Marin County, California court records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk's Office and are accessible through official online portals, the court clerk's office, and state resources. MarinCourt.us helps find publicly available information about court records in this county. Additionally, you can use the Marin Superior Court's ePortal, submit a request directly to the clerk's office, or refer to California state databases.
Marin Court System Overview
California operates a unified trial court system: each of the 58 counties has one Superior Court. Marin County Superior Court exclusively serves Marin County and handles all case categories—from criminal to family. The court is located in the Civic Center in San Rafael, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
At the federal level, Marin County is part of the Northern District of California (U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California). Appeals from the Superior Court are filed with the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District.
Courts Serving Marin
Residents of Marin County have access to several judicial institutions of various jurisdictions:
Marin County Superior Court (state court)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California — San Francisco Division (federal court)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California
There are no municipal courts in Marin County — since 1998, they have been consolidated with the Superior Court.
What Types of Cases Marin Courts Hear
The Marin County Superior Court hears virtually all categories of cases that arise at the state level. Here are the main ones:
- Criminal cases: felonies (serious crimes), misdemeanors (less serious), infractions (violations)
- Civil claims: general civil disputes, small claims
- Family law: divorce, child custody, child support, protective orders
- Probate: inheritance cases, guardianship, conservatorship, trusts
- Juvenile cases: delinquency, child protection, adoption
- Traffic violations and DUI
District Court Cases in Marin
In California, there are no separate county and magistrate state courts in the sense that exists in some other states. The Superior Court is the only trial court. Serious criminal cases — felonies — are heard by Superior Court judges after a preliminary hearing or grand jury indictment.
Civil cases with claims over $25,000 fall into the general civil division. Cases are assigned to a specific judge according to the court's internal rules. Appeals from the Superior Court are filed with the California Court of Appeal, not another local court. The criminal division of the court provides information on procedures and necessary forms.
Magistrate Court Cases in Marin
Although there is no formal separate magistrate court in California, the Superior Court hears all cases that would fall under magistrate jurisdiction in other states:
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
- Civil cases with limited jurisdiction — amounts up to $25,000
- Small claims — up to $10,000 for individuals, up to $5,000 for entities
- Traffic violations
- Arraignment and DUI hearings
Small claims cases are heard without attorneys — parties represent themselves. Judges handling these cases often specialize in specific categories due to the large volume.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Marin
Family law. Divorce, establishing paternity, custody, child support, protective orders from domestic violence — all are handled by the family law division of the Superior Court. The court accepts electronic applications for domestic violence and gun protective orders in accordance with SB 538. Certified copies of divorce decrees can also be obtained through the California Department of Public Health.
Probate. Inheritance cases, guardianship of minors and adults (conservatorship), and trust disputes are handled by the probate division of the Superior Court. Petitions are filed through the clerk's office.
Juvenile matters. Juvenile case records are confidential under California law. Delinquency and dependency cases are heard in separate courtrooms, and access to materials is restricted.
How Cases Move Through the Marin Court System
- Case initiation. A criminal case begins with an indictment or prosecutor's complaint. A civil case starts with the filing of a complaint or petition with the court clerk's office.
- Judge assignment. The clerk's office assigns the case to a specific judge according to the internal schedule.
- Initial hearings. In criminal cases — arraignment (first appearance of the accused before a judge). In civil cases — case management conference.
- Pre-trial phase. Motions, discovery, plea negotiations, or settlement discussions.
- Trial or resolution. The case concludes with a verdict, jury decision, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment. Sentencing, appeal, or enforcement of the court's decision.
Hearing schedules can be tracked through the ePortal calendar search, which offers filtering by date, case type, and courtroom.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Marin
The administration of the Marin County Superior Court is carried out by the Presiding Judge along with the Court Executive Officer. Local court rules and administrative orders are published on the official court website.
Court records in California are generally open to the public in accordance with the California Rules of Court (rule 2.503) and the public access policy of the state's judicial branch. Exceptions apply to juvenile cases, sealed records, adoptions, and certain family matters.
The court offers remote participation in hearings via ZOOM — details are published on the court's website for each specific division. To request copies of documents, use the records request form or contact the clerk's office:
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Marin
- Online case search. The Marin Superior Court ePortal allows searching for public cases by number, party name, or date, as well as viewing participant information and upcoming hearings.
- Court public portal. Through the Marin Superior Court Public Portal, you can view cases and file electronic documents.
- Court records request. The Court Records & Exhibits Division accepts requests by mail, email, or in person. Checks are made payable to Marin County Superior Court.
- Criminal history. To obtain a copy of your own criminal record, contact the California Department of Justice — fingerprints and a $25 fee are required.
- State inmate search. The California Incarcerated Records & Information Search (CIRIS) by CDCR allows finding individuals in state correctional facilities.
- Record clearing. The self-help guide from California courts explains options: from petitioning for expungement to automatic record relief and sealing arrests without conviction.
- Crime statistics. OpenJustice is a transparency initiative by the California Department of Justice, publishing criminal justice data statewide.
- Marin County Sheriff's Office. The Marin County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in unincorporated areas of the county, detention, and crime reports.