Alpine County Warrant Records

Alpine County warrant records are managed by the Superior Court in Markleeville since this small mountain county has no dedicated Sheriff in the traditional sense. The county contracts with El Dorado County Sheriff and Calaveras County Sheriff for jail services. Active warrants and bench warrants issued by Alpine County Superior Court judges show up in state systems but the court does not offer online access to criminal records at this time. If you want to check for a warrant or clear one, you need to call or visit the courthouse. Alpine County has only about 1,200 people and is the least populated county in California. The court sits at 99 Water Street in Markleeville and handles all criminal matters on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. when the judge is in session.

How to Check for Warrants in Alpine County

Alpine County does not have online warrant searches. The court in Markleeville is the only place to check if you have an active warrant in this county. Call the court clerk during business hours. Ask if there are any warrants under your name. They can look it up in their files and tell you over the phone in most cases.

If you need to clear a warrant, the court website at alpine.courts.ca.gov says you must come to the courthouse on any Monday at 1:30 p.m. That is when criminal cases are heard. You show up and tell the clerk you are there to deal with a bench warrant. They will put you on the calendar for that day. The judge will call your case and ask why you missed the first court date.

Since Alpine County has no local jail, custody cases use El Dorado County Jail in Placerville or Calaveras County Jail in San Andreas. If you get arrested on an Alpine County warrant, you may be taken to one of those jails until your court date in Markleeville. The court contracts with these neighboring counties for all jail services because the population is too small to run a jail of its own.

Alpine County Superior Court is at 99 Water Street, PO Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120. The phone number for the criminal division is the main court line. Call ahead if you have questions about a warrant before you drive all the way to Markleeville. It is a small town high in the mountains and not easy to get to in winter.

Alpine County Court and Warrant Process

The Superior Court in Alpine County only holds criminal hearings one day a week. Mondays at 1:30 p.m. is the set time. If you have a warrant and want to clear it, you need to be there on a Monday. The court does not have enough cases to justify daily hearings. Most of the time the courthouse is quiet.

When you show up for a clear warrant hearing, bring your ID. Tell the clerk at the front desk that you are there to surrender on a bench warrant. They will check you in and give you a seat number or tell you where to wait. The judge will hear your case along with any other criminal matters on the docket that day. Be ready to explain why you did not show up the first time.

If your warrant is for a traffic ticket or a small misdemeanor, the judge may let you go with a warning and a new court date. If it is a more serious charge, you may need to post bail or stay in custody until the next hearing. Since there is no jail in Alpine County, staying in custody means getting transported to El Dorado or Calaveras County. That can be a hassle. It is better to deal with the warrant before it gets to that point.

Court fees in Alpine County follow state guidelines. Certified copies cost around $40 plus 50 cents per page. If the clerk has to search records for more than 10 minutes, there may be a $15 research fee. Ask about fees before you request documents.

No Online Records in Alpine County

Alpine County does not currently offer online access to court records. The court website says this clearly on their criminal division page. You cannot search for cases or warrants from home. You have to call or visit in person. This is common in small rural counties where the volume of cases is low and the budget for technology is limited.

If you want a copy of a court record or need to verify a warrant, your options are to call the clerk or drive to Markleeville. The clerk can answer basic questions over the phone. If you need certified copies or want to see the full case file, you have to go in person. Make sure you call first to confirm the hours and to check if they need advance notice for certain requests.

The California Department of Justice maintains criminal history records for the whole state. If you want to check your own criminal record across all counties, you can request it from the DOJ. It costs $25 and you need to submit fingerprints. Visit oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review to find out how to order your own record.

This DOJ record will show any arrests or convictions from Alpine County or anywhere else in California.

Sheriff Services in Alpine County

Alpine County does not have its own full time Sheriff department with jail facilities. They contract law enforcement services with surrounding counties. El Dorado County Sheriff and Calaveras County Sheriff provide jail and custody support. If you have a warrant in Alpine County and get arrested, you will likely be taken to the jail in Placerville at El Dorado County or the jail in San Andreas at Calaveras County.

The El Dorado County Sheriff Records office is at 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville. You can call them at 530-621-5703 if you need to check on an Alpine County warrant that resulted in custody at their jail. They may be able to tell you when your court date is in Markleeville.

Calaveras County Sheriff is another option for custody cases from Alpine County. Their main office is at 891 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas. The phone number is 209-754-6500. If you are in Calaveras Jail on an Alpine County warrant, you will be transported to Markleeville on the next available Monday for your hearing.

This setup is unique to small counties in California. It saves money but it means you may end up in a jail that is not even in the county where the warrant is from. Make sure you know which jail you are going to if you turn yourself in on an Alpine County warrant.

Note: Always call the Alpine County Court first to confirm the warrant details before you turn yourself in.

Nearby Counties

Alpine County is a small mountain county bordered by several larger counties. If you are not sure where a warrant is from, check these nearby areas too.

El Dorado County is to the north and west. Their Sheriff provides jail services for Alpine County. The El Dorado County Superior Court is in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe.

Calaveras County is to the west. They also provide custody support for Alpine County. Calaveras County Court is in San Andreas.

Mono County is to the east and is another small mountain county. Mono County Court is in Mammoth Lakes and Bridgeport. They hold criminal cases on specific days of the week just like Alpine County.

Amador County is to the northwest. The county seat is Jackson and their Sheriff handles local warrants separate from Alpine County.

If you live near the state line or in the Lake Tahoe area, make sure you know which county has jurisdiction. Alpine County covers only a small part of the eastern Sierra and it is easy to cross into Nevada or into El Dorado County without realizing it.