Criminal Records in Tulare County
Three agencies hold the bulk of Tulare County criminal records. The Tulare County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, runs the jails and creates the booking records. The Sheriff's Detentions Division is led by Captain Buddy Hirayama and covers Bob Wiley Detention Facility, the Adult Pre-Trial Facility, and South County Detention Facility. The Sheriff publishes a current inmate listing online with jacket number, name, date of birth, booking date, and arresting agency.
The Superior Court of California, County of Tulare holds the criminal case files. Felony complaints, felony informations, arraignments, preliminary hearings, motions, settlement conferences, sentencing, and PRCS arraignments all sit in the court's case index. The District Attorney files the charges. Tim Ward is the District Attorney. His office is at 221 S. Mooney Blvd., Room 224 in Visalia, with phone 559-636-5494 and email damail@tularecounty.ca.gov. The Public Defender represents eligible defendants and can be reached at 559-636-4500.
An arrest record and a criminal court record are two different files. The arrest record starts at booking. The court record starts when the District Attorney files charges. Plenty of arrests do not turn into charges. Plenty of charges do not turn into convictions. The full conviction history is held by the California DOJ, which runs a record review process for the person whose record it is.
How to Search Tulare County Criminal Records
The right portal depends on what the user wants. A current jail check uses the Sheriff inmate listing. A specific criminal case uses the Superior Court online portal. A full conviction history uses the California DOJ record review. The steps below walk through the most common path, which starts with the Sheriff and ends at the court.
- Open the Sheriff inmate search listing. Use the search box to filter by name. Sort by any column.
- Note the jacket number, booking date, and arresting agency. Confirm whether the person is still in custody by reviewing the View link or by calling the jail.
- Open the Tulare Superior Court online portal. Log in or register, then search by case number or name.
- If the case number is unknown, use a public terminal at the Visalia County Civic Center, Room 124 or Room 201, 221 S. Mooney Blvd.
- For a complete state conviction record, request a personal DOJ record review at oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review. The court does not run criminal background checks. DOJ phone is 916-227-3849.
- For federal charges, search PACER at pacer.uscourts.gov. Federal Tulare County cases route through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
The image below points to the District Attorney's office, the agency that decides which arrests become criminal cases in Tulare County.
The DA site also lists press releases, scam alerts, DUI education, and the Voces de Justicia podcast. Press releases are often the first public confirmation of a major filing.
Arrest Records vs. Criminal Court Records
Booking creates the arrest record. The charge filing creates the court record. The two are not the same. The arrest record sits with the arresting agency and the Sheriff's jail file. The court record sits with the clerk and includes the pleadings, motions, hearings, and disposition. A person may have an arrest record without a court record, and a court record without a current jail file.
| Arrest Record | Criminal Court Record | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Sheriff or local police | Superior Court clerk |
| Created When | At booking | When the DA files charges |
| Contents | Jacket number, name, DOB, booking date, arresting agency, mugshot | Pleadings, motions, orders, sentencing, disposition |
| Searched At | Sheriff inmate listing | Tulare Superior Court online portal |
| Sealing Path | Penal Code 851.91 or 851.8 | Penal Code 1203.4 dismissal or court-ordered seal |
For active warrants and outstanding holds, see the Tulare County warrant records page. For people in custody right now, see Tulare County inmate records. For the full court file path, see Tulare County court records.
Charges vs. Convictions
A charge is an accusation. A conviction is a finding of guilt. The two get mixed up often, but the law treats them very differently. A person can be arrested, charged, and later see the case dismissed. The arrest record does not vanish when the charge drops. The court record stays as a public file unless a judge orders it sealed.
| Charge | Conviction | |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | Accusation by the District Attorney | Verdict at trial or guilty plea |
| Burden of Proof | Probable cause | Beyond a reasonable doubt |
| Public Record | Yes, unless sealed | Yes, unless sealed or dismissed |
| Where Held | DA charging document, court file | Court judgment, DOJ rap sheet |
| Effect on Rights | Limited; presumption of innocence applies | May affect voting in custody, firearms, jobs, licenses |
This split matters in hiring, housing, and licensing. A background check that pulls only an arrest record can mislead the reader. The court does not run criminal background checks. For an accurate conviction history, the state DOJ record review is the official path.
Sealed vs. Expunged Tulare County Records
California uses several different relief paths for old criminal files. Each one has its own scope and its own limits. "Sealed" and "expunged" sound the same in everyday talk. In statute, they are not. The comparison below pulls the two terms apart and ties each to its Penal Code section.
| Sealed | Expunged (1203.4 Dismissal) | |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | Penal Code 851.91 for arrests; Penal Code 851.8 for factual innocence | Penal Code 1203.4 for post-probation dismissal |
| Visibility | Removed from public view; restricted to law enforcement | Plea withdrawn, accusation dismissed; case still appears in some records |
| Eligibility | 851.91: arrests not resulting in conviction. 851.8: factual innocence finding | Completed probation, no current charges, eligible offense |
| Effect on Rap Sheet | 851.8 can destroy the arrest entry; 851.91 seals it | DOJ rap sheet shows the dismissal but the case remains for limited uses |
| Remaining Uses | Some peace officer, federal, and immigration uses still allowed | Licensing, public office, peace officer, firearm rules may still apply |
The statutes that govern sealing live at Penal Code section 851.91 and section 851.8. The post-conviction dismissal path lives at section 1203.4. Juvenile cases get their own track under Welfare and Institutions Code section 781 and section 786, with automatic sealing for eligible cases completed on or after January 1, 2015. The image below opens the published Penal Code 851.8 page.
Factual innocence under section 851.8 is the strongest relief. It requires proof that no reasonable cause exists to believe the person committed the offense.
Statute Callout: Penal Code 851.91 covers arrest sealing for cases that did not end in conviction. Penal Code 851.8 covers factual-innocence sealing and destruction. Penal Code 1203.4 covers post-probation dismissal of eligible convictions.
Mugshots and Booking Photos
Mugshots are part of the Sheriff's booking file. The Sheriff's media menu lists Booking Photos as a service category, alongside AB 2761 In-Custody Deaths, AB 485 Hate Crime Statistics, Coroner Information, Coroner Releases, and Custody Status. The visible Sheriff inmate listing does not include a mugshot column. The individual profile may include one, but the profile detail was blocked from automated capture during this research pass. For confirmed mugshot access, use the Sheriff's site directly.
A sealed arrest under Penal Code 851.91 removes the arrest from public view. That seal extends to the booking photo in most cases. A 1203.4 dismissal does not erase the booking photo or the arrest. The arrest and the mugshot stay in the public record unless the person also obtains a separate sealing order. People often confuse the two outcomes. The dismissal handles the conviction. The seal handles the arrest.
District Attorney and Public Defender Contacts
Two agencies drive criminal cases through the Tulare County courts. The District Attorney files and prosecutes the charges. The Public Defender represents eligible defendants who cannot afford private counsel. Each office has its own public-facing site and contact line.
Office of the District Attorney
Tim Ward, District Attorney
221 S. Mooney Blvd., Room 224
Visalia, CA 93291
559-636-5494
damail@tularecounty.ca.gov
Tulare County Public Defender
Criminal and juvenile defense
Visalia, CA
559-636-4500
The Public Defender juvenile services page covers minors in delinquency court from first hearing through resolution. It also links forms for juvenile record information and JV-595 to seal juvenile records. The Self-Help Resource Center cannot help with criminal matters or expungement work. People needing criminal defense should call the Public Defender or a private attorney rather than self-help.
Statewide Criminal Records Search
The California Department of Justice runs the statewide criminal history record review process. It is the official source for a full California rap sheet. The person whose record it is fills out a Live Scan fingerprint form and submits the form through an approved fingerprint operator. DOJ then sends a copy of the record. The court's records page directs users to this process and lists DOJ phone 916-227-3849. The court itself does not run background checks.
For state prison custody history, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs the CDCR CIRIS incarcerated records search. CIRIS covers people in CDCR custody. It is not a current jail roster. For sex offender registration, the California Megan's Law registry is the public-facing tool, subject to statutory use restrictions. The image below opens the DOJ record review page.
DOJ's record review is meant for the person to see their own record. It is not a general background check tool. For employer or licensing background work, a Live Scan order with a billing code from the requesting agency is the right path.
Background Check Considerations
Background checks done for employment, housing, or credit fall under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. A consumer reporting agency must follow FCRA rules on accuracy, notice, and dispute. A casual name search is not an FCRA-compliant background check. The court's name search at the public terminal is meant to find a case. It is not a tool for hiring decisions.
Important: This privately operated site is not a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA and its data may not be used for employment, tenant, credit, or insurance decisions.
Restricted Criminal Records in Tulare County
Several categories of Tulare County criminal records are restricted by law. Juvenile delinquency files are confidential under WIC section 827 and California Rule of Court 5.552. Authorized persons may view. Others must file JV-570 and wait on a juvenile judge. Sealed juvenile cases are not given out by the clerk by phone or mail. Adoption records are confidential under Family Code section 9200. Sealed adult records under California Rule of Court 2.550 and 2.551 stay hidden unless a court order opens them.
Records of arrests sealed under Penal Code 851.91 are not part of the public file. Mental health and LPS conservatorship files hold medical detail that the court keeps out of public reach under California rules. Domestic violence files may show redacted addresses and minor identifiers. Some older criminal files are no longer in the archive at all. The court has a destruction program and Government Code section 68152 sets retention periods by case type.
For juvenile sealing work, the court directs people to the Tulare County Probation Juvenile Services Division at 559-735-1525 and to Judicial Council forms JV-595-INFO and JV-596-INFO. Once sealed, the law treats the offenses as if they did not occur, with named exceptions for federal positions, health care settings, peace officer applications, and military disclosure.