The Los Angeles County Bar Association has launched a new searchable database of the L.A. Superior Court's Civil Register. Access to the database is free to solo practitioners who are members of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and law firms and corporate law departments where ALL the attorneys are members of the association. Prices for access where all firm members are not members of the association are listed on the Bar's web site.

This database contains data from 1997 through August 15, 2001. The Los Angeles Superior Court Civil Register also includes information about general and limited jurisdiction civil cases from all districts, except cases filed in Van Nuys (general jurisdiction) before January 8, 2001. The Court's own database is searchable only by case number, while the Bar's database is searchable by more criteria.

For each case filed, the Superior Court enters a brief description of all documents filed, decisions rendered and proceedings conducted by the Court. The Register also contains a description of the type of case as well as a list of the parties, law firms, referees, mediators, and arbitrators used. Information with regard to how a judge rules on challenges, demurrers and motions is entered along with the number of trial days. (The verdict or judgment is generally not described.)

Access codes are available from the Bar by calling 213-896-6560 between 9AM and 5PM Monday through Friday, or by e-mailing telliott@lacba.org.

See LACBA Updates Civil Register Database for new functions of this database.