About the Contra Costa County Clerk of the Superior Court
In California, every county has a single trial court called the Superior Court. The Clerk of the Superior Court is the office inside that court that files pleadings, manages case records, issues process, and collects court fees. It is not an elected county clerk and is not the same as the Clerk-Recorder. The Court Records Unit in Contra Costa County is the public-facing counter for non-criminal case viewing and copies. Criminal case requests may route to a different court counter, depending on the case location.
Court Records sits at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez. The address is 725 Court Street, Room 103. The phone line for general court info is (925) 608-1000. Posted hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding court holidays. Valid ID is required to view any file. Older paper, microfiche, and microfilm files are still being scanned, so some requests may take time.
Contra Costa County Court Records Unit
Wakefield Taylor Courthouse
725 Court Street, Room 103
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 608-1000
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
Use the Court Records counter for civil, family law, probate, small claims, adoption, and most other case file requests. For criminal records, call ahead to confirm the right court location.
Clerk of the Superior Court vs Clerk-Recorder
The Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder is a separate office. The current Clerk-Recorder is Kristin B. Connelly. Her office handles deeds, liens, recorded notices, marriage licenses, fictitious business names, and election functions. The general phone line is (925) 335-7900. The Clerk-Recorder is not the right office for court case files, divorce judgments, probate orders, or any other court product. Many residents confuse the two offices, which delays requests.
If a request is for a land or vital record, the Clerk-Recorder is the right office. If a request is for a court case file, the Clerk of the Superior Court is the right office. Marriage licenses sit with the Clerk-Recorder, while a certified divorce judgment sits with Court Records.
Note: a certified marriage copy comes from the Clerk-Recorder, while a certified divorce judgment comes from the Clerk of the Superior Court at Court Records.
What the Clerk of the Superior Court Does
The Clerk of the Superior Court in Contra Costa County handles the daily court workflow. Each task below ties to a counter, a phone line, or a form used at the local courthouses.
- Accept new case filings, both in person and through e-filing where supported.
- Manage and preserve case records for civil, family law, probate, criminal, juvenile, traffic, and small claims cases.
- Issue process such as summonses, abstracts of judgment, writs, and letters in probate cases.
- Collect filing fees, copy fees, certification fees, and traffic bail and fines under the court fee schedule.
- Provide certified copies, file viewing, and search assistance through Court Records.
- Process Rule 10.500 administrative-record requests through form PI-01.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Certified copies meet legal-proof needs for name change, immigration, Social Security, banking, probate, and post-judgment matters. The list below walks through the steps used to request a certified copy from the Contra Costa County Clerk of the Superior Court.
- Find the case number. Use the Court Public Portal or call (925) 608-1000 to confirm.
- Pick the document you need. Common items are judgments, orders, minute orders, filed pleadings, and abstracts.
- Pick a request channel. Visit Court Records in person, mail a written request, or call ahead for the right counter.
- Bring valid photo ID. The court page says ID is required to view any file.
- Pay the fee. A plain copy is 50 cents per page. A certified copy is $40 plus 50 cents per page. A certified divorce judgment is $15 and includes copies.
- For mail orders, send a self-addressed stamped envelope, the case info, payment, and a phone number for follow-up.
- Pick up the copy at the counter or wait for the mail return. Allow extra time for older files being scanned from microfilm.
PI-01 Records Request Form Fields
The Contra Costa County Clerk of the Superior Court uses form PI-01 for Rule 10.500 administrative-record requests. The form is not for case files. Use the Court Records counter for case files. The table below lists each PI-01 field.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Requester name | Yes | Person making the administrative-record request. |
| Organization / agency | Optional | If the requester is affiliated. |
| Mailing address | Yes if mail response needed | Address for correspondence and copies. |
| Phone | Optional | Direct contact number. |
| Likely needed for electronic response | Contact email. | |
| Description of records requested | Yes | Describe the judicial administrative records sought. |
| Preferred delivery / inspection | Varies | Inspection, copies, or electronic delivery. |
| Signature and date | Yes | Certification by the requester. |
Submission follows the contact directions on the PI-01 form. The form expressly says it is not the proper form for judgments, decrees, orders, complaints, or other documents from a court case.
Contra Costa County Clerk of the Superior Court Fees
The fee schedule below covers the most common Court Records and clerk items in Contra Costa County. Always verify current fees with the court before mailing payment.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy per page | $0.50 |
| Certified court copy | $40 plus $0.50 per page |
| Certified divorce judgment | $15 (includes copies) |
| In-court credit / debit fee | 2.99%, $1 minimum |
| Online traffic payment service fee | 3.99% |
| Civil unlimited filing fee (most cases) | $435 (statewide Judicial Council fee) |
| Fee waiver | FW-001 and FW-003 for eligible low-income filers |
Court Locations Served by the Clerk
The Clerk of the Superior Court in Contra Costa County serves seven main court locations. Each location handles a different mix of case types. The Court Records Unit centralizes non-criminal record viewing at Wakefield Taylor in Martinez.
The Wakefield Taylor Courthouse anchors the main county campus. See the Wakefield Taylor map and screenshot below.
Court Records sits inside Wakefield Taylor at 725 Court Street, Room 103. The Spinetta Family Law Center sits a short walk away at 751 Pine Street and runs the family-law calendar.
See the Spinetta Family Law Center page.
Family law filings go through Spinetta. The Clerk of the Superior Court still issues certified copies of divorce judgments through Court Records.
East County is served by the Richard E. Arnason Justice Center in Pittsburg. See the Arnason Justice Center page.
Arnason covers East County civil, unlawful detainer, small claims, criminal, traffic, family, and juvenile cases.
Common Clerk Forms in Contra Costa County
Most filings use statewide Judicial Council forms. The Contra Costa County Clerk of the Superior Court accepts the standard forms across case types. The short list below covers high-volume filings.
- PI-01 Public Information Request — Rule 10.500 administrative-record request.
- FL-100 Petition — opens a divorce, legal separation, or nullity case.
- FL-110 Summons — served with the FL-100 to start service.
- FW-001 Request to Waive Court Fees — low-income fee-waiver request.
- FW-003 Order on Court Fee Waiver — signed order if approved.
Mail, Drop Box, and Online Filings
The Contra Costa County Clerk of the Superior Court accepts filings by mail, drop box, and in person. Some case types also use e-filing. Family-law filings often use the Spinetta drop box. Court Records accepts mailed copy requests, with a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment. The court's online portal at the new Tyler site supports case lookup and document download for unlimited and limited civil cases at no fee, though portal content is not the official court record.
For unlawful detainer requests, online access is restricted. Code of Civil Procedure section 1161.2 limits public access until the landlord prevails within statutory time. For UD cases, call the Clerk's office at (925) 608-1000 or visit the filing location in Martinez, Pittsburg, or Richmond.
Self-Help and Public Law Library Support
Self-represented filers can get help before they walk up to the Clerk of the Superior Court counter in Contra Costa County. The court's self-help center connects parties to family-law, small claims, and civil clinics. The Contra Costa County Public Law Library at (925) 655-4627 has free legal reference, books, and workshops, including the Conservatorship Workshop run with the Probate Facilitator. The California courts self-help site at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov hosts statewide guides, fillable forms, and the LawHelp Interactive interview tool.
Filers who arrive with a complete packet and the right fee move through the clerk's counter faster. Common reasons a filing gets rejected include a missing signature, a missing service copy, a wrong fee, or the wrong location. Court Records staff cannot give legal advice, but they can confirm which form a case needs.
Note: court staff do not draft pleadings or give case strategy advice, even when a filer is unrepresented.