Court Records InformationĬourt self help services help the general public and attorneys directly access records from all 58 county superior courts. Certain employers require applicants to provide a driving record which can be requested directly from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. California's department of Public Health issues certified authorized and informational copies online to the public. Personal information is needed for identification, verification, passports and instances where official documentation is required. Separate law enforcement agencies provide incident and police reports.īackground Information. Individuals can also request a self background check. Employers can access the automated service from the California Department of Justice to conduct background checks online. Public records such as birth, death and marriage certificates may be obtained from each counties recorder/clerk.Ĭriminal records can be obtained from several public sources in California with various policies to service requests. Individual county sheriffs offices provide such records as crime reports, inmate information and wanted persons. State law enforcement is provided by the California Highway Patrol which allows access to the statewide integrated traffic system reports as well as collision reports and statistics on drunk driving and fatalities. Proposition 59, commonly known as the Sunshine Amendment added to the California constitution that the people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people's business, and, therefore, the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny. And Charter counties which have a limited degree of "home rule" authority that may provide for the election, compensation, terms, removal, and salary of the governing board.įreedom of information in California is controlled by Constitutional, legislative, and judicial rules. General law counties which adhere to state law as to the number and duties of county elected officials. There are two types of counties in California. Additionally legislative control over counties is more complete than it is over cities.
The fundamental difference between cities and counties in California are that counties lack broad powers of self-government that cities have.
Basic provisions for the government of California counties are contained in the California Constitution and the California Government Code. There are 58 counties in California containing 481 incorporated cities and towns. San Jose, Vallejo and Benicia.Ĭalifornia's government includes the Governor as well as 80 Assembly Members and 40 Senators. There were three capitols previous to Sacramento. Sacramento became the state's capital city in 1854, four years after California was admitted into the Union. Whitney, at 14,495 feet and is less than 100 miles from Death Valley California, the lowest point in North America. In the contiguous (lower) 48 states, the highest point is California's Mt. The official State Song is "I Love You California" written by Los Angeles merchant F.B. Other symbols are the State Bird (the California Valley Quail), Tree (California Redwood), Mineral (Gold) and Fossil (Saber-toothed Cat). A chipped stone bear discovered at an archaeological dig in San Diego County. In 1985 California was the first to designate a State Prehistoric Artifact. California was the first state to designate an official state rock in 1965, Serpentine. Also designated to symbolize this beautiful state are the State Colors of blue and gold and state flower the Golden Poppy. California has an array of state symbols including the State Animal which is the California Grizzly Bear.
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In much the same way that Minerva sprung full grown from the head of Jupiter, California became a state without having to go through a territorial stage. At the edge of the seal are 31 stars for the 31 states at California's time of admission. A miner working near the Sacramento River with the Sierra Nevada peaks above. The seal depicts the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva with a grizzly bear and a cluster of grapes at her feet. The state seal was designed by US Army Major R.S. It has appeared on the state seal since 1849. The state motto is the Greek word "Eureka" meaning "I have found it". It is the third largest state in the country at 158,706 square miles with the largest state population. California, "The Golden State" obtained statehood on September 9, 1850.