Lake Forest, CA Public Records
Lake Forest is an incorporated city in Orange County with an estimated population of 87,159 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 2024 estimate) and 16.7 square miles of land. That is up about 1,295 residents since the 2020 Census base. It was incorporated on 12/20/1991, according to the city's California Roster entry.
🏢 Lake Forest City Clerk
The city clerk keeps Lake Forest's own official records: city council agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions, contracts, campaign and conflict-of-interest (Form 700) filings, and responses to California Public Records Act requests. In California, the city clerk does not issue birth, death or marriage certificates or record deeds; those come from the county offices below. The address and phone shown are those the city reported to the Secretary of State; ask for the clerk's office when you call.
🏢 Lake Forest City Clerk
| City Clerk | Thy Merritt |
| City Hall address | 100 Civic Center Drive |
| City Hall phone | (949) 461-3400 |
| Office hours | M-Th 8 am-6 pm, F 8 am-5 pm |
| cityclerk@lakeforestca.gov | |
| Official website | www.lakeforestca.gov |
| Source | 2026 California Roster, CA Secretary of State ↗ |
🏛️ County Courthouse & Records Office for Lake Forest
Lake Forest is in Orange County. Court cases are handled by the county's Superior Court, and birth, death and public marriage records and recorded property documents (deeds) are kept by the County Recorder.
📍 Orange County at a Glance
| County | Orange County |
| County population (2024 est.) | 3,170,435 Source: www2.census.gov ↗ |
⚖️ Central Justice Center (Superior Court of California, County of Orange)
| Address | 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (657) 622-6878 |
| Hours | Not stated |
| Records available | Court case files: traffic, criminal cases, civil cases, small claims, probate (estates, wills) |
| Official website | occourts.org |
| Sources | occourts.org/…/central-justice-center ↗ courts.ca.gov/…/find-your-court ↗ |
| Last verified | October 16, 2026 |
📜 Orange County Clerk/Recorder
| Address | County Administration South, 601 N. Ross Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701 |
| Directions | Get directions ↗ |
| Phone | (714) 834-2500 |
| Hours | Not stated |
| Records available | Certified copies of birth and death records (all years) and public marriage records; recorded property documents (deeds) |
| Good to know | Confidential marriage records are kept by the County Clerk. Birth and death records from the current and prior year are also available from the county health department (local registrar). |
| Official website | ocrecorder.com |
| Sources | cdph.ca.gov/…/county-registrars-and-recorders.aspx ↗ cdph.ca.gov/…/Obtaining-Vital-Records-From-County-Offi ↗ |
| Last verified | October 16, 2026 |
See the full Orange County records page →
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