CAGenWeb San Diego County

San Diego County, California
Court
Records & Resources

San Diego Genealogical Society
San Diego Leaves & Saplings
San Diego Historical Society
The Research Library of the San Diego Historical Society has extensive holdings of San Diego County, California court records. Some of them are listed here. [More of the SDHS holdings will be added to this list, so please check back.]
- County Court, San Diego County
  - Case files - Civil and Criminal, County Court, 1850 - 1880
    Record group PR3.55; 7 boxes
  - Index to County Court, 1850 - 1879
    Record group PR3.551; 1 volume
    Index to judgments and minutes for cases of the County Court.
  - Register of Actions, County Court, 1860 - 1870
    Record group PR3.553; 1 volume
  - County Court Testimony, 1872
    Record group PR3.21; 1 volume
    Transcripts of testimony in the criminal cases of People v. Fenwick and People v. Squire.
  - Clerk's Fee Book, County Court, 1878 - 1879
    Record group PR3.552; 1 volume
    Record of fees paid in court cases shows names of plaintiffs and defendants, and all services and fees paid.
  - Minute Book, County Court, 1878 - 1879
    Record group PR3.20; 1 volume
- County Recorder, San Diego County
  - Power of Attorney Index, 1850 - 1931
    Record group PR2.142; 2 volumes
  - Power of Attorney, 1870 - 1931
    Record group PR2.141; 19 volumes
  - Lis Pendens or Notices of Action, 1872 - 1971
    Record group PR2.121; 25 volumes
    Notices of pending civil court actions that involve property.
- Court of Sessions, San Diego County
  - Case Files - Civil and Criminal, Court of Sessions, 1850 - 1860
    Record group PR3.54; 3 boxes
- District Attorney, San Diego County
  Felony Record, 1913 - 1951
  Record group PR2.94; 6 volumes
  List of all prosecutions made for felony offenses
  
  Misdemeanor Record, 1929 - 1951
  Record group PR2.95; 7 volumes
  List of all prosecutions made for misdemeanor offenses
- District Court, San Diego County
  Index to Justice's Journal, 1850 - 1869
  Record group PR3.383; 1 volume
  
  Case Files - Civil and Criminal, District Court, 1850 - 1880
  Record group PR3.38; 56 boxes
  
  Clerk's Fee Book, District Court, 1856 - 1860
  Record group PR3.25; 1 volume
  
  Journal of the District Court, 1861 - 1870
  Record group PR3.382; 1 volume
  
  Register of Actions - Tax Suits, District Court, 1871 - 1876
  Record group PR3.19; 2 volumes
  
  Minutes and Judgments, District Court, 1872 - 1874
  Record group PR3.384; 1 volume
  
  Register of Actions, District Court, 1876 - 1881
  Record group PR3.385; 2 volumes
- Grand Jury, San Diego County
  
  Grand Jury Minutes, 1897 - 1898, 1908 - 1909, 1921 - 1923
  Record group PR3.10; 5 volumes
  Minutes of the Grand Jury show all proceedings, and names of jurors and officers present. Arranged chronologically by date of meeting.
  
  Grand Jury Reports, 1905 - 1990
  Record group PR3.40; 5 boxes
- Justice Court
  
  Dockets - Civil and Criminal, Justice Court, 1866 - 1919
  Record group PR3.26; 39 volumes
  
  Case Files, Justice Court, 1870 - 1918
  Record group PR3.37; 10 boxes and 1 volume (1883 - 1886)
  
  City Police Docket, 1874 - 1885
  Record group PR3.27; 1 volume
  
  Minute Books (Docket Books), Justice Court, 1885 - 1886, 1901 - 1918
  Record group PR3.49;6 volumes
  
  Abstracts of Judgments, Justice Court, 1907 - 1929
  Record group PR3.42; 1 box
  
  Bailiff's Cash Book, 1910 - 1915
  Record group PR3.46; 1 volume
  
  Jail Register and Record of Arrests, 1912 - 1928
  Record group PR3.45; 10 volumes
  
  Criminal Dockets, Justice Court, 1913 - 1914, 1920 - 1922
  Record group PR3.50; 2 volumes
  
  Justice Court Ledger, 1932 - 1938
  Record group PR3.59; 2 volumes
- Municipal Court
  
  Minute Books, San Diego Municipal Court, 1937 - 1949
  Record group PR3.51; 6 volumes
  
  Criminal Index, Oceanside Municipal Court, 1952 - 1958
  Record group PR3.63; 1 volume
  
  Criminal Dockets, Oceanside Municipal Court, 1952 - 1962
  Record group PR3.61; 27 volumes
  
  Register of Surety Bonds, Oceanside, 1952- 1975
  Record group PR3.60; 5 volumes
  
  Small Claims Index, Oceanside Municipal Court, 1952 - 1964
  Record group PR3.57; 2 volumes
- Probate Court, San Diego County
  
  Probate Minutes, Docket A, 1850 - 1852
  Record group PR3.381; 1 volume
  Minutes of the Probate Court for Docket A. Minutes include the name of the estate, the date and time of each entry, the names of judges, attorneys and testators, and a description of the court proceedings. Arranged chronologically.
  
  Index to Probate Court Register of Actions, 1850 - 1879
  Record group PR3.353; 1 volume
  Index to Register of Actions for Probate Court prior to its incorporation into the Superior Court System. Index contains name of estate, the page number in the Register of Actions and the court department. Arranged alphabetically by name of estate.
  
  Probate Court Case Files, 1850 - 1908
  Record group PR3.52; 8 boxes
  Probate Cases initiated before 1880 contain date, type of case, the case number, names of lawyers, heirs, guardians, minors, incompetence and testators and records such as vouchers, dispositions, and bills submitted to estates by creditors. Court testimony is found in some files. Arranged by case number and indexed by name of estate.
  
  Index to Probate Court, 1850 - 1964
  Record group PR3.531; 7 volumes
  Index to Probate case files show the name of the estate and the case number. Arranged alphabetically by name of estate. Early cases from before the incorporation of the Probate Court into the Superior Court in 1879, are written in red.
  
  Probate Court Record, 1865 - 1879
  Record group PR3.532; 5 volumes
  Record is the minutes of Probate Court. Minutes include the name of the estate, the date and time for each entry, the names of judges, attorneys and testators, and a description of the court proceedings. Arranged chronologically. Contains an index in the front of each volume.
  
  Probate Court, Clerk's Fee Book, 1866 - 1871
  Record group PR3.534; 1 volume
  Register of County Clerk as ex-officio Clerk of Probate Court shows name of estate, case number, court actions, costs and dates. Arranged chronologically by court date and indexed by name of estate.
  
  Estates of Deceased Persons, 1876 - 1888, 1923 - 1950
  Record group PR2.38; 2 volumes
  Record of receipt and disposition of money from estates. Shows name of deceased, date of entry, source and amount of receipts, date of disbursements and to whom disbursed, and names of heirs. Arranged chronologically by date of entry and partially indexed by name of deceased.
- Superior Court, San Diego County
  
  Case Files, Civil and Criminal, Superior Court, 1879 - 1921
  Record group PR3.39; 480 boxes
  
  Declarations of Intent, 1906 - 1941
  Record group PR3.393; 7 volumes
  
  Superior Court Ledger, 1913 - 1914
  Record group PR3.17; 1 volume
  
  Draft Minutes, Superior Court, 1880 - 1890
  Record group PR3.22; 13 volumes
  
  Index to Suits, Superior Court, 1880 - 1951
  Record group PR3.36; 19 rolls microfilm
  
  Index to Superior Court, 1879 - 1887
  Record group PR3.24; 1 volume
  
  Judgments, Civil, Superior Court, 1886 - 1947
  Record group PR3.3; 113 volumes
  
  Minutes and Orders, Civil and Criminal, Superior Court, 1880 - 1942
  Record group PR3.2; 155 volumes
  
  Motion Calendar, Superior Court, 1898 - 1900
  Record group PR3.7; 2 volumes
  
  Order of Commitment, Superior Court, 1897 - 1904
  Record group PR3.91; 1 volume
  
  Probate Case Files, Superior Court, 1890 - 1937
  Record group PR3.53 (146) boxes and PR3.533 (13 boxes)
  Probate Case Files contain date, type of case, the case number, names of lawyers, heirs, guardians, minors, incompetents and testators and records such as vouchers, dispositions, and bills submitted to estates by creditors. Court testimony is found in some files. Arranged by case number and indexed by name of estate
  
  Index to Probate Court, 1850 - 1964
  Record group PR3.531; 7 volumes
  Index to Probate case files show the name of the estate and the case number. Arranged alphabetically by name of estate. Early cases from before the incorporation of the Probate Court into the Superior Court in 1879, are written in red.
  
  Probate Orders and Decrees, 1880 - 1882, 1886 - 1940
  Record group PR3.4; 128 volumes
  
  Record of Wills, 1880 - 1927
  Record group PR3.5; 17 volumes
  
  Register of Actions, Superior Court, 1880 - 1912, 1929, 1945
  Record group PR3.1; 167 volumes and 1 index volume
  
  Trial Calendar, Superior Court, 1897 - 1925
  Record group PR3.6; 10 volumes
  
  Probate Orders and Decrees, 1880 - 1882, 1886 - 1940
  Record group PR3.4; 128 volumes
  Record contains court minutes, orders and decrees showing name of estate, case number and date of hearing; names of testator, attorneys, judge, witnesses and legatees. Arranged chronologically by court date and indexed by name of estate.
  
  Probate Calendar, 1908, 1916 - 1921
  Record group PR3.8; 8 volumes
  Calendar of probate hearings show date of hearing, case number, name of estate, nature and result of case. Arranged chronologically by court date.
- Other Court Records
  
  Index to Transcript of Judgments, 1864 - 1931
  Record group PR3.71; 2 volumes
  Index to transcripts of judgments awarded in small claims, justice and superior courts.
  
  Transcripts of Judgments, 1890 - 1931
  Record group PR3.711; 9 volumes
  Names of debtors and creditors, the amount of the judgment awarded, the court where the judgment was recovered and the dates of the recovery, filing and satisfaction of thejudgment.
  Subpeonas and Summons Served, 1896 - 1899, 1907 - 1919
  Record group PR3.13; 29 volumes
  
  Bail Bonds, 1900 - 1928
  Record group PR3.43; 3 boxes
  
  Juror Lists, 1904 - 1928
  Record group PR3.41; 4 boxes
  Names and address of people from among whom juries will be selected (Grand Jury or trial jurors). Files contain lists from County Clerk and venires from County Sheriff, instructions from jurors from Superior Court judges, and letters to the courts asking to be excused from jury duty. Arranged chronologically by year.
  
  Register of Foreign Actions, 1911 - 1915
  Record group PR3.15; 2 volumes
  Register of actions heard in other counties and states. Shows name of court, location, names of plaintiffs and defendants, case number, dates of action, title of acitons and court costs. Arranged chronologically and indexed by name.
  
  Reporter's Transcripts, 1951 - 1956
  Record group PR3.44; 2 boxes
Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
- Case Search (Court Case Index), 1974 -