Contra Costa County Criminal Records Overview
Criminal records in Contra Costa County come from several offices. The Sheriff and local police create the arrest record at the time of booking. The Superior Court creates the criminal court file when the District Attorney files charges. The California Department of Justice keeps the official statewide criminal history. Federal cases sit with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the federal Bureau of Prisons. Each layer answers a different question. The Sheriff record shows where the person is right now. The court file shows what charges were filed and how the case ended. The DOJ rap sheet shows a long-term, statewide history.
An arrest record is not the same as a conviction record. An arrest happens at booking and is created by the arresting agency. A criminal court record starts when the prosecutor files a complaint, information, or indictment. A conviction record reflects a guilty plea or guilty verdict and the resulting sentence. Many Contra Costa County criminal records end without a conviction, because charges may never be filed, may be dismissed, may end in acquittal, or may be reduced. The right Contra Costa County criminal records search depends on which layer the user actually needs.
How to Search Contra Costa County Criminal Records
The main starting points are the Sheriff and the Superior Court. The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff runs the In-Custody Locator from its inmate information page. The Superior Court runs the Court Public Portal at kiosk-cacontracosta.tylertech.cloud/Portal/. The court moved the portal to that Tyler-hosted site on Monday, April 27, 2026. Criminal remote access on the public portal is limited under California Rule of Court 2.503, so some criminal Contra Costa County criminal records need a trip to Court Records or the criminal clerk.
- To check if the person is in jail right now, search the Sheriff In-Custody Locator by last name or booking number.
- To pull a criminal court case, run the Court Public Portal by case number or party name and review the register of actions.
- For statewide history, use the California DOJ fingerprint live-scan process. The county website does not run a public statewide rap sheet.
- For federal cases tied to Contra Costa, run PACER for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the BOP locator for federal custody.
The District Attorney's office prosecutes adult and juvenile criminal matters and posts office news and the Cross-Examination podcast on the DA landing page. The DA does not provide a public criminal-history lookup; that role sits with the courts and with the California DOJ.
The DA page also runs press releases and announcements that help track major cases by date.
Arrest Records vs. Criminal Court Records
An arrest record and a criminal court record sit in different systems. The Sheriff and local police own the arrest record. The Superior Court owns the criminal case record. A person can have an arrest with no court file, a court file with no current jail booking, or both at the same time.
| Arrest Record | Criminal Court Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Sheriff or local police | Superior Court clerk |
| Created When | At booking | When charges are filed |
| Contents | Booking info, charges at intake, mugshot, holding facility | Complaint, plea, motions, sentencing minutes, disposition |
| Where to Search | Sheriff In-Custody Locator | Court Public Portal or Court Records, Room 103 |
| Restrictions | Juvenile bookings withheld; some details redacted | Remote access limited under Rule 2.503; sealed files closed |
Charges vs. Convictions in Contra Costa County
People often confuse a charge with a conviction. A charge is a formal accusation by the District Attorney. A conviction is a finding of guilt by plea or verdict. The standards are very different.
| Charge | Conviction | |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Accusation by DA | Verdict or plea entered |
| Burden of Proof | Probable cause | Beyond a reasonable doubt |
| Who Decides | DA's filing decision; magistrate at arraignment | Jury, judge at bench trial, or defendant's plea |
| Public Record | Yes, in the court file | Yes, until sealed or dismissed under PC 1203.4 |
| Outcome | Pending, dismissed, reduced, or proceeds to trial | Sentence, probation, fines, or custody |
Contra Costa Public Defenders represents indigent adults and juveniles facing charges, and Ellen McDonnell leads the office. The Alternate Defender Office handles conflict cases. The lead-in image links to the Public Defender about page.
Roughly 45% of attorneys in the office carry felony caseloads, 15% misdemeanors, 10% juvenile delinquency, and 30% specialty and mental-health assignments. That mix shows the breadth of Contra Costa County criminal records the office touches each year.
Sealed vs. Expunged Records in Contra Costa County
California uses two main forms of post-arrest relief. Arrest sealing removes the arrest from public view when the arrest did not lead to a conviction. Post-conviction dismissal, often called expungement, changes the disposition to dismissed after the person finishes probation or the eligible sentence. Each form sits in a different Penal Code section.
| Sealed (PC 851.91) | Expunged / Dismissed (PC 1203.4) | |
|---|---|---|
| What It Covers | Arrest with no conviction | Conviction after probation/sentence completion |
| Visibility | Hidden from public access | Disposition changes to dismissed; case still appears with the dismissal |
| Law Enforcement | Limited access remains | Limited access remains |
| Eligibility | No conviction, charges dismissed, acquittal, or conviction vacated and not retried | Eligible offense, probation/sentence completed, no current charges or probation |
| Statute | PC 851.91 | PC 1203.4 |
Sealing under PC 851.91 lets eligible people petition the court to seal an arrest record that did not lead to conviction. The petition usually identifies the arresting agency, the report number, the date of arrest, the charges, and the basis for eligibility. Dismissal under PC 1203.4 does not erase the case from every government system. Certain agencies and licensing bodies may still see or require disclosure of the underlying conviction.
The Public Defender staff page covers the office's work, including Clean Slate-style help for eligible clients. The lead-in image links to that page.
Juvenile sealing runs through separate juvenile statutes and is not handled the same way as adult arrest sealing.
Mugshots and Booking Photos
Booking photos may appear in the Sheriff In-Custody Locator detail view when the photo is public and available. The Sheriff page does not promise a mugshot for every booking. Photos for juvenile arrests are not public. Photos tied to sealed arrests should not appear after the sealing order takes effect. Third-party mugshot sites are not official sources for Contra Costa County criminal records. The Sheriff and the courts are the official sources.
Statewide Criminal Records Search
California does not give the public a free statewide criminal-history lookup. The official statewide rap sheet runs through the California Department of Justice and requires fingerprint live scan. A person may request their own record under Penal Code section 11120 and following. Employers and licensing agencies use the DOJ background check process under separate statutory authority. The county court portal and Sheriff locator do not include a statewide history. For a wider public-records framework, see the public records page.
Contra Costa County District Attorney
Diana Becton is the 25th District Attorney of Contra Costa County. Her official biography states she was sworn in in 2017 and is the first woman and the first person of color to serve as DA in the county's history. She leads about 230 attorneys, investigators, and professional staff. Before becoming DA she served 22 years as a Contra Costa County judge, including a term as Presiding Judge. Her education includes a J.D. from Golden Gate University and a Master of Theological Studies from Pacific School of Religion. The lead-in image links to her official biography page.
The DA's office files Contra Costa County criminal records in Superior Court and posts office news, announcements, and the Cross-Examination podcast on the official site.
Background Check Considerations
Background checks come in two flavors. An FCRA-compliant background check is run by a licensed consumer reporting agency for jobs, housing, credit, or insurance. A casual lookup on a public portal is not an FCRA-compliant check. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act sets the rules for what can be reported, how the subject must be notified, and how to dispute errors. California adds its own rules under the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act. Contra Costa County criminal records pulled from this site or from the Sheriff or Court Public Portal are public-records lookups, not FCRA-grade reports.
Important: This site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and its results may not be used to make credit, employment, tenant, or insurance decisions.
Restricted Criminal Records in Contra Costa County
Some Contra Costa County criminal records are closed to the public. Juvenile delinquency files are confidential under Welfare and Institutions Code section 827. Sealed adult arrests under PC 851.91 are removed from public view. Sealed records under Rule of Court 2.550 stay closed unless the court unseals. Search warrant affidavits may stay sealed until execution or unsealing. Active investigative material can be withheld under Government Code section 7922.000. Remote public access to criminal case data is also limited by California Rule of Court 2.503, so some criminal Contra Costa County criminal records can only be inspected at the courthouse.
Contra Costa County Court Records Unit
Court Records at Wakefield Taylor Courthouse handles certified copies and in-person inspection for non-criminal files. Criminal record requests may go through the criminal clerk location rather than the non-criminal records unit. Valid photo ID is required to view any file. Copies are 50 cents per page in person or by mail. Certifications are $40 plus 50 cents per page. The clerk takes cash, check, money order, and credit or debit cards with a 2.99% convenience fee.
Court Records Unit
Wakefield Taylor Courthouse
725 Court Street, Room 103
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 608-1000
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.