Clearing a criminal record in San Diego County
San Diego County petitions are filed at the San Diego Central Courthouse in San Diego, our flat fee covers whatever the court charges to file, and you do not need to live here, or come to court, to clear a case from here.
Where a petition is filed in San Diego County
Record-clearing petitions are filed in the county where you were convicted, which means San Diego County petitions go to the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego (court website).
San Diego Central Courthouse
1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 844-2700
What San Diego County charges to file
San Diego County does not publish a filing fee for a record-clearing petition that we were able to verify as of 2026-10-10. A good number of California counties charge nothing at all. Either way our fee is all-in, so if a fee applies we pay it.
Local notes for San Diego County
- San Diego County's name comes from the city of San Diego, from Mission San Diego (Spanish for Saint Didacus.
- San Diego is one of only 15 California counties governed under a home-rule charter rather than general law.
- The former Hall of Justice at 330 W Broadway now houses civil courtrooms; criminal matters, including record-clearing (1203.4) petitions, are handled at the Central Courthouse at 1100 Union St (Criminal Division direct line (619) 844-2400).
Who else is involved
- The petition is served on the San Diego County District Attorney, which has a statutory window to respond.
- The court publishes self-help information if you would rather do this yourself.
Cities we serve in San Diego County
San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, and everywhere else in the county. Where you live does not matter — the petition goes to the court that handled the conviction.
Common questions
Do I have to come to court in San Diego County?
Usually not. The firm appears for you where the court sets a hearing, and many of these are decided on the papers without anyone appearing at all.
I live somewhere else now. Can I still clear a San Diego County case?
Yes. The petition is filed where the conviction happened, not where you live. You do not need to travel, and plenty of our clients no longer live in California at all.
How long does it take here?
Two to four months is typical across California, and it varies by court and by how busy the criminal division is. We tell you what we are actually seeing in your county rather than quoting a brochure number.
Legal information on this page was last checked against primary sources in October 2026. California law changes; if you are reading this long after that date, confirm before you rely on it.