Search Merced County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Merced County come from the Superior Court and the Sheriff's Department. Merced County sits in the central San Joaquin Valley. The city of Merced is the county seat. The county has around 281,000 residents and covers a wide stretch of agricultural land between the Sierra foothills and the Coast Ranges. The Superior Court handles all criminal case filings. You can access records through the court's online services page or in person at the courthouse. The Sheriff's Department operates the county jail and runs an inmate inquiry system. Merced is also home to UC Merced, which adds a younger population to the area and increases the demand for background check services.

Merced County Criminal Case Records

The Merced County Superior Court provides access to case records through its online records page at merced.courts.ca.gov. The online system lets you look up criminal cases by name or case number. You can view basic case information, including the charges, hearing dates, and case status. The court processes felonies and misdemeanors. All criminal filings for the county go through this single court system.

The Merced County Superior Court's online records page is shown below. This is where you start your criminal case search.

The courthouse address is 2260 N Street in Merced. The phone number for the clerk's office is (209) 725-4100. In-person requests are handled at the clerk's counter during business hours. Copies of court documents cost 50 cents per page under the state fee schedule. Certified copies are $40 each. If a search takes more than 10 minutes of clerk time, the court charges $15 for the search.

Note: Not all records may be available online. Older cases or sealed records will not appear in the digital system. Contact the clerk for those.

Merced County Sheriff Inmate Inquiry

The Merced County Sheriff's Department runs an online inmate inquiry tool at inmateinquiry.co.merced.ca.us. You can search for people currently booked into the Merced County jail by name. The system returns the inmate's booking information, charges, bail amount, and custody status. This is a free tool. You do not need an account to use it.

The county jail holds people who are awaiting trial, serving county sentences, or waiting to be transferred to state prison. Once an inmate goes to state prison, they leave the county system. To find someone in state custody, use the CDCR CIRIS search tool. That database covers all California state prison inmates and includes facility location, admission date, and parole information.

Booking records in the inmate inquiry system update throughout the day. There can be a gap of several hours between when someone is arrested and when their booking shows up online. If you cannot find someone in the system, try again later or call the sheriff's office directly.

California State Records for Merced County

Beyond the local court and jail, Merced County residents can tap into statewide criminal record databases. The California DOJ keeps the master criminal history file for everyone arrested in the state. You can request your own RAP sheet by submitting fingerprints through Live Scan and paying the $25 DOJ fee. There are Live Scan locations in the city of Merced and surrounding areas. Use the DOJ Live Scan locator to find one near you.

Processing takes 48 to 72 hours if no criminal history is found. Longer if a record exists and needs manual review. Employers and licensing agencies also use the DOJ system for checks. They must have proper state authorization. Track your check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov.

The California sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov lets you search for registered offenders by name or location. This covers all of Merced County.

Note: Your DOJ RAP sheet is for your own review. Penal Code Section 11142 prohibits sharing it with unauthorized parties, including employers.

Clearing Criminal Records in Merced County

California law gives several options for people looking to clear a criminal record. Penal Code Section 1203.4 lets you petition to have a case dismissed after you complete probation. File the petition at the Merced County Superior Court where the case was originally heard. If the judge grants it, the case shows as dismissed on your record. This helps with jobs and housing applications.

Arrest records can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.87 when no conviction followed. You do not need to prove innocence to get the seal. Proposition 47 allows resentencing of certain nonviolent drug and theft felonies as misdemeanors. Proposition 64 provides relief for old marijuana convictions. Each of these requires filing a petition with the court. Legal aid organizations in the Central Valley serve Merced County residents who need help with record clearing but cannot afford an attorney.

How to Get Merced County Criminal Records

Multiple agencies hold criminal records in Merced County. The court has case files and filings. The sheriff has booking and custody records. City police departments handle arrest reports and incident records. The type of record you need tells you which agency to contact. Here are the main options available.

• Online case records through the Merced County Superior Court website
• In-person at the courthouse, 2260 N Street, Merced
• Copies at 50 cents per page, certified copies at $40
• Online inmate inquiry through the sheriff's website
• Your own RAP sheet through Live Scan ($25 DOJ fee)
• State prison inmates through CDCR CIRIS

Police reports from the city of Merced go through the Merced Police Department. Other cities in the county, like Los Banos and Atwater, have their own police departments with separate records processes. Call the relevant department for information about getting arrest reports or incident reports from their jurisdiction.

Court records and police records overlap but are not the same thing. The court file has the legal proceedings. The police file has the investigation. Getting both gives you the complete picture of a criminal case.

Nearby Counties

Merced County is surrounded by several other Central Valley and foothill counties. Each one has its own court system for criminal cases.