Find San Benito County Criminal Records

San Benito County criminal history records are kept by the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office. This small Central Coast county has about 65,000 residents, with the county seat in Hollister. Criminal cases filed here go through a single courthouse. The court offers an online portal where you can search for criminal case records. The Sheriff handles jail bookings and local law enforcement records. Background checks run through the California DOJ Live Scan system. This page walks through how to search and access criminal records in San Benito County.

San Benito County Court Criminal Records

The San Benito County Superior Court handles all criminal cases in the county. There is one courthouse located in Hollister. Criminal matters range from misdemeanors and DUI cases to serious felony charges. The court processes arraignments, hearings, trials, and sentencing for all criminal cases filed here. Because this is a smaller county, case volumes are lower than you would see in places like Santa Clara or Monterey County. But the court still follows all the same procedures and rules as any California superior court.

The San Benito County Superior Court public portal allows you to search criminal case records online at no cost.

This portal covers criminal and other case types filed in the San Benito County courthouse.

To search for criminal records on the San Benito court portal, enter the person's last name. You can add a first name to help narrow things down. The system will show matching cases with the case number, charges, and hearing dates. Click on a case for more detail. The portal works well for recent cases. Older records may not be in the online system since digitization happened over time. If you need records that do not appear online, visit the courthouse at 440 Fifth Street, Hollister, CA 95023. The clerk can pull up older criminal records and provide copies. Standard fees apply for copies and certified documents.

Note: The online portal may be down for maintenance at times, so try again later if you get an error.

San Benito County Sheriff Records

The San Benito County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail in Hollister and provides law enforcement for unincorporated areas. The jail holds people awaiting trial and those serving shorter sentences. To check if someone is currently in custody, call the Sheriff's Office at (831) 636-4060. San Benito County does not have an online inmate lookup tool at this time. The staff can provide basic booking information over the phone during regular hours, including whether a person is currently held and what the charges are.

If you think someone might be in state prison rather than county jail, use the CDCR inmate search tool. It is free and covers all California state prisons. People sentenced in San Benito County to state prison terms will appear in this database. You can search by name or CDCR number. The results show the inmate's facility, commitment county, and identification number.

The CDCR search covers all state prison inmates, including those committed from San Benito County courts.

How to Get San Benito County Criminal Records

You have a few options for getting criminal history records in San Benito County. Each type of record comes from a different source. Court records, police reports, and state background checks all require separate requests.

For court records, start with the free online portal. If you need official copies or certified documents, visit the courthouse in Hollister in person. The clerk can make copies while you wait. You can also mail a written request with the defendant's name, case number if known, and a check for the fees. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Mail requests typically take one to two weeks. For police reports from the Hollister Police Department or the Sheriff, contact the agency that handled the case directly.

For your own criminal history from the state, the California DOJ Live Scan process is what you need. Go to a Live Scan site, get fingerprinted, and pay the $25 DOJ fee plus the site's rolling fee. San Benito County has limited Live Scan locations, so you may need to go to a neighboring county like Santa Clara or Monterey for this service. Under Penal Code 11105, the DOJ holds the statewide criminal record repository that covers all California counties including San Benito.

Criminal Record Fees in San Benito County

Fees for records in San Benito County follow the statewide schedule. These are the same at every California court. The online search is free. Fees kick in when you need paper copies or certified documents from the clerk.

Common criminal record fees include:

• 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

Fee waivers are available for people who can not afford court fees. File the request form at the San Benito courthouse with proof of low income or public benefits. The judge decides if you qualify. Waivers cover some court fees but do not apply to DOJ background checks or police report costs.

Note: Some copy requests may take extra time if the clerk needs to locate older paper files that are stored off-site.

Record Clearing in San Benito County

California law provides several paths to clear criminal records. If you were convicted in San Benito County, you may qualify. Under Penal Code 1203.4, you can petition the court to dismiss a conviction once you have completed probation. The conviction changes to a dismissal on your record. This helps with jobs and housing, though it does not completely erase the record. AB 1076 has made some relief automatic. The DOJ now reviews eligible records across the state and grants dismissals without requiring anyone to file papers.

Arrest records can be sealed too. Penal Code 851.87 allows people to petition the court to seal an arrest if charges were never filed or the case was dismissed. Once sealed, the arrest will not show on most background checks. File the petition at the San Benito County Superior Court in Hollister. You can do it yourself or get help from a lawyer.

The Megan's Law website tracks sex offenders in San Benito County and statewide. This public registry is searchable by name or address at no cost and is separate from court criminal records.

Cities in San Benito County

San Benito County includes the city of Hollister and the small city of San Juan Bautista. Neither city meets the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All criminal cases from both cities and the unincorporated areas go through the San Benito County Superior Court in Hollister. The Hollister Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits, while the Sheriff covers unincorporated areas.

Nearby Counties

These counties border San Benito County. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the offense took place. If you are unsure which county handled a case, check the location of the arrest or incident.