Inyo County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Inyo County are maintained by a court and sheriff's office that serve one of the largest counties in California by land area but one of the smallest by population. About 19,000 people live here, scattered across the Owens Valley between the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains. The Superior Court in Independence handles all criminal cases. The sheriff runs the county jail in the same town. Bishop, the largest community, is where most residents live. State-level databases from the California DOJ and CDCR are important tools for anyone searching for criminal records connected to this remote part of the state.

Inyo County Court Criminal Records

The Inyo County Superior Court is in Independence, the county seat. The court website is inyo.courts.ca.gov. All criminal cases in Inyo County are filed here. The court handles felony and misdemeanor charges. The small population means the criminal caseload is low. But the county's size and its many visitors to places like Death Valley and the eastern Sierra create a mix of cases that includes everything from local drug offenses to incidents involving tourists.

To look up a criminal case, contact the court clerk. Give them a defendant name or case number. Case number searches are quick. Name searches that go past 10 minutes cost $15. Document copies are 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost $40. These fees follow the same schedule used by all 58 California Superior Courts.

The court sometimes holds sessions in Bishop as well, since Independence is tiny and Bishop is where most of the county's population lives. Check the court website or call to find out where a particular case is being heard. Some defendants may have hearings in Bishop while their case file is technically based in Independence.

Note: Inyo County is the second-largest county in California by land area. Despite this, there is only one Superior Court. Travel distances within the county can be significant, so plan ahead if you need to visit in person.

Inyo Sheriff Jail Records

The Inyo County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and provides law enforcement for unincorporated areas. Call the sheriff at (760) 872-3038. The jail is in Independence. When someone is arrested, the sheriff's office books them in and creates a record of the charges, bail, and booking date. Contact the jail by phone to check on someone's custody status.

There is no public online inmate search for Inyo County. You will need to call. The jail is small, and staff can usually tell you right away if someone is being held. If the person you are looking for was released or transferred to state prison, the local jail will not have current information. Use the CDCR's CIRIS inmate search for anyone in the California state prison system.

The Bishop Police Department handles law enforcement within Bishop city limits and keeps its own arrest reports. If a crime took place in Bishop, you would contact the police department for the report. The sheriff handles reports for the rest of the county, which covers a huge area stretching from Owens Lake to the Nevada border.

State Records Access for Inyo

State databases are critical for criminal record searches in Inyo County. The California DOJ maintains the statewide criminal history database. You can request your own RAP sheet through Live Scan. The fee is $25 to the DOJ. Live Scan locations in the Inyo County area may be limited, but Bishop has providers. Use the DOJ Live Scan locator to find one. Processing takes 48 to 72 hours when no record is found.

Employers in Inyo County who need background checks go through the DOJ. They must be authorized first. You can check background check status at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov with your ATI number and date of birth. The DOJ handles roughly 2 million state-level checks per year across all counties.

Check the sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov for Inyo County. The site lets you search by name or zoom into a map of any part of the county. Due to the small population, results will be limited. But the tool still works and is worth checking if you have concerns about someone in your area.

Clearing Inyo County Records

California law offers several ways to clean up a criminal record. These work the same in Inyo County as anywhere else. Penal Code Section 1203.4 lets you petition to dismiss a conviction after completing probation. File the petition with the Inyo County Superior Court. If granted, the conviction is marked dismissed on your RAP sheet. This does not erase it, but the change can help when applying for jobs or housing.

Arrest records can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.87 if no conviction resulted. You do not need to show innocence. Proposition 47 and Proposition 64 offer relief for certain drug offenses and old marijuana convictions. All petitions are filed with the Superior Court. Finding a lawyer in Inyo County can be tough given its remote location, but legal aid organizations that serve the eastern Sierra may help. Some offer services by phone or video for people who cannot travel easily.

How to Get Inyo Criminal Records

Getting criminal records from Inyo County means knowing which agency has the file. Court records, booking data, and state criminal history files come from different offices.

• Contact the Superior Court clerk in Independence for case records
• Call the sheriff at (760) 872-3038 for jail and booking data
• Request your own RAP sheet through Live Scan in Bishop
• Search CIRIS for state prison inmates
• Use meganslaw.ca.gov for sex offender information
• Contact Bishop Police Department for city arrest reports

The courthouse in Independence is on Highway 395, the main north-south road through the Owens Valley. It is about 45 minutes south of Bishop by car. If you are coming from outside the area, be aware that there are limited services along the route. Gas up before you leave and plan for the drive time. Mail and phone requests are good alternatives if visiting in person is not practical.

Nearby Counties

Inyo County borders several large, sparsely populated counties on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. Check these for additional criminal record resources.