Tulare County Criminal Records Lookup

Criminal records in Tulare County are managed by the Superior Court in Visalia and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office. This Central Valley county includes Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba, and Lindsay among its cities. The court provides an online portal for case lookups. The sheriff runs an inmate search page on its website. State-level criminal history checks go through the California Department of Justice using its Live Scan system. Tulare County's court system handles both felony and misdemeanor cases, and public access to these records is available through online tools and in-person visits to the clerk's office.

Tulare County Court Records Search

The Tulare County Superior Court has an online portal at online.tulare.courts.ca.gov. You need to create an account to use the system. Once registered, you can search criminal cases by name or case number. The portal shows case type, charges, filing date, and hearing information. Both felony and misdemeanor filings from across Tulare County are available through this single portal.

The screenshot below shows the Tulare County court online portal. The system requires registration before you can search. This is different from some other California county courts that allow guest access without an account. Registration is free, though. Once you are set up, the search tools work much like other county court portals in California.

The main courthouse is at 221 South Mooney Boulevard in Visalia. Contact the court at (559) 730-5000 for questions about criminal case records. Copies cost 50 cents per page under state law. Certified copies are $40 each. Tulare County also has a branch courthouse in Porterville at 300 East Olive Avenue that handles cases from the eastern part of the county. Both locations appear in the same online system.

Tulare County Sheriff Inmate Search

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office provides an inmate search on its website at tularecounty.ca.gov. This tool lets you look up people currently in the county jail. Search by name to find booking information, charges, and bail status. The main detention facility is the Bob Wiley Detention Facility in Visalia.

The county also operates the South County Detention Facility in Porterville. Inmates at either facility show up in the same search. The sheriff handles all adult jail bookings for Tulare County, regardless of which city the arrest happened in. Visalia PD, Tulare PD, Porterville PD, and other local agencies all bring their arrestees to the county jail.

For people who have been sent to state prison after a conviction in Tulare County, use the CDCR's CIRIS inmate search. The county jail search only shows current custody. Once someone is released or transferred, they leave the system.

Note: New bookings may not appear right away. The intake process takes time, and the online system updates periodically throughout the day.

State Criminal Records in Tulare County

The California Department of Justice keeps the statewide criminal history database, which is separate from local court and jail records. Anyone can request their own RAP sheet by going to a Live Scan location and paying $25 to the DOJ. Tulare County has Live Scan providers in Visalia, Tulare, and Porterville. Find one through the DOJ Live Scan locator. Processing takes 48 to 72 hours when no record is found, longer when a hit requires manual review.

Background checks for employers and licensing agencies in Tulare County also go through the DOJ system. Only authorized agencies can run these checks. Track a pending check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. You need the ATI number from your fingerprinting session and your date of birth.

The sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov covers all of California, including Tulare County. Search by name or address to find registered sex offenders in Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, or anywhere else in the county. The registry is maintained by the DOJ under Penal Code Section 290.46.

Clearing Records in Tulare County

California provides several paths for clearing a criminal record. Penal Code Section 1203.4 is the main one. It lets people who finished probation ask the court to dismiss their conviction. File the petition with the Tulare County Superior Court in Visalia. The conviction remains on your RAP sheet but is noted as dismissed. This can make a meaningful difference when applying for employment or rental housing in Tulare County.

Arrest records that did not result in a conviction can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.87. Proposition 47 allows certain nonviolent felonies to be reduced to misdemeanors, which matters in Tulare County where drug and theft cases are common. Proposition 64 covers past marijuana offenses. The Tulare County Public Defender's office can provide information about filing these petitions. Central California Legal Services also serves the Tulare County area and may offer free legal help to people who meet income requirements.

How to Get Tulare County Criminal Records

Getting criminal records from Tulare County involves different agencies depending on what you need. Court filings, current jail bookings, police reports, and state criminal history records each come from a different source. Here is a quick guide to the main options.

• Register on the court's online portal for case searches
• Visit the clerk's office at 221 S. Mooney Blvd in Visalia
• Copies cost 50 cents per page; certified copies cost $40
• Search the sheriff's inmate page for current jail bookings
• Get your own RAP sheet through a Live Scan provider
• Contact local PD or the sheriff for police reports

Police reports come from whatever agency investigated the case. Visalia PD handles reports within Visalia. Tulare PD covers the city of Tulare. Porterville PD covers Porterville. The Tulare County Sheriff handles cases in unincorporated areas and some smaller communities that contract with the sheriff for law enforcement. Each agency has its own process for records requests.

Note: The court's online portal requires registration, so plan ahead if you need to search for a case. Setting up an account takes only a few minutes, but you cannot just jump in as a guest like you can at some other California county courts.

Nearby Counties

Tulare County is bordered by these counties. Check them for criminal record information from neighboring areas in the Central Valley and beyond.