Q.  How can the county-level courts in California charge fees to look at court records online?  Does this not conflict with the Freedom of Information Act and impede low income people from being unable to readily access these records?

A.  The California court system is not subject to the California Public Records Act or to the federal Freedom of Information Act, which is limited to executive branch agencies.  Fee waivers are available to California litigants under certain circumstances, as explained in the following guidance.