Plumas County Criminal Records

Criminal court records in Plumas County are held by the Superior Court of California, County of Plumas. The courthouse is in Quincy, the county seat. Plumas is a small, rural county in the northern Sierra Nevada with a population under 20,000. The court handles a lighter caseload than urban counties, but the same California laws and fee schedules apply. If you need to find or request criminal court records from Plumas County, this page covers the process, costs, and options that are available to you.

Requesting Plumas County Criminal Court Records

Plumas County offers an online record request eForm for submitting requests to the court. This is not a full case search portal like larger counties have. Instead, it is a way to send a request to the clerk electronically. You fill out the form with the case details you know, like the defendant name or case number, and the clerk processes it on their end. It works as a digital version of mailing in a request.

For a broader look at how California courts handle record requests, the California Courts Self-Help site has a guide that applies to Plumas County and every other court in the state.

The eForm is a good option if you are not close to Quincy. Plumas County is remote, and driving there is not practical for everyone. That said, the eForm is not instant. You submit the request and wait for the clerk to process it and get back to you with the records or a cost estimate. In-person requests at the courthouse are still the fastest way to get copies if you can make the trip.

Note: The eForm does not let you search cases directly or view documents online.

Plumas County Court Record Copy Fees

Fees for criminal court records in Plumas County are the same as the rest of California. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page under Government Code Section 70627. Certified copies are $40 per document plus the per-page charge. If you need a certified copy for a legal matter, budget for the higher cost.

The clerk can charge a $15 search fee if it takes more than 10 minutes to find the record. For records kept off-site, there is a $10 retrieval fee. In a small county like Plumas, older records might be stored differently than in a larger court system. If you are looking for a case from many years back, the extra fees are more likely to apply. Always ask the clerk for a cost estimate before they start the search if you are concerned about charges adding up.

Visit the Plumas County Courthouse

The Plumas County Superior Court is in Quincy. That is the only courthouse in the county. All criminal cases from anywhere in Plumas County are handled there. The clerk's office is where you go to search for records, view case files, and request copies. Bring a case number or the defendant's name and the clerk can look up the file for you.

The courthouse is open Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Calling ahead is a good idea, especially in winter when weather can affect hours or access in the Sierra Nevada. Plumas County does not have the foot traffic of an urban court, so wait times are usually short. You can often get copies made while you wait. Pay the per-page fee at the counter with cash, check, or money order. Some smaller courts also take credit cards now, but confirm that with the Plumas County clerk before you visit.

Criminal court records you can view at the courthouse include the complaint, plea documents, sentencing orders, probation conditions, and the register of actions. Some documents in the file may be sealed or restricted. Juvenile records, mental health evaluations, and certain reports are not available to the public even when you are at the courthouse in person.

Public Access to Plumas County Criminal Records

Most criminal court records in Plumas County are public. Anyone can request them. You do not have to be the defendant, a lawyer, or have any connection to the case. This is true across all of California. The Superior Court keeps the case files, and the clerk's office is the gatekeeper for copies. Under Penal Code Section 13300, local criminal offender record information is separate from what the court holds. The court has the case file. Law enforcement agencies keep their own arrest and investigation records.

Some records are off-limits. Juvenile delinquency cases are sealed by law. If a conviction has been expunged under Penal Code Section 1203.4, the case still shows in the system but reflects the dismissal. Arrest records sealed under Penal Code Section 851.8 for factual innocence may remove related court records from public view as well. In Plumas County, the volume of sealed records is low compared to urban courts, but the same rules apply.

State-Level Criminal Record Tools

If you need a statewide criminal history rather than a specific case file from Plumas County, the California DOJ is where to go. Under Penal Code Section 11105, the DOJ maintains the state summary criminal history database. You can request your own record through the DOJ Record Review process for $25 using Live Scan fingerprinting. This gives you a RAP sheet that covers all arrests and court outcomes across every county in California.

The CDCR runs the CIRIS inmate search for anyone in state prison. If a criminal case from Plumas County resulted in a prison sentence, you can track that person through CIRIS. It shows their current location, CDCR number, and parole hearing info. The CDCR also has a public records portal for formal requests about incarcerated individuals.

Mail Requests for Plumas County Court Records

Sending a mail request is common for Plumas County given how remote the courthouse is. Write a letter that includes the defendant name, case number if you have it, what documents you want, and your return address. Include a check or money order payable to the Plumas County Superior Court for the estimated fees. If you are unsure of the cost, call the clerk first and ask for an estimate. Mail the request to the courthouse in Quincy.

Processing times vary. Smaller courts can sometimes turn around mail requests faster than big ones because they have less volume. But staffing is also smaller, so it depends on the week. Give it at least two to three weeks before following up. If you used the online eForm instead, the timeline is about the same since the clerk still has to pull and copy the records manually.

For requests that involve multiple cases or large file volumes, the cost can add up at 50 cents a page. Ask the clerk to give you a total before they process everything if you want to keep costs under control. Plumas County criminal court records are subject to the same copying rules as every other California court, so there are no surprises on the fee side.

Arrest Records vs. Court Records in Plumas County

Court records and arrest records are not the same thing. The Plumas County Superior Court keeps the criminal case file, which starts when charges are filed. Arrest records come from the law enforcement agency that made the arrest. In Plumas County, that is usually the Plumas County Sheriff's Office, since much of the county is unincorporated. Smaller towns may have their own police, but the sheriff handles most of the area.

If you want a copy of an arrest report or booking log, contact the sheriff's office directly. The court does not have those documents. Conversely, if you want the complaint, plea agreement, or sentencing order, those are court records and you get them from the clerk at the Superior Court. Both pieces of information are useful, but they come from different agencies in Plumas County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Plumas County. Each has its own Superior Court that handles criminal cases.