Search Amador County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Amador County are maintained by the Superior Court in Jackson and the Amador County Sheriff's Office. This Gold Country county has about 40,000 residents and a modest criminal caseload compared to California's urban centers. The court handles felony and misdemeanor cases for all of Amador County, including the communities of Jackson, Ione, Sutter Creek, and Plymouth. For statewide criminal history data like RAP sheets and background checks, the California DOJ manages those records through Live Scan. Amador County residents can also access state prison inmate records and the sex offender registry through online state databases.

Amador County Court Records

The Amador County Superior Court is located in Jackson. The court's website is at amadorcourt.org. All criminal cases in Amador County go through this court. The court handles everything from DUI cases and drug offenses to more serious felony charges. Jackson is the only courthouse location for criminal matters in the county.

Amador County does not have a large online case search portal like the bigger California counties. To look up a specific criminal case, you may need to contact the clerk's office directly. The clerk can search by defendant name or case number. Having a case number makes the process faster. If you are searching by name alone, be prepared for the clerk to spend more time on the look up. Searches that take more than 10 minutes carry a $15 fee under state law.

Copies of court records cost 50 cents per page. If you need a certified copy for legal use, the fee is $40. The court follows the same fee schedule that applies to all 58 California Superior Courts. You can visit in person or call to ask about mailing options for copies. The courthouse address is 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, CA 95642.

Amador Sheriff Inmate Records

The Amador County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and handles law enforcement for unincorporated areas. You can reach the sheriff at (209) 223-6500. The jail is in Jackson. When someone is arrested in Amador County, the booking record is created by the sheriff's office. For current inmates, contact the jail directly to ask about custody status, charges, and bail amounts.

Amador County does not have a public online inmate search tool like some larger counties. This means you will likely need to call the jail for booking information. Staff can tell you if someone is currently in custody and what charges they face. If the person has already been transferred to state prison after sentencing, the local jail will no longer have their record. In that case, you need to use the state system.

The CDCR's CIRIS inmate search covers people in California state prison. Search by name to find inmates who may have been convicted in Amador County and are now serving time at a state facility. The system shows facility location, admission date, and scheduled parole hearings.

Note: Mule Creek State Prison is actually located in Amador County near Ione. Despite being physically in the county, it is a state facility. Its inmates come from all over California, not just Amador County cases.

California Criminal Records in Amador

The California DOJ runs the statewide criminal history database that covers Amador County and every other county in the state. You can request your own RAP sheet by submitting fingerprints through Live Scan. The DOJ charges $25 for this. Amador County has a few Live Scan locations in the Jackson area. Find one through the DOJ Live Scan locator. The turnaround is 48 to 72 hours if no record is found. A flagged record takes longer because a technician must review it by hand.

Employers and licensing agencies in Amador County use the same DOJ system for background checks. They must be authorized before they can run a check. You can track a pending check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov using your ATI number and date of birth. The DOJ will not tell you what is on your record over the phone. You have to go through the formal process.

Check the sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov to search for registered offenders in Amador County. The site lets you search by name or by map. You can zoom into specific towns like Jackson, Ione, or Sutter Creek to see who is listed in those areas.

Clearing Criminal Records

People with criminal records in Amador County have several options under California law. Penal Code Section 1203.4 is the most common route. It lets you petition the court to dismiss a conviction after you finish probation. The petition goes to the Amador County Superior Court in Jackson. If granted, the conviction shows as dismissed on your RAP sheet. It does not disappear, but the dismissed status can make a real difference when you apply for work.

Arrest records can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.87 when no conviction resulted. You do not need to prove you were innocent. This 2017 law simplified the process. Proposition 47 lets people with certain nonviolent felonies petition to have them reduced to misdemeanors. Proposition 64 covers old marijuana offenses. Both require filing a petition with the court. Legal aid groups serving the Mother Lode region may help with paperwork for free if you meet their income guidelines.

How to Get Amador County Records

Different agencies hold different types of criminal records in Amador County. Court records, jail booking data, and state criminal history files all come from separate offices. The steps below cover the main ways to get what you need.

• Contact the Amador County Superior Court clerk for case records and filings
• Call the sheriff at (209) 223-6500 for jail booking information
• Request your own RAP sheet through Live Scan ($25 to the DOJ)
• Search CIRIS for inmates in California state prison
• Check meganslaw.ca.gov for sex offender data by location
• Visit the courthouse at 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson for in-person requests

If you need a police report from one of the small cities in Amador County, contact that city's police department. Jackson, Ione, Sutter Creek, Plymouth, and Amador City each have their own small police forces. The sheriff covers the rest. Police reports are not the same as court records, so you may need to contact both agencies.

Nearby Counties

Amador County sits in the Gold Country foothills. Check these neighboring counties for more criminal record resources.