Exhibit 99.1

PRESS RELEASE

Available for Immediate Publication: April 26, 2005

Contacts:  Thomas T. Hawker, President / Chief Executive Officer (209) 725-2276
           R. Dale McKinney, EVP / Chief Financial Officer (209) 725-7435
           Web Site www.ccow.com


              Capital Corp of the West Raises Cash Dividend by 80%

      Merced, California, April 26, 2005 - Capital Corp of the West (NASDAQ:NMS:
CCOW;  CCOWD),  the  holding  company  for  County  Bank,  Central  California's
Community  Bank,  announced  today,  that its board of directors  has declared a
$0.05 per share second quarter 2005 cash dividend for  shareholders of record as
of May 5, 2005, payable on May 26, 2005. This dividend will be paid on the basis
of the 9 for 5 stock split previously announced on March 29, 2005.

      "This second  quarter 2005,  $0.05 a share cash  dividend  marks our sixth
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.  "When
combined with the 9 for 5 stock split previously announced this year, this $0.05
a share cash dividend  represents a significant  increase in total cash dividend
payout to our shareholders.  To put this in perspective,  in 2004, a shareholder
with 100 pre-split shares would have received $0.05 per share per quarter,  or a
total of $5.00. On an annualized basis the 2004 dividend was worth $20 per year.
On a post-split basis, that same shareholder now holding 180 shares of stock and
receiving  the same $0.05 per share per quarter  will now receive  $9.00.  On an
annualized basis, the dividend will now be worth $36 per year, an 80% gain".

      "The   continued   growth  of  our  franchise,   our  strong,   consistent
performance,  and high levels of  internal  capital  generation  allows for this
increase in the total cash dividend payout," concluded Hawker.

      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 a 6.5% market  share in the six Central  California  counties in
which it has significant  retail  branches.  This ranks County Bank fifth out of
thirty-nine financial  institutions in this 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.