Court records of Kern County, California, are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk's Office and are accessible through official court portals, the court office, and online tools. KernCourt.us will help you find public information about court cases in this county. Additionally, you can use the case search on the court's website, visit the office in person, or send a written request. Below is a detailed overview of the court system, types of cases, and the procedure for obtaining court documents in Kern County.
Kern Court System Overview
California operates a unified trial court system — the Superior Court, one for each county. The Kern County Superior Court hears all categories of cases: criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile matters. Appeals from this court go to the Fifth District Court of Appeal, located in Fresno. California's judicial branch consists of three levels: the State Supreme Court, appellate courts, and trial courts (Superior Courts).
The main courthouse is located in Bakersfield. Additionally, there are branches in Delano, Lake Isabella, Mojave, Shafter, and Taft — to ensure residents of remote areas of the large county have convenient access to justice.
Kern County Superior Court — Metropolitan Division
Courts Serving Kern
Residents of Kern County may have cases in several courts — depending on the type of claim and jurisdiction.
State Court
Kern County Superior Court
Federal District Court
Kern County is part of the Eastern District of California (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California).
Federal Bankruptcy Court
Bankruptcy cases are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of California, with a branch in Fresno.
What Types of Cases Kern Courts Hear
Kern County Superior Court has general jurisdiction — meaning it hears virtually any case allowed by state law. Main categories include:
- Criminal cases: felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil claims: limited jurisdiction (up to $25,000), unlimited jurisdiction (over $25,000), small claims (up to $10,000)
- Family law: divorce, custody, support, parentage, protective orders
- Probate: estates, guardianships, conservatorships, trusts
- Juvenile matters: child protection, juvenile delinquency
- Traffic violations and DUI
- Adoptions
More details on each category are in the following sections.
District Court Cases in Kern
California does not have a separate "district court" at the state level — the full range of cases is heard by the Superior Court. Criminal felonies begin with a preliminary hearing, after which the case is forwarded for trial. Civil cases with claims over $25,000 are classified as "unlimited civil" and go through a full cycle: adversarial process, pre-trial discovery, possible jury trial.
Cases are assigned to judges according to the court's internal rules. Appeals from Superior Court decisions are filed with the Fifth District Court of Appeal. After sentencing, a convicted person may file a motion for sentence review or seek habeas corpus — these procedures are also handled by the Superior Court in the first instance.
Magistrate Court Cases in Kern
California does not have separate magistrate courts. Instead, the Superior Court handles cases of varying complexity in appropriate divisions. Misdemeanors, infractions, and traffic violations (including DUI) usually go through a simplified procedure.
The Civil and Small Claims Division handles cases with limited jurisdiction — up to $25,000. Small claims are limited to $10,000 for individuals. The court encourages alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Preliminary hearings in criminal felonies are conducted by separate judges who determine whether there is enough evidence to forward the case for full trial.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Kern
Family Law
Divorce in California is a "no-fault" procedure. The court's divorce page explains how to start a case. Besides divorces, the family division handles child custody disputes, child and spousal support, parentage establishment, domestic violence protective orders, and termination of parental rights.
Probate
The probate division handles cases involving the estates of deceased persons, appointing guardians for minors, conservators for incapacitated adults, and disputes over trusts. Probate case documents can be ordered online using the court's form.
Juvenile Matters
These cases are confidential. The court handles juvenile delinquency and child protection (dependency cases) when a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. Access to materials is restricted by law, and third parties cannot obtain copies without special court permission.
How Cases Move Through the Kern Court System
- Filing a claim or complaint. A criminal case starts with a prosecutor's complaint; a civil case begins with a complaint or petition.
- Case assignment. The clerk's office assigns a case number and appoints a judge.
- First hearing. In criminal cases, this is an arraignment where charges are announced to the defendant. In civil cases, it's a case management conference.
- Pre-trial phase. Parties exchange evidence (discovery), file motions, and negotiate. In criminal cases, plea bargaining is possible.
- Trial or resolution. The case may end with a jury trial, bench trial, settlement, guilty plea, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment. Criminal — sentencing and possible appeal. Civil — enforcement of judgment, filing an appeal to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
The court recommends parties use online services for electronic document filing, appointment scheduling, and checking case status.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Kern
The administration of Kern County Superior Court is carried out by the Presiding Judge in conjunction with the Court Executive Officer. Local court rules are published on the official court website and regulate document filing procedures, deadlines, formats, and hearing procedures.
Regarding public access — most court records in California are open according to the California Rules of Court and the judicial branch's public records policy. Exceptions include confidential juvenile cases, sealed records, and certain family and medical documents. The California Public Records Act also governs access to documents of state and local agencies.
Hearings can be attended in person. For some types of cases, the court offers remote participation — check with the clerk's office or the specific court division's page for availability.
Contact information for administration:
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Kern
- Online case search. Case Information Search allows you to find basic case information — parties, filed documents, hearing dates. This information is not the official court record. Also useful is the California Courts general guide to case lookup.
- Ordering document copies. Through the document request form, you can order copies of civil, probate, criminal, and other case materials. Court records can also be ordered by mail at 50 cents per page.
- Obtaining records in person. The Court Records page explains that you can view a case for free at the courthouse or ask a clerk to find it for a set fee.
- Criminal history. To obtain a copy of your own criminal history, contact the California Department of Justice — you need to submit fingerprints and pay $25. The DOJ public records page contains additional information.
- Crime statistics. The OpenJustice data portal of the California DOJ provides access to criminal justice statistics statewide.
- Inmate search. CDCR Incarcerated Records & Information Search (CIRIS) allows you to find individuals under the supervision of the California Department of Corrections. Kern County is home to North Kern State Prison and Wasco State Prison.
- Vital records. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are maintained by the California Department of Public Health — Vital Records. Divorce records at the state level cover only the period 1962–1984; later records are held by the county court.
- County Sheriff. The Kern County Sheriff's Office is the law enforcement agency serving the unincorporated areas of the county.
- Self-help center. Kern County Superior Court has a Self Help Center that provides free assistance with procedural questions — how to fill out forms, where to file documents, what deadlines to meet.
For a comprehensive search of information on Kern County court cases, also refer to KernCourt.us.