Find Del Norte County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Del Norte County are kept by the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office in Crescent City. This far northwestern California county has around 28,000 people and sits right on the Oregon border along the Pacific coast. The court processes all criminal cases from the single courthouse in Crescent City. Pelican Bay State Prison, one of California's most well-known correctional facilities, is located here. The sheriff operates the county jail and handles law enforcement in unincorporated areas. State agencies like the DOJ and CDCR offer online tools for background checks, RAP sheets, and inmate searches that cover Del Norte County residents alongside every other California county.

Del Norte Court Criminal Cases

The Del Norte County Superior Court is in Crescent City. The court website is at delnorte.courts.ca.gov. All criminal cases in Del Norte County pass through this courthouse. It handles everything from misdemeanor charges like petty theft and DUI to serious felony cases. Crescent City is the only city in the county, so virtually all local criminal activity ends up in this one court.

To search for a criminal case, contact the clerk's office. The clerk can look up cases by defendant name or by case number. If you have a case number, the search is fast. Name searches may take more time. A search that goes past 10 minutes costs $15 under state fee rules. Del Norte County is a small court with limited staff, so response times for requests may vary depending on how busy the office is at any given time.

Document copies are 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost $40. You can visit the courthouse in person or ask about mailing options. The courthouse address is 450 H Street, Crescent City, CA 95531. Del Norte County falls in the First Appellate District, and criminal appeals go to that court.

Note: Del Norte County is geographically isolated. It is a six-hour drive from Sacramento. If you need records but cannot visit in person, calling or writing to the court is often the more practical option.

Del Norte Sheriff Jail Records

The Del Norte County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail in Crescent City. You can reach the sheriff at (707) 464-8115. The jail books people arrested in the county and holds them before trial or until they are transferred elsewhere. Booking records include charges, bail, and booking date. Call the jail to ask about a specific person's custody status.

Del Norte County does not have a public online inmate search. You need to call for current booking information. The jail is relatively small and serves a community where most residents know each other. Staff can usually confirm quickly whether someone is in custody. If the person has been sent to state prison, they will no longer be in the county jail system. That is when you turn to the state CDCR database for current location and status.

Pelican Bay State Prison sits just north of Crescent City. Despite being in Del Norte County, it is a state facility that houses inmates from all over California. If you are looking for someone at Pelican Bay specifically, use the CDCR's CIRIS inmate search rather than contacting the county sheriff.

State Criminal Records for Del Norte

The California DOJ keeps the statewide criminal history database. This is a key resource for Del Norte County residents since local search tools are limited. Request your own RAP sheet through Live Scan. The DOJ charges $25. Live Scan providers in the Crescent City area can be found through the DOJ Live Scan locator. It takes 48 to 72 hours to process when no criminal record is found. Flagged records take longer due to manual review by DOJ technicians.

Employers and licensing agencies in Del Norte County use the DOJ for background checks. They need state authorization first. Track a pending check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov using your ATI number and date of birth.

You can search the sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov for Del Norte County. The site lets you search by offender name or by map location. Given the county's small population, there are fewer registered offenders than in urban areas. But the registry covers every county in the state, and checking your area is simple.

Clearing Records in Del Norte

People with criminal records in Del Norte County can use the same state laws that apply everywhere in California. Penal Code Section 1203.4 lets you petition for a dismissal after completing probation. File it with the Del Norte County Superior Court. The conviction gets marked as dismissed, which can help with employment. It does not erase the record, but it shows you received court-ordered relief.

Penal Code Section 851.87 covers sealing arrest records when there was no conviction. You do not have to prove innocence. For old marijuana offenses, Proposition 64 lets you petition for relief. Proposition 47 covers certain nonviolent felonies that can be reduced to misdemeanors. Legal aid organizations serving the North Coast region may help with these petitions at no charge if you qualify for their services. The courthouse in Crescent City handles all of these filings.

How to Get Del Norte Criminal Records

There are a few ways to get criminal records related to Del Norte County. The right approach depends on what type of record you need and who holds it.

• Call the Superior Court for case records and document copies
• Contact the sheriff at (707) 464-8115 for jail booking records
• Request your own RAP sheet through Live Scan at a local provider
• Use CIRIS to find state prison inmates, including those at Pelican Bay
• Check meganslaw.ca.gov for sex offender data in the area

The Crescent City Police Department handles its own police reports for incidents within city limits. The sheriff handles reports for the unincorporated areas. These are separate from court records. If you need a complete picture of a criminal case, you may need to contact the police department or sheriff for the arrest report and the court for the case file and disposition.

Note: Del Norte County's remote location means some services take longer than in urban areas. Allow extra time for mail requests and be patient with phone inquiries during busy periods.

Nearby Counties

Del Norte County is in the far northwest corner of California. It borders only two other California counties, plus the state of Oregon to the north.