California legal term
Court records in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Court records” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “Court records” mean in California criminal law?
“Court records” means records, files, and materials created, compiled, or maintained by or for the court in relation to court proceedings, and includes, but is not limited to, indexes, registers of actions, court minutes, court orders, court filings, court exhibits, court progress and status reports, court history summaries, copies of state summary criminal history information and local summary criminal history information, and any other criminal history information contained in any of those materials. (Cal. Penal Code § 851.92)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.