Colusa County Courthouse Guide

Colusa County Superior Court at a Glance

Colusa County runs a small court, and small courts work differently. There are two buildings rather than one, there is no Public Defender's Office, and warrants are handled on a walk-in calendar one day a week with a hard cutoff. This page covers the practical details. It is written by the Law Office of Tony Carlos as a free local resource. We are a private law firm and are not affiliated with the Colusa County Superior Court.

The two buildings sit a few blocks apart in downtown Colusa. This trips people up: the Clerk's Office is in the Annex at 532 Oak Street, not in the Main Courthouse. If you need to check in, pay, file something, or ask which department your case is in, go to Oak Street. Your hearing itself may be in either building.

If You Have a Bench Warrant: Tuesday Walk-In Court

This is the single most useful thing to know about Colusa County. If a bench warrant has been issued for your arrest, the court holds a walk-in calendar on Tuesdays. You check in at the Clerk's Office at 532 Oak Street, and you must be checked in before 12:30 p.m. The court is explicit that anyone checking in after 12:30 p.m. will not be seen that day.

Your other options are to turn yourself in to law enforcement or to contact an attorney. Understand what walking in alone means: you are asking a judge to recall a warrant with no one speaking for you, and the judge can remand you into custody on the spot. An attorney can often file to recall the warrant and get the matter back on calendar without you being taken into custody. Warrants do not expire, and they surface at the worst possible moment — a traffic stop, a job background check, a border crossing.

Colusa County Has No Public Defender's Office

Most California counties staff a Public Defender's Office. Colusa does not. If you cannot afford an attorney and you qualify financially, the court appoints one for you from a panel of private attorneys and gives you their contact information.

Practically, this means you may not know who is representing you until the court makes the appointment, and you do not choose from the panel. That is worth knowing before your arraignment rather than during it. You always have the right to hire counsel of your own choosing instead.

What Happens at a Criminal Arraignment

The arraignment is usually your first court appearance. It is short, but it sets the direction of the case. The judge will tell you what charges the District Attorney has filed and ask whether you understand them. Saying yes means you understand the charges — not that you agree with them or are admitting anything.

The judge will also take your plea, address bail or release on your own recognizance, and set your next dates. What happens with bail and release conditions at this first hearing affects your job, your family, and how much leverage you have for the rest of the case. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the court to appoint one at the arraignment.

In-custody arraignments are held as needed, depending on the court's availability. If someone you know is in custody, call the criminal division at (530) 458-5149, option 4, after 9:00 a.m. Most in-custody defendants are added to the calendar the morning of court and will not appear on the published calendar.

Before Your Court Date: Practical Tips

• Confirm which building. Department 1 is at 547 Market Street; Department 2 is at 532 Oak Street. Do not assume. Check the calendar posted outside the courtroom, or ask at the Clerk's Office on Oak Street.
• Do not rely on the online calendar. The court's Calendar Portal has been listed as temporarily unavailable. Call (530) 458-5149, option 4, or check in person.
• Plan for most of the day. The court advises defendants to expect to be there for a substantial portion of the day. Arrange work and childcare accordingly.
• Dress code is enforced. No shorts, no tank tops, no bare feet in the courtroom. You do not need a suit, but you can be turned away for those.
• Bring your paperwork and photo ID. Your citation, bail paperwork, or anything the court has mailed you.
• If your name is not on the calendar, do not leave. Check in at the Clerk's Office at 532 Oak Street. A deputy clerk will tell you the time and department.

Who Prosecutes Your Case

The Colusa County District Attorney's Office files the charging document and represents the People of the State of California. The office is at 310 6th Street, Colusa, CA 95932, phone (530) 458-0545. The prosecutor must prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. You are presumed innocent until they do.

Clearing a Conviction from Your Record

If you were convicted in Colusa County of a non-motor-vehicle infraction, a misdemeanor, or a felony, and you meet the requirements of Penal Code section 1203.4, you or an attorney can petition to have the charge dismissed from your record. The court accepts the Judicial Council forms. A dismissal under 1203.4 does not erase everything, and it does not restore firearm rights, but it changes what most background checks show.

Copies of Your Court File

Copies are $0.50 per page. Certification, if you need it, is $40.00 per certification. If you do not have your case number, there is an additional $15.00 search fee per name. Requests can be made in person at the Clerk's Office or by mail to 532 Oak Street, Colusa, CA 95932, with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order payable to Colusa Superior Court.

Phone numbers, hours, fees, and calendars change. Verify anything you are relying on against the court's official website before you act on it.

An Attorney Who Appears in This Courthouse

Tony Carlos appears regularly in the Colusa County Superior Court. He is a criminal defense attorney and a former Sutter County Deputy District Attorney, and his office at 506 Second St in Yuba City is a short drive east of Colusa. The practical things on this page — which building to be at, the Tuesday cutoff, how appointed counsel works here — are ones he deals with routinely. If you have an arraignment, a bench warrant, or pending charges in Colusa County, call (530) 645-2551. Se habla español.

Frequently Asked Questions