Tuolumne County Criminal Records

Criminal history records for Tuolumne County are held by the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Department. The county seat is Sonora, a small city in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Tuolumne County has a population of around 55,000. Court records are managed by the Tuolumne County Superior Court, and the court website provides some case information. Jail records require contacting the Sheriff by phone. This page walks you through the ways to search criminal records, check custody status, and request background checks in Tuolumne County.

Tuolumne County Court Criminal Cases

The Tuolumne County Superior Court is in Sonora and handles all criminal cases for the county. This is a single-courthouse county, so all criminal matters go through this one location. The courthouse is at 41 West Yaney Avenue. The court website has some case information available, though full online search features may be limited compared to larger county courts. You can find court calendars, forms, and contact information through the site.

The Tuolumne County Superior Court website provides court information and services for criminal case lookups in the county.

Background checks for Tuolumne County residents go through the California DOJ Live Scan process.

For a detailed criminal record search, contact the court clerk's office in Sonora. You can call or visit in person. Provide the person's full name and, if you have it, a date of birth. The clerk will check the records and let you know about any criminal cases on file in Tuolumne County. Copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $40. If the clerk spends more than 10 minutes on your name search, the $15 search fee applies. You can also send a written request by mail. Include a check for the estimated fees and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

Note: Sealed and expunged cases will not appear in any criminal record search for Tuolumne County.

Tuolumne County Jail Records

The Tuolumne County Sheriff operates the county jail in Sonora. There is no public online inmate search tool for Tuolumne County at this time. To check if someone is in custody, call the Sheriff's office at (209) 533-5844. The staff can tell you if a person is currently booked and what charges they are being held on.

If the person is not in the county jail, they might be in state prison. The California Department of Corrections provides the CIRIS inmate search for anyone in the state prison system. This free tool covers people sentenced from Tuolumne County who have been transferred to a state facility. The search shows the person's current prison location, CDCR number, and county of commitment.

Booking records are public under California law. You can request copies from the Tuolumne County Sheriff's records division. Contact them by phone or visit the office in Sonora. There may be a fee for copies of booking sheets and arrest reports. The Sheriff also handles all law enforcement records for unincorporated areas of the county, which makes up most of Tuolumne County's land area.

How to Get Criminal Records in Tuolumne County

Getting criminal records in Tuolumne County involves the court, the Sheriff, or the state DOJ. Each source holds different types of records. The court has case files and conviction records. The Sheriff has arrest reports and booking records. The DOJ has the statewide criminal history database.

For a state criminal history check, visit a Live Scan site. The California DOJ keeps the official statewide criminal record database. You submit fingerprints at a Live Scan location and pay the $25 DOJ fee plus the site's rolling fee. Results typically arrive in a few business days. Under Penal Code 11105, the DOJ holds the criminal record repository for all of California, Tuolumne County included. Live Scan availability in Tuolumne County may be limited. The Sheriff's office in Sonora is one option. You may also find sites in nearby larger cities if local options are few.

Tuolumne County Criminal Record Fees

Court fees in Tuolumne County follow the same statewide schedule used by all California Superior Courts. These fees apply to records requested in person, by mail, or through the clerk's office.

Standard fees for Tuolumne County criminal records:

• 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 those who qualify. Ask the clerk at the Tuolumne County Superior Court for the fee waiver forms. You will need to prove low income or that you receive government benefits. The court reviews the request and decides if you qualify. Fee waivers cover court fees and some copy costs. They do not apply to DOJ background check fees or law enforcement report charges.

Clearing Records in Tuolumne County

California offers several paths to clear criminal records. If you have a conviction in Tuolumne County, you may be eligible for relief. Under Penal Code 1203.4, you can petition the court to dismiss a conviction after completing probation. The record then shows a dismissal instead of a conviction. AB 1076 has automated this for many qualifying cases. The DOJ reviews eligible records statewide and grants dismissals without the person needing to file a petition.

Arrest records can be sealed under Penal Code 851.87. If charges were dropped or never filed in Tuolumne County, you can petition the court to seal the arrest. Once the court grants the petition, the arrest will not appear on most background checks. File the petition at the Tuolumne County Superior Court in Sonora. You can handle it yourself or work with a lawyer.

The Megan's Law website tracks registered sex offenders in Tuolumne County and across the state. This registry is public and separate from court criminal records. You can search for free by name or address.

Cities in Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County has one incorporated city, Sonora, which is also the county seat. No cities in the county meet the population threshold for individual city pages. Sonora and other communities like Twain Harte, Groveland, and Jamestown all have criminal cases handled by the Tuolumne County Superior Court. The Sheriff provides law enforcement for most of the county outside Sonora city limits.

Nearby Counties

These counties neighbor Tuolumne County. Cases are filed where the crime happened. If you need to find records in a bordering county, follow the link below.