Find Stanislaus County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Stanislaus County are kept by the Superior Court in Modesto and the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. The county covers a large section of the Central Valley, including Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, and several other cities. Court case information is available through the public portal online. The sheriff posts an inmate list on its website for current bookings. State-level criminal history files go through the California DOJ. Stanislaus County processes a steady flow of criminal cases, and both the court and sheriff provide tools to help the public search for records without having to visit an office in person.

Stanislaus County Court Case Search

The Stanislaus County Superior Court operates a public portal at stanportal.stanct.org. You can search for criminal cases by defendant name or case number. The system shows case type, charges, filing dates, and hearing details. Both felony and misdemeanor cases appear in the portal. This is the fastest way to look up a criminal case in Stanislaus County without going to the courthouse.

Here is a screenshot of the Stanislaus County court portal. The search interface is clean and direct. Enter a name and the system returns matching cases. You can then click into each case to see the register of actions. The portal is free for basic searches.

For copies of court documents, you can contact the clerk's office at (209) 530-3100. The main courthouse is at 800 11th Street in Modesto. Copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies are $40 each. A name search that takes more than 10 minutes costs $15. You can also go to the courthouse in person during business hours to pull case files and request copies at the clerk's window.

Stanislaus County also has a branch court in Turlock. Cases from both the Modesto courthouse and the Turlock branch appear in the same online portal. You do not need to know which courthouse handled the case to search for it online.

Stanislaus Sheriff Inmate Records

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department publishes a current inmate list on its website at scsdonline.com. This page shows people currently in county jail custody. You can browse the list or use your browser's search function to find a specific name. The list includes booking date, charges, and bail information.

The main jail is the Public Safety Center in Modesto. If someone has been arrested in Stanislaus County, their booking record will appear on the inmate list while they remain in custody. After release or transfer to state prison, the record drops off. Use the CDCR's CIRIS search for people serving time in the California state prison system.

Note: The inmate list updates throughout the day, but new bookings can take several hours to appear. If someone was just arrested and you do not see them on the list, give it some time or call the jail directly for confirmation.

State Criminal Records for Stanislaus

The California DOJ manages the statewide criminal history database. This covers arrest and conviction records from all California counties, not just Stanislaus. Anyone can request their own RAP sheet by visiting a Live Scan provider and paying $25 to the DOJ. There are Live Scan locations in Modesto, Turlock, and Ceres. Find one through the DOJ Live Scan locator. Results come back in 48 to 72 hours when no record exists. Records that need manual review take longer.

Employers in Stanislaus County who need criminal background checks must be authorized by the state to run them through the DOJ. Track your own pending check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. You will need your ATI number and date of birth. The DOJ processes roughly 2 million state-level background checks per year across California.

Stanislaus County residents can also check the California sex offender registry. Visit meganslaw.ca.gov and search by name or address. The registry shows registered sex offenders across the state. Modesto and Turlock both have a notable number of registrants given the county's population size.

Clearing Records in Stanislaus County

People with criminal records in Stanislaus County have options under California law. Penal Code Section 1203.4 is the most common route. It allows you to petition the court to dismiss your conviction once probation is completed. File the petition with the Stanislaus County Superior Court in Modesto. After dismissal, the conviction still appears on your RAP sheet but is marked accordingly. This notation can help when applying for jobs or housing.

Arrest records that did not lead to a conviction can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.87. Proposition 47 applies to certain nonviolent drug and theft felonies, allowing them to be reduced to misdemeanors. Proposition 64 covers marijuana convictions from before the law changed. All petitions are filed with the Superior Court. The Stanislaus County Public Defender's office or local legal aid groups may offer help with record clearing for people who cannot afford a private attorney.

How to Get Stanislaus County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Stanislaus County are spread across multiple agencies. The approach you take depends on what type of record you need. Court case information, current jail bookings, police reports, and statewide criminal history files each have a different source.

• Search the court's public portal for case numbers and filings
• Visit the clerk at 800 11th Street in Modesto for full case documents
• Copies run 50 cents per page; certified copies cost $40
• Check the sheriff's inmate list for current custody information
• Request your own RAP sheet via Live Scan at any local provider

Police reports are handled by the agency that investigated the case. Modesto PD covers the city of Modesto. Turlock PD covers Turlock. The Stanislaus County Sheriff handles unincorporated areas and some contract cities like Patterson and Newman. Each agency maintains its own records and processes requests independently. Contact the specific department that handled the case you are interested in.

Note: Court records show what happened in the legal system. Police reports document the investigation. These are different records held by different agencies, and you may need to contact both.

Nearby Counties

Stanislaus County shares borders with several other counties. These pages cover criminal records in neighboring jurisdictions.