Court records of Tehama County, California, are maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court of the county and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the court clerk's office. TehamaCourt.us will help you find public information about court cases in this county. Additional access points include online services of the Tehama County Superior Court, the office of the county clerk-recorder, and state resources of the California judicial branch.
Tehama Court System Overview
California operates a unified trial court system: each county is served by a single Superior Court. The Superior Court of Tehama County handles all categories of cases — criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile matters. The county is located in the northern part of the Sacramento Valley, with a population of approximately 63,463 people.
At the federal level, Tehama is part of the Eastern District of California (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California). Appeals from the Superior Court of the county are directed to the Third Appellate District of California.
The main court facility is the courthouse in Red Bluff. Hearings are held here.
Courts Serving Tehama
Residents of the county are served by several judicial institutions at the state and federal levels.
State Superior Court
Federal District Court
Federal Bankruptcy Court
Municipal courts in California have not existed since 1998 — their functions have been transferred to the Superior Courts of the counties.
What Types of Cases Tehama Courts Hear
The Superior Court of Tehama County has general jurisdiction. Here are the main categories of cases:
- Criminal: felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil: claims of any amount, including small claims
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, protective orders
- Probate: inheritance, guardianship, conservatorship, trusts
- Juvenile matters: child protection, juvenile delinquency, adoption
- Traffic violations and DUI
District Court Cases in Tehama
In the California system, there is no separate "district court" at the state level — the Superior Court of the county performs all trial court functions. The Criminal Division handles felonies from initial hearing to sentencing. Civil cases without monetary limits also fall under the jurisdiction of the Superior Court.
Cases are assigned to judges according to the court's internal rules. Criminal felonies begin with an arraignment, followed by a preliminary hearing, and if necessary, a jury trial. Appeals from the Superior Court's decisions are submitted to the Third Appellate District of California.
Federal cases — violations of federal law, civil suits between residents of different states for amounts over $75,000 — are heard by the Eastern District Court in Sacramento.
Magistrate Court Cases in Tehama
California does not have separate magistrate courts. Instead, the Superior Court of the county hears all cases that in other states would go to a magistrate:
- Misdemeanors and infractions
- Preliminary hearings in felony cases
- Small claims — up to $12,500 according to the California Code of Civil Procedure
- Traffic violations
- DUI hearings
Limited civil jurisdiction applies to claims up to $25,000. Cases for larger amounts are classified as "unlimited civil." A commissioner judge may preside over certain categories of hearings by appointment of the presiding judge.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Tehama
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity establishment, and protective orders from domestic violence are all handled by the Superior Court of the county. The petitioner files a petition at the court clerk's office in Red Bluff, after which the case is scheduled for a hearing.
Probate
The Superior Court handles matters related to the distribution of estates, appointment of guardians for minors, and conservators for adults who cannot make decisions independently. Trust disputes are also addressed within the probate jurisdiction.
Juvenile Matters
Child protection (dependency) and juvenile delinquency cases are confidential under California law. Access to materials is restricted. Adoptions also go through this court division.
How Cases Move Through the Tehama Court System
- Case initiation. Criminal — through an indictment or prosecutor's complaint. Civil — by filing a complaint or petition with the court clerk's office.
- Judge assignment. The case is assigned according to category and the court's internal rules.
- First hearing. In criminal cases — arraignment (charge announcement, bail setting). In civil cases — planning conference.
- Pre-trial phase. Motions, evidence exchange (discovery), plea negotiations or settlement discussions.
- Trial. Jury or bench trial, verdict issuance or settlement approval.
- Post-decision. Sentencing in criminal cases, enforcement in civil cases, appeal filing within set deadlines.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Tehama
The administration of the Superior Court of the county is carried out by the Presiding Judge along with the Court Executive Officer. Local court rules are published on the official court website.
According to California Rules of Court, rule 2.400(a), court cases are public records and available for review. However, certain categories — juvenile cases, sealed records, certain family cases — have restricted access. More details on public access policy can be found on the California judicial branch public records page.
Hearings can be attended in person at the courthouse in Red Bluff. Some hearings may be conducted remotely — check with the court clerk's office or on the online services page.
Requests for public records in California are submitted in accordance with the Public Records Act.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Tehama
- Court online services. The Superior Court portal provides access to electronic filing (E-File CA), jury status check, court calendar, and the Guide & File tool.
- County clerk-recorder's office. The clerk's office maintains records of marriages, fictitious business names, land documents, and other public records.
- Birth and death records. Available through the official Tehama County website in the quick links section.
- Archived court records. The California Secretary of State holds historical materials of the Supreme and appellate courts.
- Inmate search. The California Incarcerated Records & Information Search (CIRIS) allows finding a person in the CDCR system by name or number.
- Vehicle and driver records. DMV California maintains statistical public records on registration and driver's licenses.
- Property assessment and taxes. The county assessor's office and the treasurer-tax collector provide information on property assessment and tax payments.
- Law enforcement agencies. Contact information for the Tehama County Sheriff's Department is available on the California Attorney General's website.
To quickly start searching for county court records, use TehamaCourt.us.