Tiburon, California Public Records

The Superior Court hears felony criminal cases, misdemeanors, civil cases (unlimited and limited jurisdiction), family law matters including divorce and custody, probate and conservatorship cases, guardianships, small claims (up to $10,000 for individuals, $5,000 for businesses), and traffic violations. The court also operates a traffic division and self-help center for litigants. California courts provide online case access through the statewide system; Marin County Superior Court offers case information online at https://www.marin.courts.ca.gov/online-services where parties can search civil, criminal, family, probate, and traffic cases by party name or case number. Some records are sealed or confidential by law (juvenile cases, certain family law documents). Public access terminals are available at the courthouse for more detailed searches. Filing fees vary by case type: civil unlimited filing fees begin at $435-$450, limited civil at $225, small claims at $30-$75 depending on claim amount, and certified copies of court documents cost $25 for the first page plus fees for additional pages. The court accepts payments by cash, check, money order, and credit/debit cards (with processing fees). Fee waivers are available for qualifying low-income litigants.

Residents can search property records online free of charge at https://www.marincounty.org/depts/ar/divisions/assessor using address, parcel number (APN), or owner name. The online system provides current assessed values, exemptions, property characteristics, and prior year history. The Recorder's Office records and maintains official documents affecting real property including deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, reconveyances, liens, easements, subdivision maps, and other instruments. Recorded documents are indexed by grantor, grantee, and parcel number. Marin County provides free online access to recorded documents dating back to the mid-1980s through the county website at https://www.marincounty.org/depts/ar/divisions/county-clerk-recorder. Users can search by document number, book and page, parcel number, or party name and view scanned images of recorded instruments. Older documents may require in-person research or certified copies can be ordered for a fee. The Recorder charges approximately $30 for the first page of a recorded document plus additional fees per page. Marin County also offers a GIS/parcel viewer at https://www.marinmap.org providing interactive property mapping with parcel boundaries, zoning, aerial imagery, topography, and assessment data overlays, useful for researching property boundaries and neighborhood characteristics.

Major employers in Tiburon include the Town of Tiburon government, Tiburon Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, local schools within the Reed Union School District (serving elementary students) and Tamalpais Union High School District, upscale restaurants such as Sam's Anchor Cafe and Servino Ristorante along the waterfront, and professional offices including wealth management, legal, real estate, and consulting firms. The downtown Main Street corridor features boutique retail shops, art galleries, cafes, and marine-related businesses. The Tiburon Peninsula Foundation and Richardson Bay Audubon Center provide environmental education and conservation services. Many Tiburon residents commute to employment centers in San Francisco, San Rafael, and other Bay Area cities via Highway 101 or the Blue & Gold Fleet ferry service. Marin County overall has one of the highest median household incomes in California, estimated at over $130,000 countywide, with Tiburon's median household income exceeding $200,000, reflecting the affluent nature of the community. The town's economy is relatively stable due to its wealthy residential base, though it faced challenges during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affecting restaurants and retail. Recent developments include ongoing discussions about affordable housing requirements, waterfront improvements, and preservation of the town's small-town character while balancing commercial vitality. Tiburon's property values are among the highest in Marin County, with waterfront and view properties commanding premium prices. The town benefits economically from its proximity to San Francisco, natural beauty, excellent schools, and quality of life, attracting affluent residents and tourists alike.

The Tiburon Police Department, located at 1155 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon, CA 94920 (phone: 415-789-2801, website: https://www.townoftiburon.org/police), serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the incorporated town. The department provides full police services including patrol, investigations, traffic enforcement, and emergency response. Residents can request police reports, incident records, and accident reports by visiting the police department in person or submitting a written request; the department follows California Public Records Act requirements for disclosure. The Tiburon PD typically charges fees for report copies and may require requesters to complete a records request form with case number, date, and identifying information. The Marin County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at the Marin County Civic Center, 1600 Los Gamos Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903 (phone: 415-479-2311, website: https://www.marinsheriff.org), provides countywide law enforcement services including operation of the Marin County Jail and serving unincorporated areas of the county, though Tiburon has its own police department. For arrests and jail bookings in Marin County, the Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate search tool at https://www.marinsheriff.org/services/custody-division/inmate-search, which provides information on current inmates including booking date, charges, booking number, bail amount, and housing location. Mugshots may be available through separate public records requests. All public records requests in California are governed by the California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 6250-6270), which requires agencies to provide timely responses to requests and justify any denials based on specific statutory exemptions. Requesters can appeal denials and may seek court intervention if records are improperly withheld.

The county accepts requests in person, by mail, or online through VitalChek at https://www.vitalchek.com with additional processing fees. Processing time is typically 2-4 weeks by mail, faster for in-person requests. The California Department of Public Health - Vital Records (MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410, phone: 916-445-2684, website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx) maintains statewide records and can issue certified copies of birth certificates (1905-present) and death certificates (1905-1996, plus 1997-present after one year). State fees are similar to county fees. Only authorized individuals can request vital records: the person named on the certificate (if 18+), parents, legal guardians, children, grandparents, siblings, spouses/domestic partners, legal representatives, or persons with court orders. Valid photo ID is required, and relationship must be documented. Marriage licenses are issued by the Marin County Clerk, 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 234, San Rafael, CA 94903 (phone: 415-473-6225). The fee is approximately $100-$116 for a public marriage license, with confidential licenses also available. Couples must appear in person with valid photo ID and must be married within 90 days of issuance in California. Certified copies of marriage certificates are available from the County Clerk for $17. Divorce records are maintained by the Marin County Superior Court as part of family law case files; certified copies can be obtained from the court clerk for $25 plus copy fees.

Fictitious Business Name (FBA) statements, also known as "Doing Business As" (DBA) filings, must be filed with the Marin County Clerk, 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 234, San Rafael, CA 94903 (phone: 415-473-6225, website: https://www.marincounty.org/depts/ar/divisions/county-clerk-recorder). The filing fee is approximately $50-$75, and the statement must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Marin County once a week for four consecutive weeks (publication costs are additional, approximately $120-$200). FBN statements are valid for five years and must be renewed before expiration. The County Clerk maintains an index of active DBAs searchable by business name or owner name. California corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other business entities are registered with the California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division (1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, website: https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov). The Secretary of State maintains a free online business search at https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov where anyone can search for entity names, registration status, entity number, registration date, jurisdiction, registered agent, and business addresses. UCC financing statements (secured transactions and liens) are also filed with the California Secretary of State and searchable online at https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/ucc. Commercial property owners can search property tax assessments through the Marin County Assessor's online database using the property address or parcel number, with assessed values forming the basis for annual property tax bills.

Tiburon voters are served by the Marin County Department of Elections (Registrar of Voters), located at 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 121, San Rafael, CA 94903 (phone: 415-473-6456, website: https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv). The Elections Department handles all aspects of voter registration, election administration, vote-by-mail ballots, polling places, and election results for all elections in Marin County including federal, state, county, and municipal elections for Tiburon. California residents can register to vote online at https://registertovote.ca.gov, which is the state's official online voter registration portal managed by the Secretary of State. Voters must be U.S. citizens, California residents, at least 18 years old by election day, and not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for a felony conviction. California offers same-day conditional voter registration during early voting and on Election Day. The registration deadline for most elections is 15 days before Election Day, though conditional registration remains available thereafter. Tiburon holds municipal elections for the five-member Town Council; council members serve staggered four-year terms, with elections typically held in November of even-numbered years to coincide with statewide general elections. The next Town Council election in Tiburon is scheduled for November 2026, when voters will elect council members. The Town Council selects the mayor and vice mayor from among its members annually. Tiburon residents can find candidate statements, local ballot measures, and town election information at https://www.townoftiburon.org and through the Marin County Elections Department. Polling place lookup for Tiburon voters is available at https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/voting-and-elections through the "Find Your Polling Place" tool by entering a home address; Marin County is a Vote Center county under California's Voter's Choice Act, meaning voters can visit any Vote Center in the county during the early voting period or on Election Day rather than being assigned to a specific precinct location. California's Public Records Act makes certain election records publicly accessible: voter registration lists (limited information without personal details like birth dates or driver's license numbers) can be requested for political purposes, campaign finance reports are searchable online through the California Secretary of State at http://cal-access.sos.ca.gov and locally through town and county filing offices, candidate filings and statements are public, and detailed precinct-by-precinct election results are published by the Marin County Elections Department at https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/election-info. In the November 2024 presidential election, Marin County reported approximately 68-70% voter turnout with over 125,000 ballots cast out of approximately 180,000 registered voters, continuing the county's trend of high civic participation. On November 3, 2026, Tiburon and Marin County voters will decide several significant races: the California gubernatorial election (Governor Gavin Newsom's term expires in 2027, so 2026 features the gubernatorial race), all 52 U.S. House seats for California including Marin County's district, California State Senate and Assembly seats (depending on district cycles), county-level positions including Marin County Supervisor districts up for election that cycle, Superior Court judges if any seats are contested, and the Town of Tiburon Town Council seats as described above, plus any local ballot measures regarding taxes, bonds, or policy questions placed before voters by the Town Council or citizen initiative. California is a universal vote-by-mail state; all registered voters automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot approximately 29 days before each election, which can be returned by mail (postmarked by Election Day), dropped in official ballot drop boxes throughout the county, or brought to any Vote Center. Voters can also vote in person during the early voting period or on Election Day at any Vote Center. Track your ballot status at https://wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.