Warrant Records in San Mateo County

San Mateo County handles warrant records through two Superior Court locations. The county created a dedicated active warrants page on the court website where people can learn how to address their warrants. The Hall of Justice in Redwood City serves as the Southern Branch, while the Northern Branch operates in South San Francisco. If you have an active warrant in San Mateo County, you can appear in person and get your case heard the same day if you arrive early enough. The Criminal Clerk's Office at each branch helps people with warrant issues. Over 764,000 residents live in San Mateo County, making it one of the more populous Bay Area counties. The court system processes thousands of warrant cases each year for everything from traffic failures to felony arrests.

How to Handle Active Warrants

The San Mateo County Superior Court lets you address your warrant in person at either courthouse. You need to check in at the criminal clerk's office before the deadline to be seen that same day. At the Southern Branch in Redwood City, arrive no later than 9:00 AM Monday through Friday. At the Northern Branch in South San Francisco, arrive no later than 9:00 AM Monday through Thursday. If you get there after the cutoff time, you may not be seen until the next day.

When you arrive, tell the clerk you have an active warrant. Staff will look up your case and give you forms to fill out. You'll wait for your case to be called in court. The judge will address your warrant and set a new court date for your case. This process works for most bench warrants. Arrest warrants may require bail or may not allow release. It depends on what the warrant says.

You can also call the court to ask about your warrant. The main criminal division number is (650) 261-5100 and you press option 1. Court staff can check if you have a warrant. They can tell you the bail amount and what you need to do. But they can't give legal advice. They can only explain the process in San Mateo County.

The court branches are:

• Southern Branch (Hall of Justice): 400 County Center, 4th Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063
• Northern Branch: 1050 Mission Road, South San Francisco, CA 94080

Both locations have parking. Get there early because parking can fill up on busy days. Court security will check you when you enter. Don't bring weapons or prohibited items. If you're not sure what you can bring into the San Mateo County courthouse, call ahead and ask.

Bench Warrants and Arrest Warrants

Most warrants in San Mateo County are bench warrants. These get issued when someone fails to appear in court. If you had a court date and didn't show up, the judge likely issued a bench warrant. Penal Code 978.5 authorizes bench warrants when defendants fail to appear as ordered.

Traffic cases generate many bench warrants. If you got a ticket and missed your court date, there's probably a warrant. Vehicle Code 40508 makes it a misdemeanor to fail to appear on a traffic citation. The court issues a bench warrant and may add a fee to your case. San Mateo County processes hundreds of traffic warrants each month.

Arrest warrants are different. A judge issues these based on probable cause that you committed a crime. Law enforcement requests arrest warrants during investigations. These warrants let police arrest you. Some arrest warrants have high bail. Others say "no bail" which means you can't post money to get out. You must see a judge first.

Search warrants authorize police to search property. The public doesn't interact with these directly. San Mateo County judges review search warrant applications from law enforcement. If approved, officers can search homes, cars, or businesses for evidence. Search warrants must be based on probable cause under the Fourth Amendment.

Court Fees

San Mateo County Superior Court charges fees for various services. If you need copies of court records, the cost is $0.50 per side. A certified copy costs $40.00 plus the per-page charge. If staff spends more than 10 minutes searching for records, there's a $15.00 research fee.

Bail amounts vary. A simple traffic warrant might have $250 bail. A misdemeanor could be $5,000 or more. Felonies can have bail in the tens of thousands. You can post bail at the clerk's office using cash, money order, or credit card. Some courts accept personal checks but policies vary. Call ahead to ask what payment methods San Mateo County accepts for bail.

When you appear on a warrant, the judge may add a warrant fee to your case. This can be $150 or higher. The fee is meant to cover the cost of issuing and processing the warrant. Some judges waive the fee if you show good cause. If you can't afford court fees in San Mateo County, ask about a fee waiver at the clerk's office.

Criminal Records Access

San Mateo County uses the Tyler Technologies Odyssey Portal for some case information. You can search for cases online, but the system has limits. Not all case details appear online. Sensitive information like dates of birth get hidden per California Rule of Court 2.507.

To get your full criminal history from San Mateo County, you may need to contact the Sheriff's Office or use the state system. The California Department of Justice maintains statewide criminal records. You can request your own record by submitting fingerprints and a $25 fee. Visit oag.ca.gov for instructions.

Court records are public unless sealed by law. You can go to the clerk's office and ask to see a case file. Staff will pull the file for you to review. You can make copies for the per-page fee. This is how you get detailed warrant information if you need it in San Mateo County.

Getting Legal Advice

If you have a warrant, talking to a lawyer can help. A lawyer can review your case and tell you the best way to handle it. Some warrants can be recalled without you having to appear. This requires filing a motion to quash and recall the warrant under Penal Code 166.

The San Mateo County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. Call (650) 369-4149 to get connected with a local attorney. Most lawyers offer a short free consultation. Even 15 minutes can give you a better understanding of your situation in San Mateo County.

If you can't afford a lawyer, contact Legal Aid. The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County helps low-income residents with legal problems. They may not handle all warrant cases, but they can point you toward resources. Call them at (650) 558-0915 or visit their office in Redwood City.

The court self-help center has forms and information too. Staff can't give legal advice, but they can help you fill out forms correctly. The self-help center is located at each courthouse branch in San Mateo County.

Sheriff's Office

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office serves warrants and maintains arrest records. If you want to turn yourself in on a warrant, you can do so at a Sheriff's station. Bring valid photo ID. Depending on the warrant, you may be arrested and booked, or you may be cited and released with a court date.

For warrant information, some people call local police stations. Officers can run your name and see if there's a warrant. But this means admitting you might have a warrant. If there is one, they may arrest you on the spot. It's often safer to call the court first or talk to a lawyer before contacting law enforcement in San Mateo County.

The Sheriff's Office main number is (650) 363-4911. For records requests, visit the Civil Division or Records Unit. They handle public records requests related to arrests and bookings. The Sheriff keeps booking logs that show who got arrested in San Mateo County. These logs are public information.

San Mateo County Cities

San Mateo County has no cities with population over 100,000. The largest cities are Daly City, San Mateo, Redwood City, and South San Francisco. All these cities have populations under 100,000. Other cities include San Bruno, Pacifica, Burlingame, Foster City, and Menlo Park.

No matter which city you live in, your warrant case goes through the San Mateo County Superior Court. Where you appear depends on which branch handles your case. Most cases file at the Redwood City location, but some go to the Northern Branch in South San Francisco. Check your paperwork or call the court to find out which branch has your case in San Mateo County.

Nearby Counties

San Mateo County sits between San Francisco to the north and Santa Clara County to the south. It also borders the Pacific Ocean to the west. If you have warrants in multiple counties, you need to address each one separately.

• San Francisco County to the north
• Santa Clara County to the south
• Alameda County to the east across the bay

Each county has its own court system. A warrant in San Mateo County is separate from a warrant in Santa Clara County. But all California warrants go into a statewide system. This means any law enforcement officer in California can see your San Mateo warrant if they run your name.