Orange County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Orange County come from one of the busiest court systems in California. With over 3.1 million residents, Orange County ranks as the third most populous county in the state. The Superior Court of Orange County handles all criminal filings at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana and several branch courts. The county also has a large sheriff's department that runs jail facilities and keeps its own set of booking and custody records. Between the court system and the sheriff, most criminal record searches in Orange County start with one of two online tools.

Orange County Court Case Search

The Orange County Superior Court runs a public case access system called Vision Public. You can search criminal and traffic cases through this tool at visionpublic.occourts.org. The system lets you look up cases by defendant name, case number, or filing date. Results show the case number, charges, filing date, and current status. It is free to search. This makes Orange County one of the easier places in California to look up criminal case info online.

The court also has a name search tool at namesearch.occourts.org for broader searches. The Vision Public portal below shows the criminal and traffic case access screen.

The Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana is where most criminal cases are filed. If you need physical copies of court documents, go to the clerk's office there. Copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $40. You can also call (657) 622-6878 for questions about case records or the online system. For cases filed at branch locations like the Harbor Justice Center or the North Justice Center, contact those courts directly. Each location keeps its own files, though the online system covers all of them.

Note: The Vision Public system does not show sealed or expunged cases, and some older records may not be in the digital system.

OC Sheriff Inmate Search

The Orange County Sheriff's Department operates the county jail system. The main facility is the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange. The department also runs the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana, the James A. Musick Facility in Irvine, and the Central Men's and Women's jails. Together these facilities hold thousands of inmates. You can access the sheriff's inmate information system through their portal at apps.ocsheriff.gov.

Below is a screenshot of the Orange County Sheriff's portal where you can start an inmate search.

The system requires you to create an account to search. Once you log in, you can look up inmates by name or booking number. Results include the person's custody status, charges, bail amount, and which facility they are in. The system covers people currently in OC jail custody. For inmates who have been transferred to state prison, use the CDCR's CIRIS inmate search instead.

If you have trouble with the online system or just prefer to call, the sheriff's department can help over the phone. Jail information lines are available at each facility. The central booking number will route you to the right place.

State Criminal Records for Orange County

The California DOJ maintains the statewide criminal history database separate from what the courts keep. This database holds RAP sheets, which include arrest records and case outcomes from all 58 counties. Orange County residents who want to see their own criminal history can get a copy by going through Live Scan fingerprinting and paying the $25 DOJ fee. Find a Live Scan location near you at oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. Orange County has dozens of Live Scan sites spread across its cities.

Employers and licensing agencies that need criminal background checks on applicants also go through the DOJ. They must have state authorization. The DOJ processes roughly 2 million state-level background checks each year. Track your background check status at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov with your ATI number.

The sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov lets you search for registered sex offenders in Orange County by name or location. Given the county's large population, searches in cities like Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Huntington Beach can return many results.

Clearing Criminal Records in Orange County

People with criminal records in Orange County have options to clear or reduce them under California law. Penal Code Section 1203.4 is the most common tool. It lets you petition to dismiss your case after completing probation. You file the petition at the Orange County Superior Court. The conviction stays on your RAP sheet with a "dismissed" notation. This helps on job and housing applications because many employers look more favorably on a dismissed case than an active conviction.

For arrest records that did not lead to a conviction, Penal Code Section 851.87 lets you seal them. You do not need to prove factual innocence. Once sealed, the arrest should not show up on standard background checks. Proposition 47 also applies in Orange County for people with older felony convictions for nonviolent drug or theft crimes. These can sometimes be reduced to misdemeanors. Proposition 64 marijuana record relief covers old cannabis convictions.

How to Get Criminal Records in Orange County

There are several paths to getting criminal records in Orange County. What you need depends on the type of record. Court records, jail records, and police records are all held by different agencies. Here is a summary of the main methods.

• Search cases online at visionpublic.occourts.org for free
• Visit the Central Justice Center clerk's office at 700 Civic Center Dr W, Santa Ana
• Request copies at 50 cents per page or certified copies at $40
• Search inmates through the OC Sheriff portal at apps.ocsheriff.gov
• Get police reports from the city where the incident took place

Each city in Orange County has its own police department with its own records division. Anaheim Police handles records requests through a NextRequest portal. Santa Ana Police has a records division you can contact at (714) 245-8600. Other cities like Irvine, Huntington Beach, and Fullerton have their own processes. Always start with the police department in the city where the arrest or incident occurred. The court handles the case files once charges are filed, but the original police report stays with the arresting agency.

Note: Police departments in Orange County each set their own fees and processing times for report copies, so call ahead to confirm.

Cities in Orange County

Orange County has dozens of cities. These qualify for individual criminal record pages based on population size.

Nearby Counties

Orange County borders several other large counties in Southern California. Check these for additional criminal record searches.