Find Criminal Records in Tehama County

Tehama County criminal court records are managed by the Superior Court of California, County of Tehama, in Red Bluff. The court uses an NCourt system for some online case services. Tehama is a rural county in the upper Sacramento Valley, and the court handles criminal cases from Red Bluff, Corning, and the smaller towns around the county. You can search for records online, go to the courthouse in person, or write to the clerk's office. This page covers how to find and get criminal court records in Tehama County, California.

Tehama County Criminal Court Records Online

The Tehama County Superior Court offers limited online access through the NCourt portal. This system is set up mainly for payments and some case lookups. It is not as full-featured as the Tyler Odyssey portals used by many other California counties. You may be able to look up basic case info and pay fines or fees through the NCourt system. For a thorough search of Tehama County criminal records, contacting the clerk's office directly is the more reliable route.

The NCourt system handles traffic and some criminal case payments. If you have a citation or case number, you can often look it up in the system. For broader criminal record searches in Tehama County, the clerk can run a name search and tell you what cases are on file. The online system has limits on what it shows for criminal cases because of California Rules of Court Rule 2.503. That rule restricts remote electronic access to certain criminal case documents statewide.

Note: For the most complete view of a Tehama County criminal court record, plan to visit the courthouse in Red Bluff or send a written request.

Tehama County Court Location and Contact

The Tehama County Superior Court sits at 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080. Red Bluff is the county seat and where all criminal cases for the county are handled. The courthouse processes everything from traffic tickets to felony cases. The clerk's office is your main point of contact for criminal record requests in Tehama County.

Walk into the clerk's office during business hours and you can request copies of criminal court records. Bring the case number if you have it. The clerk will search the system and pull up the file. If you only have a name, they can still run a search, but it takes more time. The court is open Monday through Friday, though hours can shift around holidays and furlough days. Call ahead to confirm before driving to Red Bluff, especially if you are coming from another part of the state. Tehama County is about two hours north of Sacramento on Interstate 5.

The California Courts public records page shown above explains how court records work across the state, including Tehama County. Each county Superior Court keeps its own case files and handles its own record requests.

Fees for Tehama County Criminal Records

Copy fees for Tehama County criminal court records match the statewide schedule. Plain copies are $0.50 per page. Certified copies run $40 per document plus the per-page fee. If the clerk has to spend more than 10 minutes searching for a record, a $15 search fee kicks in. Records stored off-site carry an extra $10 retrieval charge. These fees come from California Government Code sections 70626 and 70627.

For mail requests, send a check or money order made out to the Tehama County Superior Court. Include the defendant name, case number if known, and what documents you want. If you do not know the exact amount, call the clerk and ask for an estimate. In-person payments can be made at the clerk's window. Fee waivers exist for people who meet income thresholds. Ask the clerk for the waiver form if the cost is a problem.

Criminal Record Access Laws in Tehama County

Most criminal court records in Tehama County are public. Anyone can ask for copies. You do not need to be the defendant or a lawyer. Juvenile cases are sealed. Certain mental health records in criminal files are restricted. But the bulk of criminal case filings, including charges, pleas, sentencing, and the register of actions, are open to the public. That is true in Tehama County and across California.

Under Penal Code Section 11105, the California Department of Justice keeps the statewide criminal history database. This is based on fingerprints and covers arrests and dispositions from every county. It is separate from Tehama County court files. To get your own DOJ record, you pay $25 and go through the Live Scan record review. Third parties cannot request someone else's DOJ rap sheet. For actual court case documents in Tehama County, the clerk's office is where you go.

Penal Code Section 1203.4 lets people who finish probation petition the court to dismiss their conviction. If that petition was granted in Tehama County, the case record still exists but shows the dismissal. Under Penal Code Section 851.8, a person found factually innocent can petition to have their arrest record sealed and destroyed.

Get Copies of Tehama County Criminal Court Records

In person is the fastest way to get Tehama County criminal court records. Visit the clerk's office at the courthouse in Red Bluff. Give them the case number or the defendant's name. The clerk pulls the file and prints copies while you wait. You pay the fee at the window.

By mail, write a request with the case details and your return address. Include payment for the estimated fees. The mailing address is the Tehama County Superior Court, 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080. Mail requests take a few weeks to process. The California Courts Self-Help Center has a guide on requesting court records that applies to Tehama County and every other court in the state. For statewide criminal history checks, the CDCR inmate search covers people in state prison, which is a different system from Tehama County court files.

Tehama County Criminal Background Checks

If you need a background check tied to Tehama County, you have options. For your own record, go through the DOJ Live Scan process at any authorized site. The fee is $25 to the DOJ. You fill out form BCIA 8016RR, get fingerprinted, and the results come back to you. The DOJ fingerprints page has instructions and a list of Live Scan locations.

For someone else's criminal history, you cannot get their DOJ record unless you are an authorized agency. But you can search the Tehama County Superior Court records. Court records are public. Go to the courthouse or use the NCourt portal for what is available online. Employers in California must follow fair chance hiring rules. Old convictions and arrests that did not lead to charges have limits on how they can be used in employment decisions in Tehama County and statewide.

Cities in Tehama County

Tehama County includes Red Bluff, Corning, and Tehama. None of these cities meet the 100,000 population threshold. All criminal cases from Tehama County cities are handled by the Superior Court in Red Bluff.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Tehama County. Each operates its own Superior Court for criminal matters.