Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

Available for Immediate Publication: January  25, 2005
Contacts:  Thomas T. Hawker, President / Chief Executive Officer (209) 725-2276
           R. Dale McKinney, EVP / Chief Financial Office (209) 725-7435
           Web Site www.ccow.com

               Capital Corp of the West Announces a $.05 Per Share
                          First Quarter Cash Dividend.


      Merced,  California,   January  25,  2005  -  Capital  Corp  of  the  West
(NASDAQ:NMS:  CCOW), the holding company for County Bank,  Central  California's
Community Bank, announced today, that its board of directors has declared a $.05
per share first  quarter  2005 cash  dividend for  shareholders  of record as of
February 4, 2005, payable on February 25, 2005.

      "This  first  quarter  2005,  $.05 a share cash  dividend  marks our fifth
consecutive  quarter of cash  dividends that began in the first quarter of 2004"
stated Tom Hawker Chief Executive Officer of Capital Corp of the West. "Economic
forecasts for the growth of the Central Valley and our continued  success across
our broad geographic footprint,  as we expand both our range of services and our
locations, allows for the continuation of cash dividends."

      Capital Corp of the West, a bank holding company  established  November 1,
1995,  is the  parent  company of County  Bank,  which has more than 27 years of
service as "Central  California's  Community  Bank."  Currently  County Bank has
twenty branch offices serving the counties of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa,  Merced,
Stanislaus, San Joaquin, San Francisco and Tuolumne. As of the latest FDIC data,
County Bank has 6.5%  market  share of the six  Central  California  counties in
which it has retail  branches.  This ranks County Bank fifth out of  thirty-nine
financial  institutions  in its market area. For further  information  about the
Company's financial performance, contact Tom Hawker, President & Chief Executive
Officer at (209) 725-2276, or R. Dale McKinney Chief Financial Officer, at (209)
725-7435.