To check whether someone is in custody at the Colusa County Jail, use VINE, the statewide notification system the Sheriff's Office points to: it searches by name and, the Sheriff's Office says, updates from the jail's own booking system every 15 minutes. The jail itself sits at 929 Bridge Street in Colusa, inside the Sheriff's Office building.
How do I find out if someone is in custody at the Colusa County Jail?
VINE, the statewide victim notification system, is the public lookup the Sheriff's Office names for this jail; it answers by phone, and registration also works online.
- Call VINE, as the Sheriff's Office's VINE page describes, and search by the person's name or alias, plus a second identifier such as the arrest date, date of birth, or middle initial if two people share a name. VINE reports the current custody status, location, and offender number.
- Register for an automatic alert instead of calling repeatedly. The Sheriff's Office's VINE registration page gives (877) 411-5588, or online registration, for notice when the person is released or transferred.
- Call the Sheriff's Office main line, (530) 458-0200, staffed 24 hours, if VINE does not answer the question.
- A state prison term runs through a different system. Search the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's own population search (CIRIS) instead if the person may already be serving a state sentence.
- Write down the exact spelling of the name and any offender number VINE gives you; you will need it again for bail or the court date.
For custody in a different California county, our guide to every county's jail and courthouse covers the rest of the state.
Where does Colusa County hold people after an arrest?
The Colusa County Jail at 929 Bridge Street in Colusa, run by the Sheriff's Office, holds people awaiting trial or serving a sentence, and can house up to 92 people.
| Facility | Address | Public phone |
|---|---|---|
| Colusa County Jail | 929 Bridge Street, Colusa, CA 95932 | (530) 458-0205 |
The Sheriff's Office's own main line, (530) 458-0200, answers around the clock, separate from the jail's direct line above. The Colusa County District Attorney's Office, which decides what to charge, is at 310 6th Street, Colusa, CA 95932, (530) 458-0545.
How does release work before trial in Colusa County?
A misdemeanor arrest generally ends in release on a signed promise to appear, though officers may book the person first; others post bail or ask a judge for release.
Penal Code section 853.6 generally requires an officer to cite and release someone arrested for a misdemeanor, with a written notice to appear, rather than take them before a magistrate; the statute lists exceptions, such as an outstanding warrant or a specific reason to believe the person will not come back, and lets the officer book the person at the scene or the station first regardless. For a felony, or any misdemeanor where citation release does not apply, own recognizance release can be requested from the judge at the first court appearance, covered below.
How do I post bail for someone at the Colusa County Jail?
The jail accepts bail in cash, by cashier's check or money order, or through a bail bond agency; the court's posted bail schedule covers only traffic, boating and similar offenses.
The Sheriff's Bail, Monies & Property page says bail may be posted at the jail in U.S. currency, by cashier's check or money order, or through a bail bond agency. The lobby kiosk, accesscorrection.com and (800) 546-6283 are for deposits to the person's own account, not for bail; see the money section below.
The one bail schedule the court posts, its Traffic/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule effective January 1, 2026, covers traffic, boating, fish and game and similar offenses, so ask the jail at (530) 458-0205 what bail has been set. Under Penal Code section 1269b(b), until a judge sets bail at the first appearance, bail is the warrant amount or, without a warrant, the county schedule amount; after that, the judge's figure controls. Before that appearance, Penal Code section 1269c lets the person arrested, a lawyer, a friend or a relative ask directly for a lower figure or own recognizance release, except for the charges Penal Code section 1270.1 lists. Two California Supreme Court rulings bind whatever figure a judge actually chooses. In re Humphrey (2021) requires the judge to weigh the person's real ability to pay and whether a nonfinancial condition could instead "reasonably protect the public and the victim" and "reasonably assure the arrestee's presence at trial." In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, adds that outside a capital case a judge may deny bail only for the offenses in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c), and that any money bail actually set must generally be "reasonably attainable" for that person. See how California bail amounts are set and surety bond versus cash bail for how this plays out statewide.
When is the first court date after an arrest in Colusa County?
State law caps how long someone held in custody can wait to see a judge, and Colusa's court sets its criminal calendars, arraignments included, at the Courthouse Annex.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) requires that
"the defendant shall in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays."
That is the deadline for reaching a judge, not a deadline for filing a charge and not a promise that anyone goes free. For a person held in custody, a 48-hour period that runs out while court is closed carries over through the end of the next court session on the following court day, and for an arrest on a Wednesday after that day's court session has ended, the deadline is the following Friday, if neither day is a court holiday (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)).
Colusa Superior Court's own Court Calendar sets its criminal calendars, including misdemeanor and felony arraignments, in Department 2 at the Courthouse Annex, 532 Oak Street, Colusa, CA 95932, (530) 458-5149, and the criminal clerk's office is at the same address. In-custody arraignments are scheduled as the court has room and often will not show up on a calendar posted in advance; the court's own criminal FAQ tells families to call the Criminal Division at (530) 458-5149, option 4, after 9 a.m. for the specific time and department. Our Colusa County Courthouse guide goes further into case lookup, remote appearance and interpreters, and the general arraignment process applies here too. Penal Code section 977 keeps a statewide floor under all of this: a felony defendant must be present in person for the arraignment, the plea and the preliminary hearing unless that right is personally waived, no defendant may appear remotely for a jury or court trial, and felony sentencing stays in person outside postconviction relief proceedings or as otherwise provided by law. Anyone arraigned without a lawyer must be told of the right to one, and Penal Code section 987 obligates the court to appoint counsel for a defendant who wants a lawyer and cannot pay for one.
How do I ask about visiting, mail and money at the Colusa County Jail?
Colusa allows two 30-minute visits a week by appointment, takes mail at the jail's street address, and keeps money, property and evidence on separate tracks.
Each person in custody gets two 30-minute visits a week; visitors need government-issued photo identification, anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian, and an appointment made at least a day ahead through (530) 458-0649 is required. Wireless devices are not allowed during a visit under Penal Code section 4575, and anyone released from this jail within the last 90 days cannot visit. Book through (530) 458-0649; the Sheriff's Jail Visiting Hours page lists the visiting days for each housing type.
Mail goes to the person's full name, care of the Colusa County Sheriff's Office, 929 Bridge Street, Colusa, CA 95932; books and magazines are accepted only straight from the publisher or as a paid subscription, envelopes over 4 by 9 inches are turned away, and the person in custody covers their own postage, available for purchase at the commissary. Money for someone's account goes in through the 24-hour lobby kiosk (cash, credit or debit card), at accesscorrection.com, by phone at (800) 546-6283, or as a money order by mail, using the person's name or ID number; do not mail cash or personal checks, and whatever is left when the person is released comes back by check. Personal property is not accepted from the public over the counter or by mail while someone is incarcerated, aside from trial clothing; property or evidence seized during the case is a separate process entirely, handled by appointment through the Sheriff's Department at (530) 458-0200, with photo identification required and any firearm needing release approval from the California Department of Justice.
What should I do right now if someone was just arrested in Colusa County?
Confirm custody through VINE or a direct call, then work the bail and legal-help questions at the same time, holding onto every paper from the arrest.
- Check VINE, or call (530) 458-0200, to confirm custody and get the booking details.
- Ask whether bail has already been set, since the court posts no schedule of bail for ordinary arrests.
- Decide how to handle bail: cash, a cashier's check or money order at the jail, a licensed bail bond agent, or a request to the court for lower bail or own recognizance release.
- Hold onto every document the arrest produced. It can help confirm the charge and the court date later.
- Call a lawyer early, so the arraignment date and the bail question both have someone watching them from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an online inmate roster for the Colusa County Jail?
No. The Sheriff's jail pages list no online roster; the lookup they name is VINE, which updates from the jail's booking system every 15 minutes and answers by phone, with registration for release alerts also available online.
How much is bail in Colusa County?
The court's posted bail schedule, effective January 1, 2026, covers traffic, boating and similar offenses, so ask the jail at (530) 458-0205 what bail has been set. A judge can set a different amount at the first appearance, and under In re Kowalczyk (2026) any money bail actually set must generally be reasonably attainable for that person.
Can I ask for a lower bail amount before the Colusa County arraignment?
Yes, under Penal Code section 1269c. The arrested person, a lawyer, a friend or a family member can ask a judge directly, for every charge except the ones Penal Code section 1270.1 lists, such as a serious or violent felony other than residential burglary, domestic battery, or stalking.
What happens if someone is arrested for a misdemeanor in Colusa County?
Penal Code section 853.6 generally entitles that person to release on a signed promise to appear instead of being held to see a judge, though the officer may still book them first. Exceptions include an outstanding warrant, a need for medical care, or a documented reason to think the person will not return.
Where do I send mail to someone at the Colusa County Jail?
Address it to the person's full name, care of the Colusa County Sheriff's Office, 929 Bridge Street, Colusa, CA 95932; keep envelopes to 4 by 9 inches or smaller, and send books or magazines only from the publisher or as a paid subscription.
Which court handles Colusa County criminal arraignments?
The court's own Court Calendar sets criminal calendars, including misdemeanor and felony arraignments, in Department 2 at the Courthouse Annex, 532 Oak Street, Colusa, CA 95932, (530) 458-5149.
Can I get an interpreter for a Colusa County criminal case?
Yes. Colusa's own Local Rules say the court provides an interpreter for the defendant at the first hearing where the need is known, and at every hearing after, and for witnesses too; the right itself traces to the California Constitution, and Evidence Code section 752(b)(1) makes the cost a charge against the court, not the defendant.
What if the person was arrested somewhere else in Colusa County, such as Williams or Arbuckle?
Start the same way: VINE or the Sheriff's Office main line, (530) 458-0200, staffed 24 hours a day; if neither shows a record, contact the agency that made the arrest.
Talk to a lawyer
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, including for a family member calling about someone just arrested in Colusa County. Call (800) 755-5174, request a free consultation online, with payment plans available and service in Spanish, or visit our criminal defense lawyer page to learn more.