Tuolumne County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Tuolumne County are maintained by the Superior Court and sheriff's office, both based in Sonora. The county has around 55,000 residents and sits in the western Sierra Nevada foothills. Sonora is the county seat and the hub for government services. All felony and misdemeanor cases in Tuolumne County go through the single Superior Court location. The sheriff runs the county jail and handles law enforcement outside of Sonora's town limits. State-level criminal history data is available through the California DOJ for background checks and RAP sheet requests that go beyond what local agencies hold.

Tuolumne County Court Criminal Cases

The Tuolumne County Superior Court is in Sonora. It is the only court location in the county. Criminal cases from all parts of Tuolumne County, including the communities around Twain Harte, Groveland, and Jamestown, are filed here. The court website at tuolumne.courts.ca.gov provides general information and some online services. For criminal case lookups, contact the clerk's office directly. The online tools for smaller counties tend to be more limited than what urban courts provide.

Criminal court records are public in California. You can request access to case files by contacting the clerk with a defendant name and, if possible, a case number. Copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies run $40. If the clerk spends more than 10 minutes on a search, the fee is $15. These rates are uniform across all California Superior Courts.

Tuolumne County is a popular gateway to Yosemite National Park. Visitors who get arrested while passing through will have their cases filed in the Tuolumne Superior Court. This means some case files involve out-of-state defendants. If you are searching for someone who was visiting the area when the arrest happened, start with the Sonora courthouse.

Note: Federal offenses that occur within Yosemite National Park are handled by the federal court system, not the Tuolumne County Superior Court.

Tuolumne Sheriff Inmate Records

The Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and provides law enforcement across the unincorporated areas of the county. The sheriff's number is (209) 533-5555. Call for information about current inmates, booking logs, and arrest records. The sheriff's office covers a wide area including the Highway 108 and Highway 120 corridors. Sonora has its own police department for in-town matters.

To check if someone is in the Tuolumne County jail, call the sheriff's office. They can tell you whether the person is in custody, what they are charged with, and whether bail has been set. There is no widely publicized online inmate search for Tuolumne County, so phone inquiries are the most reliable way to get current booking information.

Inmates sentenced to state prison from Tuolumne County will eventually transfer out of the county jail. Once in the state system, they can be found through the CDCR's CIRIS inmate search. The jail holds people awaiting trial and those serving county sentences of a year or less.

State Criminal Record Tools

The California DOJ keeps the master criminal history database for the whole state. Tuolumne County arrests and court outcomes feed into this system. You can get your own RAP sheet by submitting fingerprints through Live Scan and paying a $25 fee to the DOJ. The DOJ Live Scan locator shows certified providers near you. Sonora and the surrounding foothills area should have at least one or two options. If not, Modesto in Stanislaus County is about an hour west and has more providers.

Employers in Tuolumne County use the DOJ system for background checks on job applicants. They need state authorization before they can access criminal history data. Track a pending background check at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. You will need your ATI number and date of birth. The DOJ does not offer rush processing for any amount of money.

Check the California sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov for registered offenders in Tuolumne County. The registry lets you search by name, address, or zip code. It is maintained by the DOJ under Penal Code Section 290.46. Tourism areas near Yosemite may show fewer results since the population is transient, but permanent communities like Sonora and Twain Harte will have whatever registrants are on file.

Clearing Tuolumne County Records

California law offers multiple paths for clearing or reducing a criminal record from Tuolumne County. The most common is Penal Code Section 1203.4. If you completed probation, you can petition the Tuolumne County Superior Court to dismiss the conviction. The judge reviews the petition and decides whether to grant it. A dismissal changes how the conviction reads on your RAP sheet. Employers and landlords often view a dismissed case more favorably than a standing conviction.

Arrest records with no conviction can be sealed under Penal Code Section 851.87. You file the petition with the court. No proof of innocence is required. Proposition 47 allows resentencing of certain nonviolent felonies. Proposition 64 covers marijuana-related convictions. Legal aid organizations that serve the central Sierra foothills may help with these petitions. The Tuolumne County Bar Association might also offer referrals to attorneys who handle record relief cases at reduced rates.

How to Get Criminal Records

Several agencies hold different types of criminal records connected to Tuolumne County. Knowing which agency to contact first will save you time and effort.

• Contact the Tuolumne County Superior Court clerk in Sonora for case files
• Call the sheriff at (209) 533-5555 for arrest and booking records
• Get your own RAP sheet through Live Scan and the DOJ ($25)
• Use CIRIS to search for California state prison inmates online
• Check meganslaw.ca.gov for sex offender information in the area
• Contact Sonora PD for police reports from incidents within town limits

The courthouse is at 41 West Yaney Avenue, Sonora, CA 95370. You can request records in person or by mail. Mail requests should include the defendant's name, any known case number, payment for the estimated copy fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call the clerk first to confirm what they need and how much to send for payment. The staff is generally helpful and can walk you through the process over the phone.

Nearby Counties

Tuolumne County shares borders with several Sierra foothill and mountain counties. These pages have criminal record information for the surrounding area.