What should I expect at the Tehama County Courthouse?

The Tehama County courthouse for criminal cases is Tehama County Superior Court, 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080. The Criminal Division can be reached at (530) 527-3563, and a citation or release paperwork from an arrest will say exactly when to appear there.

This guide is part of our California courthouse and jail directory. To find out whether someone was just arrested and booked in Tehama County, see our Tehama County Jail guide for the inmate listing, bail, and visiting.

Which courthouse hears a Tehama County criminal case?

Tehama County has a single courthouse, and the court's own locations page lists it as serving all case types, including criminal.

The Criminal Division's own hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. In-custody arraignments are heard in Department 1.

How do you look up a Tehama County criminal case online?

Tehama's self-service lookup is an Online Calendar Portal, which the court itself describes as a convenience tool rather than the official court record.

The court's own Online Calendar Portal carries this disclaimer: "The Tehama Superior Court maintains this website as a public service to enhance access to public information... Information on this website... is intended for use on a case by case basis and does not constitute the official record of the court." Treat the portal as a starting point rather than a final answer, and confirm anything important, such as a hearing date, with the Clerk's Office or by checking the posted calendar in person. The court's Criminal Division page also points readers to the statewide California Courts Self-Help Center for general criminal-court information.

What happens at your first court appearance?

An arraignment is the formal moment a Tehama County judge reads you the charge and confirms that you can have a lawyer with you from that point forward.

For a person still held in custody, 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." Someone already cited and released has no magistrate appearance to reach within that window, so the deadline does not apply to them the same way. For a person still in custody, nothing about that 48-hour figure touches the decision to file charges, and getting in front of a judge is not the same thing as walking free. If the window would close while the court is not sitting, the deadline extends to the end of the next court session on the next court day. Someone arrested on a Wednesday after court has closed must be brought before a judge by Friday, if neither day is a court holiday (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)).

The law spells out what a judge must do at that first appearance, regardless of county. You have to be told the charge and reminded that you can have a lawyer at every stage (Penal Code section 858(a)); if the charge is a felony, the judge separately hands you the complaint, asks directly whether you want counsel, and gives you time to arrange it before going forward (Penal Code section 859). Arraignment itself consists of reading the charging document to you, giving you a copy (on a misdemeanor complaint, only if you ask for one), and asking how you plead (Penal Code section 988). Tehama's own criminal FAQ puts it plainly: court appearances are mandatory on misdemeanor and felony cases, and missing one can lead to a warrant; on your court date, check the posted calendar for your name and courtroom, and report to the Clerk's Office if your name is not there.

For a fuller walkthrough of what happens at an arraignment anywhere in California, see What Happens at an Arraignment in California.

How does bail work in a Tehama County criminal case?

Tehama Superior Court publishes its own Jail Bail Schedule for an arrest; a judge can set a different amount, and money bail must generally be reasonably attainable.

The Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Tehama is adopted under Penal Code section 1269 and effective January 1, 2026. Tehama's court also separately publishes a Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule covering traffic, boating, forestry, fish and game, public utilities, parks and recreation, and business licensing offenses; that document is not the one that sets bail for a criminal arrest.

A county bail schedule sets a number, but it does not have the last word. The California Supreme Court's 2021 decision in In re Humphrey bars a judge from detaining someone before trial solely because they cannot afford bail, and, where money bail is necessary, requires the judge 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 presence at trial. Its 2026 decision in In re Kowalczyk narrows outright bail denial, in a noncapital case, to the offenses listed in article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution, and requires that "bail must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable, in order to effectuate the defendant's constitutional right to pretrial release on bail." Taken together, a Tehama County judge can move away from the printed schedule, in either direction, based on the specific person and case.

For how bail amounts work across California more generally, see How Bail Amounts Are Set in California.

Can you appear remotely in a Tehama County criminal case?

Penal Code section 977 decides when a criminal defendant may appear remotely; Tehama's remote-appearance page covers civil, family law and probate hearings, so ask the court or your lawyer.

The court's Civil, Family and Probate Remote Appearance Information page lists specific WebEx details by department for those case types; it does not cover criminal cases. Do not assume you can appear by phone or video for a Tehama County criminal hearing without asking the court or your lawyer first. Separately from whatever a court publishes locally, Penal Code section 977 sets the statewide rule. A misdemeanor defendant can often let a lawyer stand in for them. In a domestic violence misdemeanor or a Penal Code section 273.6 case, though, the defendant must be present for arraignment and sentencing. A felony charge requires your physical presence at arraignment, your plea, the preliminary hearing, the evidentiary part of trial, and sentencing unless that right is waived. Even then, remote jury or court trials are barred, and remote felony sentencing is barred except in postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law.

What should you bring, and how do you request an interpreter?

Bring identification and your arrest paperwork, such as a notice to appear or bail receipt; for an interpreter, ask the courtroom clerk or the Criminal Clerk's Office.

Not understanding English does not mean going without a voice in the courtroom. The California Constitution states it directly: "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). State law also settles who pays: in a criminal action, an interpreter's compensation "shall be a charge against the court," not the defendant (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Tehama's own Interpreters and Language Access page says the court provides interpreters for all case types and asks for at least five days' notice to the court's Interpreter Coordinator. For a criminal case specifically, you or your attorney may ask the clerk in the courtroom, or at the counter in the Criminal Clerk's Office, 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff.

Who are Tehama County's public defender, district attorney, and probation department?

If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the judge at your first appearance to appoint one; the District Attorney and Probation each have offices in Red Bluff.

If you cannot afford a lawyer, Tehama's own criminal FAQ says to ask the judge at your first court appearance: "You may request Court-Appointed Counsel from the Judge at your first appearance in court. The judge will require that you fill out a financial declaration and determine if you qualify." This matches the statewide rule requiring a court to appoint counsel for someone who wants one and cannot afford it (Penal Code section 987(a)). Hiring a lawyer directly is also an option, and our criminal defense lawyer overview walks through what that work looks like in a California criminal case.

Does Tehama County have collaborative or treatment courts?

Yes. Tehama Superior Court's own Court Calendars page lists a Drug Court and Behavioral Health Court calendar, run weekly in Department 3.

The court's Court Calendars page names "Drug Court/Behavioral Health Court" as a standing calendar item in Department 3, alongside that department's other civil and criminal matters. The page does not separately name a veterans' court or a distinct mental health court beyond that combined calendar, and it does not publish eligibility rules. Ask your attorney whether a specific charge and history could qualify. Our California criminal defense practice overview covers how the firm approaches a charge generally.

Talk to a lawyer about your Tehama County case

At a hearing in a Tehama County criminal case, a judge can set bail above or below the printed schedule, so talk to a lawyer first. 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.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I'm not on the Tehama County court calendar on my court date?

Go to the Clerk's Office. Tehama's criminal FAQ says to check the posted calendar for your name and courtroom first and, if your name is not there, to report to the Clerk's Office ready to give identification and information about the arrest, such as jail release paperwork, a notice to appear, bail or bond receipts, or an arraignment letter.

How much is bail in Tehama County?

The Jail Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, sets bail amounts by offense for an arrest, separate from the county's traffic-focused Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule. A judge can set a different amount, and money bail must generally be reasonably attainable for that person.

What happens if I miss my Tehama County court date?

Missing a required appearance can draw a bench warrant from the judge (Penal Code section 978.5(a)), and someone who willfully disregards a signed promise to appear can be charged with a separate misdemeanor for that alone (Penal Code section 853.7). Call your attorney as soon as you realize a date was, or will be, missed.

Do I need a lawyer at my first Tehama County court appearance?

You have the right to one. The judge confirms your right to counsel at your arraignment and at every stage afterward (Penal Code section 858(a)). If paying for one is not an option, ask the judge to appoint counsel at that same appearance.

Can I talk to a family member who is in custody in the courtroom?

No. Tehama's criminal FAQ says you may be charged with a misdemeanor if you try to speak or motion to anyone in custody in the courtroom. Pass messages through the person's lawyer instead.

Does it cost anything to have a court interpreter in a criminal case?

No. In a criminal case the interpreter's pay is a charge against the court, not the defendant (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Tehama's court says it provides interpreters for all case types and asks for at least five days' notice.

How do I find out whether someone is in custody in Tehama County?

Tehama's criminal FAQ says to contact the Tehama County Sheriff's Department at (530) 529-7900, 502 Oak Street, Red Bluff, or the Sheriff's website. Our Tehama County Jail guide explains the inmate listing, bail and visiting.

Can I get copies of records from a Tehama County criminal case?

Yes, by writing to or visiting the clerk's office; Tehama's criminal FAQ says staff cannot look up criminal records over the telephone. A written request needs the defendant's name, date of birth if known, a check for the fees and a stamped envelope addressed to you.