Lake County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Lake County are processed through the Superior Court in Lakeport and the Lake County Sheriff's Office. Named after Clear Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake entirely within California, this county has a population of about 68,000. It is one of the state's smaller counties. Criminal court records, jail booking data, and background check tools are all accessible through separate agencies. The court has a public portal for case lookups. The Sheriff offers an inmate search tool. State resources from the California DOJ round out the picture for anyone who needs a full criminal history search.

Lake County Court Records Lookup

The Lake County Superior Court has a public portal at portal.lake.courts.ca.gov. You can search criminal cases by name or case number. The portal shows case types, filing dates, charges, and upcoming hearings. It covers criminal, traffic, and civil matters. Creating an account may give you access to more details, but basic searches work without one.

The courthouse is at 255 North Forbes Street in Lakeport. This is the main and only courthouse for Lake County. All criminal cases file here. The clerk's office handles requests for copies. Walk in with a case number and ask for copies at the counter. Standard copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $40. Searches that take more than 10 minutes may trigger a $15 fee.

Lake County processes far fewer criminal cases than larger California counties. That works in your favor when you need records. Wait times are shorter. The clerk's office is less busy. Staff can usually pull a file the same day. Call the court if you need to confirm whether a case exists before making the trip to Lakeport.

Lake County Sheriff Inmate Lookup

The Lake County Sheriff runs an inmate search tool at lakecounty.citizenrims.com. This system lets you look up people currently in custody at the Lake County Jail. Search by name. Results show booking details, charges, and bail information. The tool uses the CitizenRIMS platform, which a number of California counties share.

For direct questions, call the Sheriff at (707) 262-4200. Staff can tell you if someone is in custody, when they were booked, and what their bail is. The Hill Road Correctional Facility in Lakeport is where the county holds inmates. It has limited capacity compared to jails in bigger counties, so overcrowding sometimes leads to early releases on certain lower-level offenses.

State prison inmates convicted in Lake County are tracked through the CDCR's CIRIS system. The county jail only holds people serving sentences of one year or less, or those waiting for trial. Once someone gets a state prison sentence, they transfer out of Lake County custody.

Note: The online inmate tool may not reflect very recent bookings. It can take a few hours for a new arrest to appear in the system.

Statewide Criminal Records for Lake County

The California Department of Justice maintains the statewide criminal history database. Every arrest and court disposition in Lake County gets reported to this central system. You can request your own criminal record through Live Scan fingerprinting for $25. The DOJ has a Live Scan locator to help you find the nearest provider. Processing takes 48 to 72 hours when no record is found, and longer when a match requires manual review by a DOJ technician.

Background checks for jobs and licensing in Lake County use the same DOJ system. Track a pending check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov with your ATI number. The sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov is another statewide tool available for Lake County searches.

Record Clearing in Lake County

Penal Code Section 1203.4 lets people petition the Lake County Superior Court to dismiss a conviction after completing probation. You withdraw your guilty plea and the court enters a dismissal. The case stays on your RAP sheet but is marked dismissed. It is not a true erasure, but it helps with employment and housing applications. File the petition at the Lakeport courthouse.

Arrest record sealing under Penal Code Section 851.87 is an option when no conviction came from an arrest. You do not have to prove innocence. Once sealed, the arrest record will not show on most background checks. Proposition 47 allows certain felony convictions to be reduced to misdemeanors. Proposition 64 covers prior marijuana offenses. Both require court petitions. Legal Services of Northern California provides free legal help to qualifying residents in Lake County.

How to Get Lake County Criminal Records

Getting criminal records in Lake County means contacting the right agency for the type of record you want. The court holds case files. The Sheriff holds jail records. The DOJ holds statewide criminal history. Police reports come from the local agency that wrote them.

• Search the court portal at portal.lake.courts.ca.gov for case data
• Visit the clerk at 255 North Forbes Street, Lakeport for documents
• Use the Sheriff inmate tool at lakecounty.citizenrims.com
• Call the Sheriff at (707) 262-4200 for custody details
• Get your RAP sheet through DOJ Live Scan for $25
• Check meganslaw.ca.gov for sex offender data

Copies from the court are 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost $40. The courthouse in Lakeport is the only place to get court records in person for Lake County. There are no branch courts. Plan your visit during business hours. The clerk's office typically closes by 4:00 PM on weekdays.

Nearby Counties

Lake County shares borders with several northern California counties. These pages cover criminal record resources in the surrounding area.