Finding information on a legal matter in the East District of Los Angeles can feel like you're trying to solve a puzzle where half the pieces are hidden under the rug. Honestly, if you've ever tried a Pomona court case search without a direct link or a specific case number, you know the frustration. The Los Angeles Superior Court (LASC) system is massive. It’s the largest single-unified trial court in the United States.
Because Pomona hosts two distinct courthouses—Pomona Courthouse North and Pomona Courthouse South—things get confusing fast. People often show up at the wrong building or search the wrong online portal because they don't realize that civil and criminal matters are split up.
The Tale of Two Courthouses
You can't just "search Pomona" and expect one list. You have to know where the case lives.
Pomona Courthouse South, located at 400 Civic Center Plaza, is the heavy hitter for civil cases. We're talking about probate, family law, and general civil litigation. If you're looking for a divorce record or a lawsuit over a contract, this is your spot.
Pomona Courthouse North, sitting at 350 West Mission Blvd, handles the criminal side. This includes traffic, misdemeanors, and felonies. The divide is strict. If you try to look up a felony case using the civil search tool on the LASC website, it’ll come up empty. It won't tell you "try the other portal." It’ll just say "No results found," which is enough to make anyone give up.
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How to Actually Run a Pomona Court Case Search
Basically, you have two ways to do this: the "I don't want to leave my couch" way and the "I need the actual paper" way.
The Online Portal (Remote Access)
The LASC website is the gatekeeper here. For a Pomona court case search online, you’ll usually need a name or a case number. But here’s the kicker: it isn't free. Unlike some states where public records are wide open, Los Angeles charges "cost recovery fees."
Currently, if you’re a guest user, a name search will set you back about $4.75 per search. Registered users get a sliding scale, starting at $1.00 for the first few searches, but for a one-off look-up, you're paying that five-buck-ish fee. And yeah, they charge you even if the search returns zero results.
If you have the case number, you can usually view the "Register of Actions" for free. This is a chronological list of everything that has happened in the case—filings, hearings, rulings. But if you want to see the actual documents (like the complaint or a declaration), you’ll have to pay by the page. It’s usually $1.00 per page for the first five pages, then the price drops.
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The Courthouse Kiosk
If you’re local, just go to the courthouse. Both Pomona buildings have public terminals. These are free to use for searching. You only pay if you want the clerk to print copies for you or if you want certified records.
The Privacy Wall: What You Won't Find
Not everything is public. This is a big misconception. You aren't going to find juvenile records. Those are sealed tighter than a vault. Adoptions? Same thing.
In criminal cases, certain documents are restricted to protect victims or sensitive information. Also, if a case was "dismissed and sealed" (often under various California diversion programs), it effectively disappears from the public search index. If you’re searching for a 20-year-old misdemeanor and it’s not showing up, it might have been purged or archived.
Common Search Errors
Most people fail their Pomona court case search because of typos. The system is literal. If you’re searching for "Jonathon Smith" but the court filed it as "Jonathan Smith," you’re out of luck.
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- Wildcard Searches: Use an asterisk (*) if you aren't sure of the spelling.
- Case Number Formats: LASC case numbers are specific. They usually start with a sequence like "23PSCV00000." The "PS" stands for Pomona South. If you see "PN," that’s Pomona North.
- The "Soundex" Tool: Some LASC portals have a "Sounds Like" option. Use it. It’s a lifesaver for names with multiple spellings.
Accessing Older Records
Anything before the mid-1980s is probably not going to be online. The court started digitizing in waves. For really old stuff—like a property dispute from the 1960s—you might have to request a search from the Archives and Records Center. This isn't a "click and see" process; it involves a formal request and often a wait time of several weeks.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you need to find a case right now, follow this sequence:
- Identify the Case Type: Is it a lawsuit/divorce (South) or a crime/ticket (North)?
- Gather the Essentials: You need the full legal name and, ideally, the date of birth for criminal searches to filter out the five hundred other people with the same name.
- Check the LASC Public Portal: Go to the official lacourt.org site. Don't use third-party "background check" sites. They often have outdated info and just scrape the public portal anyway, charging you double.
- Use the "Register of Actions" first: It’s the cheapest way to see if the case is active or closed without buying full documents.
- Visit in Person for Large Files: If a case has 200+ pages of documents, it’s cheaper to view them on the kiosk and take notes than to download them all at a dollar a page.
Keep in mind that the "official" record is the one held by the clerk. While the online system is updated frequently, there can be a 24 to 48-hour lag between a courtroom event and the digital update. If a hearing happened this morning, don't expect the minute order to be online by lunch.