Shasta County has one courthouse for every case type, including criminal: the Redding Main Courthouse at 1515 Court Street, Redding, CA 96001. Its Criminal Division handles arraignments and misdemeanor and felony charges, including DUI, and the court posts an online case portal and its 2026 felony and misdemeanor bail schedule.
This guide is part of our statewide courthouse and jail guides by county. For custody, bail, and visiting at the jail, see our Shasta County Jail guide.
Which courthouse hears a criminal case in Shasta County?
Every Shasta County case, including a criminal charge, is heard at one address: the Redding Main Courthouse, which holds Departments 21 through 64 and the Jury Assembly Room.
| Courthouse | Address | Phone | Fax | Office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding Main Courthouse | 1515 Court Street, Redding, CA 96001 | (530) 245-6789 | (530) 999-2003 | 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
The Criminal Division at this courthouse handles misdemeanor charges such as DUI, petty theft, and some drug offenses, generally punished by a fine or county jail time, along with felony charges generally punished by state prison or county jail time. Confirmed court appearances appear on the published calendar; courtroom doors generally open at 8:00 a.m. If your name is not on the calendar and you believe it should be, report to the Criminal Clerk's Office with any paperwork connected to your case. A family member asking whether someone has been brought to court in custody should go to the Criminal Clerk's Office with the person's name, date of birth, and arresting agency.
How do you look up a Shasta County criminal case online?
Shasta County Superior Court runs a Tyler Odyssey Public Portal that shows public case information to any visitor, with a separate account tier for justice partner agencies.
- Open the Public Portal.
- Use Smart Search to search court records, or Search Hearings to find court hearings for a date range.
- If a search turns up nothing, the court's own older case-index tool is currently disabled, so do not rely on it; go to the Criminal Clerk's Office instead.
What happens at your first Shasta County court date?
A person held in custody in Shasta County must be taken before a judge without unnecessary delay, and within 48 hours of arrest at most, not counting Sundays and holidays.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) sets that outer 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."
That rule is about reaching a judge, not about when charges must be filed and not a promise of release. Under Penal Code section 825(a)(2), if the 48 hours would run out while court is not in session, the deadline extends to the end of the next court session on the next court day. One exception: a person arrested on a Wednesday after court closes must be brought before a judge by Friday, if neither day is a court holiday. At arraignment, the judge tells the defendant the charge and the right to a lawyer at every stage of the case (Penal Code section 858(a)); on a felony, the defendant also receives a copy of the complaint and reasonable time to arrange counsel (Penal Code section 859). For a full walkthrough of arraignment and what follows an arrest, see What Happens at a California Arraignment and our arraignments overview.
How is bail set in a Shasta County criminal case?
Before a judge acts, bail is the warrant amount or the court's 2026 schedule figure; at a hearing the judge must consider ability to pay and should consider nonfinancial conditions.
Under Penal Code section 1269b, the judges of Shasta County Superior Court annually revise and adopt a countywide bail schedule for bailable felonies and for misdemeanor and infraction offenses other than Vehicle Code infractions. The current Shasta County 2026 Bail Schedule took effect January 20, 2026. Before arraignment, the defendant, a lawyer, a friend, or a family member may ask a judge for bail lower than the schedule amount, or for release on the person's own recognizance, under Penal Code section 1269c, except for the offenses listed in Penal Code section 1270.1(a), such as serious or violent felonies other than residential burglary and some domestic violence charges; the same statute lets an officer ask for higher bail on certain charges. Two California Supreme Court decisions limit what a judge may then do. In re Humphrey (2021) says a judge cannot keep someone in custody solely because they cannot afford the stated bail amount; where money bail is necessary, the judge must consider their ability to pay, and should consider whether nonfinancial conditions could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure their presence at trial. In re Kowalczyk (2026) adds that, outside a capital case, a judge may deny bail outright only for the offenses listed in article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution, and that any dollar figure the judge does set must generally be an amount that is reasonably attainable for that person, not merely a number taken from the printed schedule. See How Bail Amounts Are Set in California for the full rule.
Can you appear remotely in a Shasta County criminal case?
Penal Code section 977 decides when a criminal defendant may appear remotely; Shasta's remote page lists WebEx calendars for some departments, so ask your attorney or the Criminal Clerk's Office.
The court's remote appearance page says the court now uses WebEx instead of CourtCall and lists remote calendars for certain departments. The RA-010 notice form it posts says it is "intended for use in civil cases only", so it is not how a criminal defendant asks to appear remotely. For a criminal case, the rule is Penal Code section 977. A misdemeanor defendant may appear through counsel alone and, with that defendant's agreement, remotely for most proceedings other than a jury or court trial. In a misdemeanor domestic violence case the defendant must be present at arraignment and sentencing, and a judge may order a misdemeanor DUI defendant to be present. A felony defendant must be physically present at arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, the taking of trial evidence, and sentencing unless that right is waived. Even with a waiver, there is no remote jury or court trial, and no remote felony sentencing except in postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law. Ask the Criminal Clerk's Office or your attorney which option applies to a specific hearing.
Do you need an interpreter for a Shasta County case?
Anyone charged with a crime who cannot understand English has a right to an interpreter, paid by the court, and Shasta's Criminal Clerk's Office takes the request.
California's Constitution guarantees the right:
"A person unable to understand English who is charged with a crime has a right to an interpreter throughout the proceedings." (Cal. Const., art. I, section 14)
The cost is a charge against the court, not the defendant, in a criminal case: "In all criminal actions and juvenile court proceedings, the compensation for an interpreter under this section shall be a charge against the court." (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Shasta's own interpreter page asks parties and counsel for at least five days' notice to the court's Interpreter Coordinator so a language can be arranged in time; for a criminal case, ask the clerk at the counter in the Criminal Clerk's Office, Room 219, or the clerk in the courtroom, rather than filing Judicial Council form INT-300, the civil request form. The coordinator can also be reached at (530) 245-6727 or interpreter@shasta.courts.ca.gov.
What should you bring to the Shasta County Courthouse?
Bring any paperwork about the case and dress for court: Shasta's posted rules require a shirt and shoes in the courtroom and bar weapons from the courthouse.
The court's appearance rules also say shorts and tank tops, food, drinks and gum chewing are not allowed in the courtroom, and pagers and cell phones must be turned off. The Criminal Clerk's Office is in Room 219.
Who are Shasta County's public defender, district attorney, and probation department?
Shasta County has separate offices for indigent defense, prosecution, and probation supervision, each with its own address and phone number.
| Office | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Shasta County Public Defender | 1815 Yuba Street, Redding, CA | (530) 245-7598 |
| Shasta County District Attorney | 1355 West Street, Redding, CA 96001 | (530) 245-6300 |
| Shasta County Probation, Adult Division | 2684 Radio Lane, Redding, CA 96001 | (530) 245-6200 |
If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the judge to appoint the Public Defender's Office at arraignment; it generally takes about two court days after arraignment for a case to reach a specific deputy public defender. To hire a private lawyer instead, see our Redding criminal defense lawyer page. Probation's Adult Division prepares pre-sentence reports and supervises people on probation, post-release community supervision, and mandatory supervision; a request for own recognizance release or lower bail before arraignment goes to a judge, as described above (Penal Code section 1269c).
Does Shasta County have a drug court or other specialty program?
Shasta's court lists two criminal programs for people with an underlying substance-use or behavioral-health issue: the Addicted Offender Program and the Behavioral Health Court.
The Criminal Division's own page describes the Addicted Offender Program: "This program is designed for repeat offenders who are substance abusers... Admission to the Program is totally discretionary with the court." The Probation Department separately describes the Behavioral Health Court as a collaborative effort among the Superior Court, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, Probation, the county's behavioral health services, the Sheriff's Office, and other local agencies. Ask the court or your attorney whether either program could apply to a specific charge.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I miss a Shasta County court date?
The court's Criminal Division page says the court may issue a warrant for your arrest, the prosecutor may ask the court to add charges for failing to appear, and you may be punished by jail or a fine regardless of how the original charge turns out. Call your attorney right away.
How do I find out my Shasta County court date?
Use the Public Portal's Smart Search or Search Hearings, or ask in person at the Criminal Clerk's Office; the court says name searches and case disposition information are not given over the telephone. For someone brought to court in custody, ask at the Criminal Clerk's Office with the person's name, date of birth, and arresting agency.
Can someone appear for me at a Shasta County hearing?
Sometimes. Penal Code section 977 lets a defendant charged only with a misdemeanor appear through a lawyer and, if the defendant agrees, remotely for most proceedings except a jury or court trial; in a misdemeanor domestic violence case the defendant must be present at arraignment and sentencing, and a judge may order presence in a DUI case. A felony defendant has stricter presence rules; ask your attorney which proceedings require you to be there in person.
How much is bail in Shasta County, and can I ask for less?
Shasta County Superior Court's 2026 Bail Schedule, effective January 20, 2026, gives a starting figure, and a judge setting money bail must weigh the person's ability to pay. Before arraignment, the defendant, a lawyer, a friend, or a family member may ask a judge for a lower amount or for own recognizance release under Penal Code section 1269c, except for the offenses listed in Penal Code section 1270.1(a).
Do I need to request a court interpreter in advance?
Shasta's court asks for at least five days' notice so an interpreter can be arranged, though the constitutional right itself does not depend on filing a particular form in a criminal case. Tell the Criminal Clerk's Office, the courtroom clerk, or your attorney as soon as you know you will need one.
Do I have to plead guilty to enter Shasta's Addicted Offender Program?
Yes. The court's Criminal Division page says eligible defendants enter a guilty plea and sign an agreement to join, the District Attorney's Office and Probation decide eligibility, and a defendant who graduates has all criminal charges dismissed. A defendant who does not comply is returned to custody and the case resumes.
Where do I go if someone was arrested and is in the Shasta County Jail?
See our Shasta County Jail guide for how to confirm custody, how bail works at the jail, and what happens before the first court date described above.
Talk to a lawyer about your Shasta County case
Whatever dates the court sets in a Shasta County criminal case, talk to a lawyer before you face them. 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.