law (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Divorce cases are filed in the Superior Court family law division. |
| Child custody or support | Superior Court, Family Law (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Custody and support cases are filed in the Superior Court family law division. |
| Probate or estate | Superior Court, Probate (Central Branch, 800 North Humboldt Street, San Mateo) | Probate, conservatorship, and guardianship matters are heard in the Superior Court probate division. |
| Juvenile case | Superior Court, Juvenile (Juvenile Branch, 222 Paul Scannell Drive, San Mateo) | Juvenile cases are heard in the court's juvenile division. |
| Appeal | California Court of Appeal or the court's appellate division | Appeals are not heard by the trial court where the case began. |
Are San Mateo County Court Records Public?
Yes, most Superior Court records in California are public, with exceptions set by the California Rules of Court, rules 2.500 to 2.507 on public access to electronic trial court records.
Public records
Most civil, criminal, traffic, and family case information is open to the public, subject to the restrictions in the rules and any court order.
Restricted or confidential records
Sealed records, juvenile case files, and records the law makes confidential are not available without a court order, and some family, probate, and mental health files are restricted.
Online access
Use MIDX to look up case information. MIDX covers civil, criminal, family law, probate and small claims cases and provides index information only; confidential cases are excluded, and criminal cases filed before 1993 are not covered. The website is not the official record of the court.
In-person access
Visit the courthouse at 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063 (Hall of Justice and Records) to view or request files, and confirm the division with the clerk at (650) 261-5100.
Fees
The court pages reviewed do not state copy or certification fees, so ask the clerk before you request copies.
How to Search San Mateo County Court Records Online
Use the court's official online portal to search San Mateo County cases by case type, and ask the clerk for documents that are not available online.
- Identify the case type, such as criminal, traffic, civil, small claims, family law, probate, or juvenile.
- Open MIDX for the court's public case information.
- Search by party name or case number and note the case number from the results.
- Review the case details for status, parties, and scheduled dates.
- Contact the clerk at (650) 261-5100 to request documents that are not online.
| Case Type | Where to Search | What You'll Find | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal | MIDX | Case information and docket entries | Confirm coverage with the clerk; documents may require a request |
| Traffic | MIDX | Case information for citations filed with the court | Payment is handled separately from record search |
| Civil | MIDX | Case information and parties | Restricted or sealed filings are not shown |
| Small claims | MIDX | Case information and parties | Documents may require the clerk |
| Family law | MIDX | Case information for family cases that are public | Confidential details are restricted |
| Probate | Contact the court probate division at (650) 261-5100 | Probate file information through the clerk | Ask the clerk which probate files are available online |
| Juvenile | Contact the court juvenile division through the clerk at (650) 261-5100 | Limited case information through the clerk | Juvenile proceedings are confidential and are not in the public portal |
How to Pay Fines & Citations in San Mateo County
San Mateo County Superior Court traffic citations can be paid or handled through the court's listed options, which depend on the type of ticket.
- Online: pay traffic tickets through the court's "Pay Traffic Tickets" link at odyportal-ext.sanmateocourt.org/portal-external.
- Ability to pay: the court site links to "Financial Hardship And Your Ability To Pay Your Traffic Citation" and "Making Payments on Traffic Cases in Collections" pages in its traffic menu. The court also announced an online ability-to-pay tool for eligible traffic infractions, at the court news release.
The court page does not list mailing, phone or in-person payment steps for traffic fines, so confirm those with the traffic division at (650) 261-5100 before paying.
Parking tickets are handled by the agency that issued them, not by the Superior Court Traffic Division.
San Mateo County Court Records FAQ
How do I search San Mateo County court records?
Use MIDX to look up cases by name or case number, or visit the courthouse at 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA 94063.
Are San Mateo County court records public?
Most are, under California Rules of Court 2.500 to 2.507, but sealed, juvenile, and other confidential records are restricted.
How do I find a criminal case?
Search by name in MIDX or contact the clerk at (650) 261-5100 with the defendant's name.
How do I find a court date?
Check your ticket or notice, look up the case in MIDX, or call the court at (650) 261-5100.
How do I pay a traffic ticket?
Use the court's listed options, starting with the online payment site, and see the payment section of this page for other methods.
How many cases are filed in San Mateo County each year?
San Mateo County recorded 90,691 filings in FY 2023-24, up 0.4% from 90,337 in FY 2022-23.
What is the most common type of case?
Criminal cases, including traffic, at 74,672 filings or 82.3% of the FY 2023-24 total.
Is crime in San Mateo County rising or falling?
Reported violent and property offenses fell 14.9% in 2024, to 14,131 from 16,611 in 2023, according to the California Department of Justice.
Courts in the County
San Mateo County Superior CourtMore Info
| Address: | 400 County Center, Redwood City, CA, 94063 |
| Phone Number: | 650-261-5100 |
| Fax: | 650-261-5050 |
| Website: | https://www.sanmateocourt.org/ |
Useful Links
- San Mateo County Superior Court Official Site: Access court calendars, forms, fees, and general court information in San Mateo County, California.
- San Mateo Court Clerk Services: Information on accessing court records, filing fees, e-filing services, and more for San Mateo County.
- San Mateo Court Online Services: Utilize online services for case inquiries, court payments, traffic citations, and more in San Mateo County.
- San Mateo County Superior Court Contact Information: Find contact details for various departments and services within the San Mateo County Superior Court system.
- San Mateo Traffic Court Services: Access traffic ticket information, payment options, and traffic school details specific to San Mateo County.
- San Mateo County Self-Help Services: Legal assistance for self-represented litigants with resources, workshops, and guidance in San Mateo County.
- San Mateo County Court Forms and Filing Packets: Download court forms and filing instructions for various case types in San Mateo County.
- San Mateo County Juror Services: Information on jury duty processes, reporting instructions, and frequently asked questions for jurors in San Mateo County.
- The State Bar of California: Statewide legal resources, attorney search, and legal guides for practicing law in California, with court guidance for San Mateo.
- California Judges Association: Provides resources, education, and support for judges statewide, including those serving in San Mateo County courts.
- California Legislative Information: Access California laws, legislative updates, and information affecting court procedures and regulations in San Mateo County.
- San Mateo County Board of Supervisors: Governance and local county legislative updates influencing court policies and community issues in San Mateo County.
- Legal Services Corporation: Federally based non-profit offering legal aid resources and assistance programs, including referrals for San Mateo County residents.
- California Courts Self-Help Center: Resources from the state's judicial branch to assist self-represented litigants navigating the California court system, including San Mateo.
- California Attorney General: Access legal opinions, law enforcement bulletins, and statewide legal resources impacting various California counties, including San Mateo.
- California Case Law – FindLaw: Search and review California case law, statutes, and legal articles for court cases relevant to San Mateo County litigation.
- California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform: Resources and advocacy for senior citizens’ rights, legal issues, and cases involving San Mateo communities and statewide interests.
- LawHelpCA.org: Essential legal tools and referral services aiding individuals in finding legal help, including court services pertinent to San Mateo County.
- Public Court Records Search: Guide to accessing public records and conducting case lookups across U.S. courts, inclusive of San Mateo County's availability.
- Nolo's Guide to California Law: Comprehensive resource library offering insights into state laws and procedural guidance applicable to San Mateo County cases.
Table of Contents
- San Mateo County, Courts and Public Records
- How to Search San Mateo County Court Records
- San Mateo County Court Statistics (FY 2024-25)
- How Have Court Filings Changed in San Mateo County?
- What Types of Cases Are Filed in San Mateo County?
- How Does San Mateo County Compare With California Overall?
- San Mateo County Crime Statistics (2024)
- San Mateo County Courthouse Locations
- Which Court Handles Your Case in San Mateo County?
- Are San Mateo County Court Records Public?
- How to Search San Mateo County Court Records Online
- How to Pay Fines & Citations in San Mateo County
- San Mateo County Court Records FAQ
- Courts in the County
- Useful Links