Kern County’s mandatory CR-2300 form is a request for court permission to copy identified confidential criminal records. It asks for the case number and specific documents, your relationship to the case, why you need the records, and the good-cause facts. You sign under penalty of perjury. Filing the form does not itself authorize access; the court and the confidentiality rule governing the particular record control. (Kern County form CR-2300; Kern local forms index.)
Identify the exact file and your reason
Name each document you want rather than asking generally for “the criminal file.” Give the case number, explain your connection to the case, and describe why access is needed. The underlying restriction differs by record type, and the form does not create a general right to copy every confidential document. Check the specific access rule before deciding whether you may request the item or what explanation the court needs. (CR-2300.)
Follow the form’s verification fields
The form includes an identification section and a notary section labeled “To be completed by a Notary.” Complete the request and declaration carefully, and confirm the clerk’s current processing instructions for those fields before submitting it. That printed section should not be treated as a blanket statement that every requester in every circumstance has the same notarization requirement. (CR-2300; Kern local forms index.)
The judge may deny access or limit what can be copied. Do not assume that a court’s approval overrides another confidentiality rule or permits use of material for any purpose. If the request concerns ordinary public records rather than confidential materials, the usual copy process may be different. For a Kern County request, the Law Offices of David S. Chesley can help identify the correct record and filing route. Call (800) 755-5174, or see the criminal defense overview.