People arrested for state crimes in Lassen County, whichever agency made the arrest, go to one jail: the Lassen County Jail, formally the Adult Detention Facility, at 1415 Sheriff Cady Lane in Susanville. To check whether someone is in custody tonight, use the Sheriff's Office Incarcerated People list or call the jail at (530) 251-5245.
This guide is part of our statewide courthouse and jail guides by county. For the court date, case lookup, and more on bail, see our Lassen County Courthouse guide.
How do you check whether someone is in custody at the Lassen County Jail?
Check the Sheriff's Office Incarcerated People list online, or call the jail at (530) 251-5245; the court's own Criminal Division page gives both for custody questions.
- Open the Sheriff's Office Incarcerated People list. The Superior Court's Criminal Division page names this list as the place to see whether someone is currently in custody.
- Look for the person's name on the list. Write down what the list shows before you call anyone about bail.
- If the person is not on the list, call the jail at (530) 251-5245. The court gives that number for other custody questions.
- Check other systems if the arrest may have happened elsewhere. If the person may have been arrested somewhere else in California, or may be held in state prison rather than this county jail, that other county or the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is the system to check instead.
Where does Lassen County hold people after an arrest?
Lassen County has a single jail, classified by the state as a Type II facility, which means it holds both people awaiting trial and people already sentenced.
| Facility | Address | Public phone |
|---|---|---|
| Lassen County Adult Detention Facility (Jail) | 1415 Sheriff Cady Lane, Susanville, CA 96130 | (530) 251-5245 |
Any agency with arrest powers in the county can book someone into this one jail, not only the Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office names the top booking agencies as itself, the California Highway Patrol, and the Susanville Police Department, with bookings also coming from Lassen County Probation, CDCR, Cal-Fire, Herlong Security, and the FBI. The jail averages about 1,400 bookings a year and an average daily population of 120 people.
How does release work before trial in Lassen County?
California's general rule for a misdemeanor arrest is release on a written promise to appear rather than custody until trial, though an officer may book the person first.
Penal Code section 853.6 sets that general rule: "that person shall, instead of being taken before a magistrate, be released according to the procedures set forth by this chapter, although nothing prevents an officer from first booking an arrestee." The statute lists specific reasons an officer can keep someone in custody instead, among them an outstanding warrant or a reason to believe the person will not come back to court. For someone who stays in custody, the court's Criminal Division page says the judge may set, raise, or lower bail at arraignment, and the defendant may ask to be released on their own recognizance; see our arraignments overview for how that request works at a first court appearance.
How do you post bail for someone at the Lassen County Jail?
Call the jail at (530) 251-5245 to confirm the exact charge and bail figure before you bring money or arrange a bond.
Lassen County Superior Court adopted its current jail bail schedule under Penal Code section 1269b, effective January 1, 2026; it starts on printed page 139 of the court's 2026 Bail & Penalty Schedules. For misdemeanor violations of the Penal Code, the Business and Professions Code, and the Health and Safety Code it sets $5,000 unless the schedule lists a different figure, and it doubles bail for any offense when a prior conviction is found. A schedule figure is a starting point, not a fixed price. Under Penal Code section 1269b(a), the officer in charge of the jail, a sheriff's employee assigned to collect bail, or the court clerk can accept the scheduled amount in cash or as a bond from a certified surety and order the release without waiting for a judge. In re Humphrey (2021) requires a judge who sets money bail to consider the person's ability to pay and whether nonfinancial conditions could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure the person's appearance in court, and In re Kowalczyk (2026) holds that, outside a capital case, a judge may deny bail outright only for the offenses article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution lists, and that any dollar amount set must generally be reasonably attainable for that person. Before arraignment, the defendant, a lawyer, a friend, or a family member may also ask a judge for a lower figure, or for own recognizance release, under Penal Code section 1269c, except when the charge is one Penal Code section 1270.1(a) lists, such as a serious or violent felony other than residential burglary. See Bail Hearings for how a judge applies these rules.
When is the first court date after an arrest in Lassen County?
Someone held in custody in Lassen County must be taken before a judge without unnecessary delay, and at most within 48 hours of arrest, not counting Sundays and court holidays.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) sets that limit:
"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."
Under Penal Code section 825(a)(2), if those 48 hours would run out while court is closed, the deadline runs through the whole of the next court session, on the day the court next convenes. A Wednesday arrest works differently: once that day's session has closed, and as long as the Wednesday is not a court holiday, the person must still be brought before a judge by Friday, unless Friday is also a court holiday. Missing a required court date afterward is its own problem: a judge may issue a bench warrant, and willfully failing to appear can be charged as a separate crime no matter how the original case ends. All of Lassen County's criminal cases, including this first appearance, are heard at the Hall of Justice in Susanville; see our Lassen County Courthouse guide for how to look up the case and what happens at that hearing.
How do visiting, mail, and money work at the Lassen County Jail?
The Sheriff's posted Custody Manual sets the jail's general rules for mail, money and visits, and says the visiting hours are posted in the jail's public area.
The Sheriff's Custody Manual (January 2026), posted on its Policies page, says jail staff should open and inspect incoming and outgoing general mail. Only cash, money orders, and checks from government agencies sent by mail can be deposited to a person's account, and the manual advises against mailing cash. At the jail, the cashier accepts only cash or money orders from visitors for a person's account. Each visitor must register and show valid government identification with a photo, and no more than two adults and two children may visit at one time. The Sheriff's pages give no mailing address for personal letters.
Call the jail directly at (530) 251-5245 before planning a visit, sending mail, or depositing money, and confirm the current rules with jail staff rather than relying on a general assumption from another county. If the person may have personal property from the arrest, ask the jail about it; for items held as evidence, the Sheriff's Property & Evidence page says to contact the District Attorney's Office for an Evidence Release Authorization.
What should you do right now if someone was just arrested in Lassen County?
Confirm custody, get the exact charge and bail figure, decide how to help with release, and call a defense lawyer early.
- Check the Sheriff's Office Incarcerated People list or call the jail at (530) 251-5245 to confirm whether the person is in custody at the Lassen County Jail.
- Ask for the exact charge and bail amount before bringing cash or arranging a bail bond.
- Decide how to help with release: posting the scheduled bail amount, hiring a licensed bail bond agent, or waiting to ask the judge for own recognizance release at arraignment.
- Keep any paperwork from the arrest, such as a citation or booking slip; it can help confirm the charge and the first court date.
- Call a lawyer early. The firm's criminal defense lawyer overview covers what to do after an arrest and what a defense lawyer does at a bail hearing.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Lassen County Jail have an online inmate search tool?
Yes. The Superior Court's Criminal Division page points to the Sheriff's Office Incarcerated People list to see whether someone is currently in custody. For other questions, call the jail at (530) 251-5245.
Which agencies can book someone into the Lassen County Jail?
Any agency with arrest powers in the county, not only the Sheriff's Office. The jail also receives bookings from the California Highway Patrol, the Susanville Police Department, Lassen County Probation, CDCR, Cal-Fire, Herlong Security, and the FBI.
Will someone released on a citation still be booked at the Lassen County Jail?
Possibly. Penal Code section 853.6 lets an officer book a person, at the scene or at the arresting agency, before releasing that person on a written promise to appear, or note on the citation that the person must report to the arresting agency later to be booked or fingerprinted.
How much is bail in Lassen County, and can I ask for less?
Lassen County Superior Court's jail bail schedule, effective January 1, 2026, sets $5,000 for misdemeanor violations of the Penal Code, Business and Professions Code, and Health and Safety Code unless it lists another figure. Before arraignment, the defendant, a lawyer, a friend, or a family member can ask a judge for a lower amount or own recognizance release under Penal Code section 1269c, except for charges listed in Penal Code section 1270.1(a).
How many people does the Lassen County Jail hold?
It has a rated capacity of 156 and an average daily population of about 120, with roughly 1,400 bookings a year from multiple arresting agencies across the county.
What happens if the person misses their Lassen County court date?
The judge may issue a bench warrant, and willfully failing to appear can be charged as a separate crime regardless of how the original charge is resolved. Contact an attorney immediately if a date has already been missed.
Where is the first court hearing after an arrest in Lassen County?
At the Hall of Justice in Susanville, Lassen County's only courthouse. See our Lassen County Courthouse guide for how to look up the case and what to expect there.
Talk to a lawyer about your Lassen County case
If a family member was just booked into the Lassen County Jail, talk to a lawyer before the first court date. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, with payment plans and service in Spanish. Call (800) 755-5174, or request a free consultation online.