James Manning was taken into custody after police say they received a call from an auto dealership in Redding on Friday reporting the vehicle was stolen.
The 2001 Mitsubishi's GPS indicated it was parked in front of the Tuolumne County courthouse.
Officers found the car, which already had a different set of license plates on it.
Manning's wife, 45-year-old Teresa Castillo, told officers her husband had bought the car earlier in the day for $200 so they could drive to his court appearance.
The 49-year-old Manning and his wife were arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and possession of a controlled substance.
They remained jailed on Monday. It could not immediately be determined if the couple had lawyers.
