Madera County Criminal History

Criminal history records in Madera County are held by the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office. Madera County has about 157,000 people and sits in the San Joaquin Valley east of Fresno. The county seat is the city of Madera. Criminal cases go through the Madera County Superior Court, which has an online case portal. The Sheriff runs the county jail and posts inmate search tools online. This page covers how to look up criminal case records, check on inmates, and get background checks in Madera County.

Madera County Court Criminal Records

The Madera County Superior Court processes all criminal cases in the county. The courthouse is in the city of Madera. Criminal matters include felony charges, misdemeanors, and criminal traffic violations. When a case gets filed, it is assigned a case number and tracked through the system. The court has an online portal where you can look up cases by name or case number. This search is free and does not require you to create an account. You can view charges, hearing dates, and case status information for criminal cases filed in Madera County.

The Madera County Superior Court public portal lets you search criminal cases online at no cost.

This portal covers all case types in Madera County, including criminal, civil, and traffic matters.

If you need copies of court documents from Madera County, visit the clerk's office at the courthouse. Bring the case number if you have it. Name searches are available but cost $15 when they take more than 10 minutes. Copies run 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost $40 per document. You can also send a written request by mail to the Madera County Superior Court clerk. Include payment and enough case details for the clerk to locate the file. Mail requests typically take a week or more to process depending on volume.

Madera County Inmate Search

The Madera County Sheriff operates the county jail. People arrested in the county are booked into this facility. The Sheriff provides an online inmate search tool where you can look up people currently in custody. The search is free and shows booking details, charges, and bail amounts.

The Madera County inmate search shows who is currently held at the county jail.

The inmate search tool is updated as new bookings and releases happen at the Madera County jail facility.

If the person is not in the county jail, they might be in state prison. The California Department of Corrections runs the CIRIS inmate search for all state prison inmates. This includes people sentenced from Madera County. The search is free. It shows the inmate's current facility, CDCR identification number, and which county the commitment came from. For federal inmates, use the Bureau of Prisons website.

Note: The Madera County inmate search only covers people currently in custody at the county jail, not historical booking records.

How to Get Records in Madera County

Madera County has a few different paths for getting criminal records. The right one depends on the type of record you need. Court case files come from the Superior Court. Jail and arrest records come from the Sheriff. A full state criminal history report comes from the California DOJ.

For a statewide criminal history check, use the Live Scan fingerprint system. The California DOJ keeps the state criminal record database. Visit an approved Live Scan site in or near Madera, submit your fingerprints, and pay the $25 DOJ fee plus the rolling fee. Results come back in a few business days. The city of Madera and nearby Fresno both have Live Scan sites. Under Penal Code 11105, the DOJ maintains the statewide criminal record repository that includes records from Madera County.

For police reports, contact the agency that took the report. The Madera Police Department handles reports within city limits. The Chowchilla Police Department covers Chowchilla. The Madera County Sheriff handles reports for all unincorporated areas. Each agency sets its own process and fees for releasing copies.

Madera County Criminal Record Fees

Court record fees in Madera County match the statewide schedule that applies to all California Superior Courts. The state legislature sets these amounts. Fees from the Sheriff and local police departments are set locally. Here are the main costs to expect.

Typical fees for criminal records in Madera County:

• Court name search (over 10 minutes): $15
• Copies per page: $0.50
• Certified copy per document: $40
• Exemplification: $50
• DOJ background check: $25 plus Live Scan rolling fee
• Police report copies: varies by agency

If you can not pay the fees, request a fee waiver at the Madera County courthouse. You need to show low income or public benefits to qualify. The judge reviews the request and decides. If approved, the waiver covers court filing fees and some copy costs. It does not apply to DOJ fees or police report charges.

Criminal Record Clearing in Madera County

California law allows people to clear certain criminal records. If you have a conviction from Madera County, you may qualify. Under Penal Code 1203.4, you can petition the court to dismiss a conviction after finishing probation. The record changes to show a dismissal instead of a conviction. AB 1076 has also introduced automatic relief. The DOJ now reviews eligible records and grants dismissals without the person needing to take any action in Madera County or elsewhere.

Arrests that did not lead to a conviction can be sealed under Penal Code 851.87. You file a petition with the Madera County Superior Court asking the judge to seal the arrest record. If granted, the arrest will not appear on most background checks going forward. You can file the petition yourself or have a lawyer do it. Legal aid groups in the Central Valley region may be able to help at no cost.

The Megan's Law website is a separate public database of registered sex offenders in Madera County and across California. Penal Code 290 requires certain offenders to register. The public can search this site for free.

Cities in Madera County

Madera County includes the city of Madera and the city of Chowchilla. Neither city has a population over 100,000, so there are no separate city criminal history pages for Madera County on this site. All criminal cases from both cities go through the Madera County Superior Court. Contact the court or the local police department for records from a specific city.

Nearby Counties

Madera County shares borders with several other counties. Criminal cases are always filed in the county where the crime occurred. If you think a case may have been filed in a neighboring county instead, check these options.