Contra Costa County, CA

Property records in Contra Costa County, California are split between two offices. (1) **Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder** — 555 Escobar St, Martinez CA 94553, phone (925) 335-7900, https://www.contracostavote.gov/recorder/. The Clerk-Recorder maintains all recorded documents (deeds, deeds of trust, releases, liens, easements, judgments, plats). Free public document index search; certified copies via mail or in person. **Recording fees** (current per https://www.contracostavote.gov/wp-content/uploads/Recorder-Fee-Schedule-2026-UPDATED.pdf): Base fee $10 first page + $3 each additional page (Cal. Gov. Code § 27361); additional **$75 SB 2 fee** per document for most non-exempt real estate transfers (Building Homes and Jobs Act); $2 Fraud Prosecution Fund fee on each Deed of Trust, Assignment, Notice of Default, etc.; Documentary Transfer Tax $1.10 per $1,000 of value (rounded up). Certified copies **$5.00 per document + $0.50 per page**. **Effective Jan 1 2026**: certified Birth/Death/Marriage records went up $2 each under AB 64 (Birth $34, Death $26, Marriage). (2) **Contra Costa County Assessor** — for parcel valuation, ownership, and parcel maps; free search at https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/191/Assessor. (3) **Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector** — for tax payment status, https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/Directory.aspx. **Areas covered**: Antioch, Concord, Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, Brentwood, Richmond, San Ramon, plus unincorporated areas. **Fraud alert**: the Clerk-Recorder offers free email notification for documents recorded under your name — sign up at the recorder portal. Sources: Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder, Contra Costa Assessor, AB 64 (2025), Cal. Gov. Code § 27361.

For information on massage-parlor raids in Antioch, California (Contra Costa County), four sources. (1) **Antioch Police Department Records Unit** at https://www.antiochca.gov/436/Records-Requests, 300 L St, Antioch CA 94509, phone (925) 779-6830 (records) / (925) 778-2441 (non-emergency dispatch). Submit a CPRA request via the records portal at https://antioch.nextrequest.com — this is the proper channel for police reports of any specific raid. APD Records Unit handles incident reports, arrest reports, calls-for-service records, and clearance letters. (2) **APD press releases / news** at https://www.antiochca.gov — Antioch PD posts media advisories on raids and major operations (e.g., past prostitution-related arrests at city massage businesses, picked up by KRON4 and East Bay Times). (3) **Contra Costa County District Attorney** for charging documents and prosecution records — 900 Ward St, Martinez CA 94553, https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/Directory.aspx. (4) **Court filings** for any case that produced a charge: Contra Costa Superior Court at https://www.cc-courts.org — search criminal cases by name. **CPRA limits** (Cal. Gov. Code § 7920 et seq., Penal Code § 6254(f)): incident reports are public except for active investigations, juvenile records, sealed/confidential matters, and identifying victim info in human-trafficking/sex offenses (which raids often involve). Active-operation files are typically denied; **post-arrest** police-incident summaries and charging documents are usually releasable. **Body-cam footage** of any officer-involved use of force releasable within 45 days under SB 1421 / AB 748. Local press: KRON4, East Bay Times, Antioch Herald often cover these arrests with addresses and operator names. Sources: Antioch PD, Contra Costa DA, KRON4, Cal. Gov. Code § 7920.

An official California criminal background check runs through the **California Department of Justice (DOJ)** at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints. **The process**: (1) Get a Live Scan fingerprint capture at any participating vendor — IdentoGO https://www.identogo.com, Certifix Live Scan https://www.certifixlivescan.com, A1 Live Scan https://a1livescan.com, or any participating police/sheriff records counter. Find a vendor at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations. (2) Complete the **BCIA 8016RR form** at https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/BCIA-8016RR.pdf — Personal Record Review. (3) Pay the **$25 California DOJ state fee** plus rolling fee at the vendor (typically $20–$50, total $45–$90). For an FBI national-level check, add the federal fee (~$17). **Fee waiver** at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review/fee-waiver. Turnaround 5–10 business days; results mailed only — no email or PDF. **Court records** (separate from criminal history): each county Superior Court has its own portal — California Courts directory at https://www.courts.ca.gov/find-my-court.htm. **Sex-offender check**: California Megan's Law at https://meganslaw.ca.gov. **For employment use**, you cannot pull someone else's CA DOJ record without permissible-use justification under Penal Code § 11105 — vendors (Checkr, Sterling, GoodHire) wrap state, FBI, court, county, and MVR into one FCRA-compliant report. **California Fair Chance Act** (Gov. Code § 12952): employers with 5+ employees cannot ask about convictions until after a conditional offer. **Limits**: CA DOJ check covers California convictions only; federal cases need PACER ($0.10/page); juvenile and sealed cases excluded. **Accuracy disputes**: form BCIA 8706. Sources: California DOJ, BCIA 8016RR, Penal Code § 11105, Cal. Gov. Code § 12952.

Why some California cases are investigated and others are not is a function of **prosecutorial discretion**, **agency case-screening policies**, and **resource constraints** — all rooted in California law and standard practice. **Decision-making framework**: (1) **Initial investigation** — the responding officer or detective decides whether the report warrants further investigation based on (a) likelihood of solvability (witness availability, physical evidence, suspect identification), (b) seriousness of offense, (c) available resources. Most departments use a **Case Screening Form** following IACP standards. (2) **District Attorney charging decision** — even if police investigate and recommend charges, the **San Luis Obispo County DA** at https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/District-Attorney decides whether to file under California Penal Code §§ 691, 1382, and the **California Rules of Professional Conduct 3.8** (Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor). The DA must believe there is probable cause AND a reasonable likelihood of conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. (3) **Common reasons cases are NOT pursued**: insufficient evidence, statute of limitations expired (varies by offense — Penal Code §§ 799–805), uncooperative victim/witnesses, victim recantation, conflicting evidence, jurisdictional issues, suspect deceased or fled, low priority for limited investigative resources. (4) **Right to know status of your case**: file a CPRA request under Cal. Gov. Code § 7920 with the investigating agency or DA. As a victim or complainant under Marsy's Law (Cal. Const. Art. I § 28), you have a right to be notified of the case's status. **Paso Robles** falls under Paso Robles PD (https://www.prcity.com/167/Police-Department) and SLO County Sheriff at https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Sheriff-Coroner. **For an unprosecuted case you believe should be pursued**: contact the DA Victim/Witness Assistance program; consider a **citizen's complaint**; consider a **civil suit** (lower burden of proof than criminal — preponderance of the evidence). Sources: California Penal Code §§ 691, 799–805; California Rules of Professional Conduct 3.8; Marsy's Law (Cal. Const. Art. I § 28); San Luis Obispo County DA; Cal. Gov. Code § 7920.

Arrest records for Barstow, California (San Bernardino County) come from one of two agencies depending on where the arrest happened. (1) **Barstow Police Department** for arrests inside Barstow city limits — 220 E Mountain View St, Barstow CA 92311, phone (760) 256-2211, https://www.barstowca.org/government/departments/police-department. CPRA records request via the city portal. (2) **San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office (SBSO), Barstow Station** for arrests in unincorporated areas surrounding Barstow — 225 East Mountain View St, Barstow CA 92311, phone (760) 256-4838. SBSO operates the **High Desert Detention Center (HDDC)** in Adelanto, where Barstow felony arrestees are typically transferred. (3) **SBSO Inmate Locator** at https://wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/corrections/inmate-locator/ — current detainees countywide. Records & ID Bureau at 655 E 3rd St, San Bernardino CA 92415, phone (909) 387-3700. (4) **SBSO Dispatch Call Log** at https://wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/media-center/dispatch-call-log-2/ — searchable public log of recent calls including Barstow County, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Big Bear, etc. (5) **Court records** for arrests that produced a charge — San Bernardino Superior Court at https://sanbernardino.courts.ca.gov; the **Barstow District Courthouse** at 235 E Mountain View St, Barstow CA 92311 hears felony, misdemeanor, traffic, family, and probate matters from the area. (6) **State prison**: CDCR inmate search at https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov. (7) **Personal record review**: California DOJ Live Scan at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints, $25 state fee. **CPRA** (Cal. Gov. Code § 7920): 10-day response window; booking photos public per Penal Code § 13300; body-cam OIS footage releasable within 45 days under SB 1421/AB 748. Sources: Barstow PD, San Bernardino County Sheriff, San Bernardino Superior Court, CDCR, Cal. Gov. Code § 7920.

Probate cases for Lancaster, California are filed at the **Los Angeles County Superior Court, Antelope Valley Courthouse — Probate Department** at **42011 4th St West, Lancaster CA 93534**, phone (661) 974-7311. **Three steps**: (1) **Find the case** via LA Superior Court Online Services at https://www.lacourt.org — free name search of probate cases (decedent, conservator, guardian); returns case number and document docket. (2) **Order copies** at the Clerk's office — **certified copy fee $40 first 5 pages + $0.50 each additional page** (Cal. Gov. Code § 70626); non-certified $0.50 per page; **search-record fee $50** for archived files. Online ordering also available at https://www.lacourt.org. (3) **Visit in person** if the case is older than ~20 years and not yet digitized; the LA Probate Central operates out of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown (111 N Hill St, LA), but Antelope Valley's local probate department keeps cases filed in Lancaster. **Probate filing fees** (LA County 2026 schedule, https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBSVCExecutiveSupport-397-2026FeeSchedule010126.pdf): **First-filed Petition for Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary $435** (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650); **Probate Referee fee** ~0.1% of appraised non-cash assets (minimum $150). For estates **under $184,500 personal + $61,500 real property**, simplified small-estate procedures (Cal. Prob. Code § 13100) skip full probate. **Important**: a will alone does NOT transfer property — it must be probated to be enforceable. **Sealed**: family-conservatorship matters and certain juvenile probate guardianships are not publicly visible. Sources: LA County Superior Court Probate, LA 2026 Fee Schedule, SwiftProbate LA Guide, Cal. Gov. Code § 70650, Cal. Prob. Code § 13100.