Bail Bonds in Sierra County, CA

Sierra County has its own Sheriff's Office and its own Superior Court, but it does not maintain its own jail facility. Because Sierra County's population is so small, it contracts with Nevada County for jail services — which means Sierra County arrests are booked into Nevada County's facilities.

Which facility depends on where the arrest happened:

• Western Sierra County arrests (Downieville, Sierra City, western canyon country) are typically booked into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada City.

• Eastern Sierra County arrests (Loyalton, Sierraville, Sierra Valley) are typically booked into the Truckee Jail in Truckee — Nevada County's branch facility on the east side of the crest.

That split exists for practical reasons: transporting an arrestee over Yuba Pass or the Sierra crest in winter isn't feasible, so the two Nevada County facilities together cover both sides of Sierra County.

• Sierra County Superior Courthouse — 100 Courthouse Square in Downieville. All Sierra County court matters go through this location. Contact the Clerk's Office at (530) 289-3698 for court logistics. Their hours are 8:00 am - 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Monday-Friday.

Sierra County has its own bail schedule. The physical facility where your loved one is held is a Nevada County facility, but the underlying case is a Sierra County case governed by Sierra County procedures.

You can view the Sierra County Bail Schedule here.

West Slope Sierra County

The western half of Sierra County follows the Yuba River drainage — a series of steep, forested canyons cut by the North Yuba River and its tributaries, accessed almost entirely via Highway 49 north from Nevada City.

Downieville is the county seat — a historic Gold Rush town of about 300 residents nestled at the confluence of the North Yuba and Downie Rivers. It has the county courthouse, the Sheriff's main office, and most of the county's civic infrastructure. Highway 49 winds up from Nevada City through Downieville and continues north.

Sierra City is a smaller community of about 200 residents further up Highway 49, in the shadow of the Sierra Buttes. It's known for outdoor recreation — the Pacific Crest Trail passes nearby — and for its historic character.

Both communities are served from our Nevada City office. Western Sierra County arrests are typically transported down Highway 49 to Wayne Brown Correctional Facility for booking. Drive time from Downieville to Nevada City is about an hour.

East Slope Sierra County

The eastern half of Sierra County lies on the other side of the Sierra crest, in the high alpine ranchland of the Sierra Valley — a completely different geography and climate from the west side. Access is via Highway 49 over Yuba Pass, or via Highway 89 and Highway 70 from Truckee.

Loyalton is the largest community in Sierra County — about 700 residents in the Sierra Valley along Highway 49, ranching country with historic ties to logging and cattle. Culturally and geographically, Loyalton is oriented eastward toward Reno more than westward toward the rest of Sierra County.

Sierraville is a smaller community of about 200 residents at the junction of Highway 89 and Highway 49, in the western Sierra Valley.

Both communities are served from our Truckee office. Eastern Sierra County arrests are typically booked into the Truckee Jail — about 30 to 40 minutes south of Loyalton via Highway 89. That's much shorter than transporting an arrestee all the way over the mountain to Wayne Brown.