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Are arrest histories public information?

S

SSUSeaWolf

Senior member
Not sure which jail they were arrested at, but was hoping to find them if possible. They were arrested for a DUI in Sonoma County, but I'm not sure when.

I thought this was public information, but I was unable to find anything online (the city / county website are HORRIBLE in style and content...)

Is this findable for free?
 
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??

 
Originally posted by: guyver01
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??
Click to expand...

Ok, so how about a DUI then?
 
Originally posted by: HelloWorl
Originally posted by: guyver01
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??
Click to expand...

Ok, so how about a DUI then?
Click to expand...

Was the person convicted of DUI?
 
Originally posted by: minendo
Originally posted by: HelloWorl
Originally posted by: guyver01
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??
Click to expand...

Ok, so how about a DUI then?
Click to expand...

Was the person convicted of DUI?
Click to expand...

Dunno. I would like to find out though. Where can I obtain a list of convictions?
 
Originally posted by: HelloWorl
I would like to find out though. Where can I obtain a list of convictions?
Click to expand...

background checks usually turn this up..

gotta check the courthouses in their place of residence.

however if someone was say.. visiting another state.. and got a DUI conviction.. unless you knew where it happened, you'd have to check every court in every jurisdiction on the planet.



 
Originally posted by: guyver01
Originally posted by: HelloWorl
I would like to find out though. Where can I obtain a list of convictions?
Click to expand...

background checks usually turn this up..

gotta check the courthouses in their place of residence.

however if someone was say.. visiting another state.. and got a DUI conviction.. unless you knew where it happened, you'd have to check every court in every jurisdiction on the planet.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm looking for any place in Sonoma county. I have to call the courthouse though huh, can't do it online?

Thanks.
 
Originally posted by: HelloWorl
Yeah, I'm looking for any place in Sonoma county. I have to call the courthouse though huh, can't do it online?

Thanks.
Click to expand...


Depends on the courthouse.

in nyc.. you have to go to the actual courthouse to present the request.
in colorado, some allow you to look it up online, some you have to go onsite to make the request.
 
Originally posted by: guyver01
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??
Click to expand...

Arrest reports are public record. Where did you get the idea that they aren't?
 
Originally posted by: nerp
Originally posted by: guyver01
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??
Click to expand...

Arrest reports are public record. Where did you get the idea that they aren't?
Click to expand...

This. Ever read a newspaper? 😕
 
Pretty much all your interactions with the police are public records. Traffic tickets, accidents, calls to your house, arrests, convictions, etc.
 
Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Pretty much all your interactions with the police are public records. Traffic tickets, accidents, calls to your house, arrests, convictions, etc.
Click to expand...

Yes but if you go to court and the charges are dismissed, you can get all your records expunged. So nothing would show up unless you could get access to a database that only the FBI has access to.
 
Originally posted by: rudder
Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Pretty much all your interactions with the police are public records. Traffic tickets, accidents, calls to your house, arrests, convictions, etc.
Click to expand...

Yes but if you go to court and the charges are dismissed, you can get all your records expunged. So nothing would show up unless you could get access to a database that only the FBI has access to.
Click to expand...

That doesn't mean arrest reports aren't public record. And there is nothing stopping someone from asking for the archived court records, even if they are expunged. The information might not appear in a database search, but anyone with experience working with public records should realize that court docket #s do not get deleted and can be retrieved.

When a court case is expunged, police departments do not go through their files and delete arrest and incident reports. Those are on file forever.

So getting a case expunged doesn't mean that an arrest or conviction or even a withdrawn charge can not be tracked down. It just takes a tiny bit of footwork and going through public records and you can get the documents.
 
i know in maryland it is all public, you can google "maryland criminal records" and the first link is the page.

my name unfortunately comes up on there for an incident that happened 4 years ago, and i'm in the process of getting it expunged, and once that is done, it will not show up anymore 🙂
 
Originally posted by: guyver01
Arrest records are usually not public record.

CONVICTIONS are public record, unless sealed.


What if you were arrested for MURDER 1 ... and then let go because the cops had the wrong person (description of perp matched.. vehcicle matched.. but you were in another state)

would you want anyone out there to see you were ARRESTED for Murder 1??
Click to expand...

i was arrested for a felony but not convicted of it and it is still on my record, for public to see.
 
OP, you should choose a single user account to post with. Having multiple accounts is frowned on here...😀

Yes, arrest records SHOULD be public records, but finding the information you seek on the internet may not be easy. Not all counties put such information on line. Unless the arrest was in the local newspaper, it may not be on line at all.

Have you tried googling the person's name with a few extra search terms like DUI, arrest, etc.?


What is your reason for wanting this information? Are you doing a formal background check for employment? Are you just being nosy?
 
Originally posted by: nerp
Originally posted by: rudder
Originally posted by: LTC8K6
Pretty much all your interactions with the police are public records. Traffic tickets, accidents, calls to your house, arrests, convictions, etc.
Click to expand...

Yes but if you go to court and the charges are dismissed, you can get all your records expunged. So nothing would show up unless you could get access to a database that only the FBI has access to.
Click to expand...

That doesn't mean arrest reports aren't public record. And there is nothing stopping someone from asking for the archived court records, even if they are expunged. The information might not appear in a database search, but anyone with experience working with public records should realize that court docket #s do not get deleted and can be retrieved.

When a court case is expunged, police departments do not go through their files and delete arrest and incident reports. Those are on file forever.

So getting a case expunged doesn't mean that an arrest or conviction or even a withdrawn charge can not be tracked down. It just takes a tiny bit of footwork and going through public records and you can get the documents.
Click to expand...

That depends on the State I suppose. I know in Tennessee if your record is expunged... every department involved must shred any records of you relating to that dismissal. For instance if I were arrested by the Nashville police and the case was dismissed, the police, the sheriffs department (which does the booking), and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations all must destroy all documents related to the arrest.

Of course if a news paper prints it... it will always be archived somewhere.
 
Originally posted by: BoomerD
OP, you should choose a single user account to post with. Having multiple accounts is frowned on here...😀

Yes, arrest records SHOULD be public records, but finding the information you seek on the internet may not be easy. Not all counties put such information on line. Unless the arrest was in the local newspaper, it may not be on line at all.

Have you tried googling the person's name with a few extra search terms like DUI, arrest, etc.?


What is your reason for wanting this information? Are you doing a formal background check for employment? Are you just being nosy?
Click to expand...

I just noticed that too...I was logged in to my boyfriend's account when I used his desktop, whoops!

Unfortunately I couldn't find anything online with their name related to it. I friend asked me to lookup this person's history for the concern and safety of a loved one. I guess there's a reoccurring issue with unsavory people, including several instances of beating women, rape, and driving while under the influence.

The DUI is the only thing they're sure of with this particular person.
 
Originally posted by: BoomerD
Check the local newspaper archives. Those should be online.
Click to expand...

The timetable is unknown, and possibly years ago. Searching each day's arrest log of all the newspapers in Sonoma County for the last few years is hugely inefficient, no?
 
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