What should I expect at the Yuba County Courthouse?

Every Yuba County Superior Court case, including every criminal case, is heard at one courthouse: 215 Fifth Street, Suite 200, in Marysville, phone (530) 740-1800. The Criminal Division answers at extension 4, and the Yuba County Jail is inside the north side of the same courthouse, on Sixth Street between B and C Streets.

Which courthouse hears a Yuba County criminal case?

All of Yuba County Superior Court's operations, including its Criminal Division, are now in one building: the Yuba County Courthouse at 215 Fifth Street in Marysville.

The court's own Locations page states plainly that "all Court operations are now located at the Yuba County Courthouse," covering Family Court Services along with every other division. For how the adjacent jail handles booking and release, see our Yuba County Jail guide. If the arrest happened somewhere else in California, see our courthouse and jail guides by county to find the right one.

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

Yuba Superior Court's public records portal shows case information and scheduled hearings for current cases and for completed cases back to 1999, with no registration needed.

1. Open the court's Online Case Access page and choose "Go to our Portal."
2. Look up the case to see its case information and any scheduled hearings.
3. A blank result does not always mean no case exists: the court's own guidance says it can mean the case was not filed in Yuba Superior Court, the case is confidential and needs party-level access, or the search used an alias rather than the legal name.
4. An attorney of record, or a party who sends the court's access request form with proof of identity, can ask for online access to case documents; the court asks you to allow up to 7 days.

What happens at your first court appearance in Yuba County?

At the arraignment, the judge tells you the charge against you and explains your right to a lawyer, and then you are asked to enter a plea.

By statute, the court must immediately tell a defendant the charge and the right to counsel at every stage (Penal Code section 858(a)); on a felony, the judge must also give the defendant a copy of the complaint, ask whether they want a lawyer, and allow reasonable time to arrange one (Penal Code section 859). Yuba's own criminal page explains the broader process this way: a misdemeanor plea of not guilty leads to a trial date, generally within 30 days if the defendant is in custody or 45 days if not, unless time is waived; a felony plea of not guilty leads to a preliminary hearing, and if the judge finds enough evidence, a second arraignment in superior court follows. For a person held in custody, Penal Code section 825(a)(1) requires an appearance before a judge "without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays"; if the 48 hours end while court is not in session, the time extends to the end of the next court session on the next court day (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)). Someone arrested on a Wednesday after court has closed must be brought before a judge by Friday, if neither day is a court holiday. That is a deadline for seeing a judge, not a charging deadline or a promise of release. The court's page says in-custody arraignments are generally heard at 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and tells you to check the calendar posted in the second-floor lobby, or call the Criminal Division at (530) 740-1800, option 4, for the specific time and department. For a general, statewide walkthrough of this step, see What Happens at an Arraignment in California.

How does bail work in a Yuba County criminal case?

Until a judge reviews it, bail is the warrant amount or the court's Felony Bail Schedule figure; at an appearance the judge can raise or lower it.

Yuba County Superior Court's current Felony Bail Schedule, adopted December 23, 2025 under Penal Code section 1269b and effective January 2, 2026 (its rules also set misdemeanor amounts), sets a presumptive figure for a warrantless arrest "until such time as a judge reviews the issue"; if the person was booked only on a warrant, bail is instead the amount stated on that warrant unless a judge orders otherwise. At an appearance, the judge can move away from the schedule in either direction. Under In re Humphrey, a judge must weigh a person's ability to pay, and whether nonfinancial conditions of release could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure the person's return to court, before conditioning freedom on money alone. Under In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, in a noncapital case a judge may deny bail outright only for the offenses described in article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution, and any money bail that is set must generally be "reasonably attainable" for that specific person. For the statewide explanation, see how California bail amounts are set; for how to actually post bail at the jail, see our Yuba County Jail guide.

Can you appear remotely in a Yuba County criminal case?

Yuba's criminal court page says a sick felony defendant is expected to appear by Zoom unless hospitalized; otherwise Penal Code section 977 decides when you must be present.

The court's own criminal page says that a defendant who is sick and charged with a felony is expected to appear by Zoom unless hospitalized, and should contact their attorney or the clerk's office for the Zoom link rather than miss the court date. Outside that situation, state law controls whether you must be present. On a misdemeanor-only case, a lawyer can usually appear in your place, though a misdemeanor domestic violence case still requires you at arraignment and sentencing, and a misdemeanor DUI case can be ordered to require your presence (Penal Code section 977(a)). On a felony, you must be physically present at arraignment, your plea, the preliminary hearing, the taking of trial evidence, and sentencing, unless you waive that right, and even then a jury or court trial cannot be remote, and a felony sentencing cannot be remote except in postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law (Penal Code section 977(b) and (c)). For any other hearing, ask the Criminal Division at (530) 740-1800, option 4, or your attorney, whether a remote appearance is available.

What should you bring, and how do you get to the Yuba County Courthouse?

Everyone entering is searched and every item is x-rayed, children are not allowed in the courtroom, and free longer-term parking is one block south.

The court's Security page says weapons and anything that could be used as one are not allowed, including knives, scissors, tools, nail files, tweezers and pepper spray. In the courtroom, shorts, tank tops and hats are not allowed (hats only for religious reasons), sunglasses only when prescribed or worn for medical reasons, and food, drinks and gum are not allowed; shoes must be worn. The criminal page says you will not be allowed in the courtroom with a child, so arrange child care ahead of time. Parking around the courthouse is limited to 2 hours and enforced by the Marysville Police Department; longer-term parking is free in the municipal lot one block south, at 4th and C Streets.

How do you request an interpreter in a Yuba County criminal case?

Tell the court or your attorney as early as you can; in a criminal case the interpreter is provided at no cost to you.

If you or a family member cannot understand English, the California Constitution gives the right to an interpreter throughout a criminal case: "A person unable to understand English who is charged with a crime has a right to an interpreter throughout the proceedings" (California Constitution, article I, section 14). The cost is a charge against the court, not you (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Yuba's court posts its Limited English Proficiency Plan on its Limited English page, and the Judicial Council's guide to asking for an interpreter explains the general steps. Yuba's Self-Help Center mainly assists with family law matters such as dissolution and requests for orders; for a criminal question, contact the Criminal Division or your attorney instead.

Who prosecutes Yuba County criminal cases, and who provides a lawyer if you can't afford one?

The District Attorney's Office prosecutes criminal cases, and the court appoints a lawyer for anyone who wants one and cannot afford one.

Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry's office is at 215 5th Street, Suite 152, Marysville, CA 95901, phone (530) 749-7770; the court's own criminal page gives that same number to crime victims. State law requires the court to ask a defendant who appears without a lawyer whether they want one, and to appoint counsel for a defendant who wants one and cannot afford one (Penal Code section 987(a)); ask the Criminal Division or your attorney how appointed counsel works in a specific case. Yuba County Probation, headed by Chief Probation Officer Matt Ricardy (215 5th Street, Suite 154, Marysville, CA 95901, phone (530) 749-7550), runs a Pretrial Services unit that screens eligible people booked into the jail for public safety risk and the likelihood of returning to court, then advises the judge on detention, release, and release conditions before the case is decided.

Does Yuba County have a collaborative or treatment court?

Yes. The court's Judicial Assignments page lists Drug Court/Prop 36 among Department 1's assignments, and Probation says it manages Behavioral Health Court, Drug Court and Proposition 36 programs.

Probation describes these programs as highly structured, pairing a judge's case supervision with intensive probation supervision, drug treatment and testing, and life skills, health or mental health services. Whether a particular charge and history qualify depends on the program and the case, so ask the court or your attorney.

For how the firm handles a criminal charge generally, see the firm's criminal defense lawyer page; see our California service areas for the office nearest you.

Talk to a lawyer about your Yuba County case

At an appearance in a Yuba County criminal case, a judge can raise or lower bail from the printed schedule, so talk to a lawyer before that happens. 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

How long does a cash bail refund take in Yuba County?

The court's criminal page says refunds on cash bail are processed automatically once the court orders them, take about 6 to 8 weeks from the date of that order, and are made payable to the depositor named on the bail receipt.

What happens if I miss my Yuba County court date?

A missed date can lead to a bench warrant (Penal Code section 978.5(a)). If you were released on a signed promise to appear, willfully breaking that promise is a separate misdemeanor on top of the original charge (Penal Code section 853.7). Call your attorney right away if you missed, or expect to miss, a court date.

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

You have the right to one. The judge must tell you your right to counsel at every stage of the case (Penal Code section 858(a)), and the court must appoint a lawyer if you want one and cannot afford one (Penal Code section 987(a)).

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

No. State law makes an interpreter's pay in a criminal action a charge against the court, not the defendant (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)), and the right applies throughout the case under the California Constitution.

How much is bail in a Yuba County criminal case?

Bail starts at the amount on the arrest warrant, or at Yuba's own Felony Bail Schedule figure for a warrantless arrest. A judge who later sees the case can set a different amount, and money bail must generally be reasonably attainable for that person.

Can I get an extension of my Yuba County court date?

No. The court's criminal page says misdemeanors and felonies require a mandatory court appearance and extensions will not be granted; you must appear on the date and time on your release paper or arraignment letter, and missing it may result in a warrant.

How do I clear a warrant in Yuba County?

The court's criminal page says a warrant can be cleared by reporting to your local law enforcement agency or the county jail, on the north side of the courthouse on Sixth Street, (530) 749-7740. Warrant information is not given by phone; ask in person at the Criminal Division.