Butte County Criminal Records Lookup

Criminal court records in Butte County go through the Butte County Superior Court, headquartered in Oroville. The county has a population of about 210,000 and covers a large area in northern California's Sacramento Valley. Butte County uses a Tyler Technologies case management system with an online portal for public case searches. You can look up criminal cases, check hearing dates, and see case outcomes from a computer or phone. This page covers the tools and steps for finding criminal court records in Butte County.

Search Butte County Criminal Court Records Online

The Butte County Superior Court's online case search runs on the Tyler Technologies platform. You can reach it at portal-cabutte.tylertech.cloud. The portal lets you search by defendant name, case number, or citation number. Enter the search details and the system pulls up matching criminal cases. Results show the charges, hearing dates, case status, and the judicial officer assigned to the case.

Tyler Technologies powers the case portals for 28 or more Superior Courts in California. Butte County's version works the same way as the others. You get a case index view with basic information. The portal shows the register of actions, which is a log of everything that has happened in the case. This includes filing dates, motions, continuances, and the final disposition. For Butte County criminal court records, the register of actions gives you the most useful snapshot without having to visit the courthouse.

The portal does not show all documents. Under California Rules of Court Rule 2.503, some electronic records in criminal cases can only be viewed at the courthouse. The online version gives you the index and schedule. For actual copies of charging documents, plea agreements, or sentencing orders, you need to go through the clerk.

Get Criminal Record Copies in Butte County

Copies of criminal court records from the Butte County Superior Court follow California's standard fee structure. Plain copies are $0.50 per page. That rate applies whether you request them at the courthouse or by mail. Certified copies cost $40 per document, plus the per-page fee. Certification means the clerk stamps and signs the copy to verify it matches the official court record. You need certified copies for most legal purposes.

In person, visit the clerk's office at the Butte County courthouse in Oroville. Bring the case number or the defendant's name. The clerk looks up the case and makes copies. For mail requests, write to the Butte County Superior Court with the case details and a check for the estimated fees. The court sends back the copies once they process the request. Mail requests take longer, sometimes a few weeks. If the records are stored off-site, there could be a $10 retrieval fee on top of the copy costs.

Note: The court may add a $15 search fee if the clerk needs more than 10 minutes to locate a Butte County criminal court record.

Butte County Criminal Court Locations

The Butte County Superior Court operates from Oroville, the county seat. Chico, the largest city in Butte County, also has court facilities. Criminal cases get assigned to a courthouse based on where the arrest or crime occurred. Most felony cases are handled in Oroville. The Chico division handles cases from the northern part of the county.

You can find the Butte County court addresses and phone numbers through the California Courts directory. The main courthouse in Oroville is the primary location for criminal filings. Before making a trip, call the clerk's office to confirm they have the specific criminal court records you are looking for. Some older Butte County files may have been transferred to a central storage facility, which adds time to the retrieval process.

The California courts directory above helps you locate the Butte County Superior Court for criminal record requests and in-person visits.

Butte County Criminal Record Access Laws

Criminal court records in Butte County are mostly public. California treats court case files as open records with some exceptions. Anyone can request copies of criminal filings, dispositions, and sentencing records. You do not need to explain why you want them or show that you have a connection to the case.

The exceptions are consistent across all California counties, Butte County included. Juvenile cases are sealed. Records in certain domestic violence matters may be restricted. Arrest reports filed with the court are generally not public under Penal Code Section 13300. Probation reports are also restricted. What remains available covers most of the criminal court file: the complaint, plea, motions, orders, and the judgment.

Expungement is possible under California law. Penal Code Section 1203.4 allows a person who completed probation to ask the Butte County court to dismiss the conviction. The case stays in the record system but reflects the dismissal. For arrest records where the person was found factually innocent, Penal Code Section 851.8 provides a path to seal and destroy those records.

State Criminal Databases for Butte County Cases

California runs several statewide tools that connect to Butte County criminal records. The California DOJ maintains the state criminal history repository. Every arrest in Butte County gets reported to the DOJ along with the court disposition. You can request your own record through the Live Scan record review for $25.

The CIRIS inmate search from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation lets you look up anyone currently in state prison. A conviction from Butte County that led to a prison sentence will show up in this system. Results include the inmate's facility, admission date, and parole hearing schedule. For court-specific records, the Butte County Superior Court and its Tyler portal remain the primary source.

Nearby Counties

Butte County has no cities with over 100,000 residents. The neighboring counties below each have their own Superior Court for criminal cases.