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  1. St. Clair County Court
  2. St. Clair County Arrest Records

St. Clair County, Alabama Arrest Records

St. Claire County arrest records are administrative documents created by local law enforcement agencies when they arrest and book individuals for alleged crimes or outstanding arrest warrants. Arrest records document the individuals arrested and the reasons for their arrests. Agencies that create and maintain arrest records in St. Clair County include the local Sheriff's Office, Pell City Police Department, and Moody Police Department.

St. Clair County's arrest records ensure that local law enforcement agencies are accountable, operate within the law, and also promote public safety awareness.

Alabama treats arrest records as public documents under the Alabama Open Records Act, which governs how individuals access government records. However, the state operates a separate legal scheme for criminal offender records information. Section 41-9-590 et seq. of the Alabama Code regulates the collection and dissemination of criminal history records by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

Are Arrest Records Public Information in St. Clair, Alabama?

Yes, arrest records are public information in St. Clair County. Section 36-12-40 of the Alabama Code (Alabama Open Records Act) stipulates that "every resident has the right to inspect and take a copy of any of the state's public records, unless applicable laws express otherwise."

While individuals do not need to reside in St. Clair County to access the county's arrest records, Alabama law mandates that they must reside in the state. Requesters must provide valid government-issued identification documents and submit formal written requests to the record's custodian by mail, email, or in person. Additionally, requesters must specify existing documents, as the agencies cannot create new ones to fulfill their requests.

What Do Public St. Clair County Arrest Records Contain?

Under Alabama law, public arrest records provide information about individuals arrested and booked by law enforcement agencies while shielding confidential details. A typical St. Clair County arrest record displays:

  • The identifying details of the subject, including:
  • Full legal name
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Race
  • Mugshot
  • Name of the arresting agency
  • The specific statutory offense allegedly committed and charge level
  • Booking number
  • Booking date
  • Bail/bond details.

Although St. Clair County's arrest records are public documents, statutory restrictions exist on public access to juvenile, sealed, and expunged arrest records. Additionally, Alabama also restricts public access to:

  • Personally identifying information, such as:
  • Social Security number
  • Driver's license number
  • Home street address
  • Telephone number
  • Bank account details
  • Investigative materials
  • Victim and witness data
  • Medical and mental health records.

St. Clair County, Alabama Arrest Search

Individuals seeking access to St. Clair County arrest records may bypass local resources and access these documents at the state or federal level. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Criminal Justice Information Services Division, which is the state's central criminal records repository, provides access to St. Clair County's arrest records through criminal history reports. For a $25.00 fee in addition to fingerprinting and photo identification, authorized individuals or entities can request official criminal history records using ALEA's Application to Review Alabama Criminal History Record Information (ALEA CJIS Form 46).

Likewise, St. Clair County's arrest records are accessible through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal if such arrests result in criminal prosecutions. Individuals may also request copies of their rap sheets through FBI Identity History Summary Checks.

St. Clair County Inmate Locator

County-level resources provide direct access to local government records. In St. Clair County, the Sheriff's Office manages the county's primary detention facility, the St. Clair County Jail. Individuals may use the St. Claire County Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster to access the county's arrest records. However, information seekers should note that this option provides access to the arrest records of the current inmates. To access St. Clair County arrest records that are not available online, contact the arresting agencies. Alternatively, mail, fax, or visit the St Clair County Sheriff's Office or the St. Clair County Jail using the following details:

St. Clair County Sheriff's Office

48 6th Street, Suite 300,

Ashville,

AL 35953

Phone: (205) 594-2140

Fax: (205) 594-2146

St. Clair County Jail

100 18th Street North,

Pell City,

AL 35125.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in St. Clair County

In St. Clair County, the primary tool for free access to arrest records is the Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster. This search tool provides free access to the arrest records of the inmates at the St. Clair County Jail. Record seekers may also visit local law enforcement offices and request free viewing of the arrest logs.

While it is possible to find St. Clair County's arrest records for free without an ID, information seekers should note that free-tier searches have practical limitations. The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster does not include redacted materials. Furthermore, free websites may not host historical records, and users must provide relevant data to process their inquiries.

St. Clair County Arrest Report

Generally, arrest reports differ from arrest records. While custodial and judicial logs store arrest records as administrative summary data entries, law enforcement officers draft arrest reports as investigative documents that provide detailed narratives about arrest incidents. A St. Clair County arrest report is a firsthand written narrative created by the arresting or responding officer immediately after the arrest. Typically, these documents encompass the content of an arrest record, but also include:

  • Physical observations by the arresting officer
  • Statements from the suspect
  • Victims and eyewitness testimonies
  • Evidence collected at the scenes of the arrest
  • Probable cause statement.

Unlike St. Clair County's arrest records, which are publicly accessible online through the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster, access to a St. Clair County arrest report requires a formal public records request through the arresting agency. Furthermore, St. Clair County law enforcement agencies heavily redact arrest reports they make available to the public.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in St. Clair County

Alabama permits expungement of arrest records. While the official term for record relief is expungement, the outcome of the process is similar to the sealing of records. Expungement of a criminal record under Section 15-27-1 et seq. of the Alabama Code hides the information from the public rather than destroying it.

The pathway to expunging St. Clair County arrest records depends on the outcome of the arrest. Individuals with non-conviction arrest records or who completed Pretrial Diversion may petition for expungement after a 1-year waiting period. Alabama also allows individuals to expunge 2 eligible minor misdemeanor convictions in a lifetime after they complete their sentences, make restitution, and pay all fines and court fees.

To expunge a St. Clair County arrest record:

  • Obtain the official criminal history record from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Criminal Justice Information Services Division.
  • Retrieve the certified case disposition documents from the St. Clair County Circuit Clerk's Office.
  • Complete Form CR-65 (Petition for Expungement of Records) and file a petition in the St. Clair County Circuit Court.
  • Pay the filing fee or submit an Affidavit of Substantial Hardship to request a waiver if unable to pay.
  • The petition is served on the St. Clair County District Attorney's Office for review and objection within 45 days.
  • The court will schedule a formal hearing if the St. Clair County DA objects to the application within the window period. Otherwise, the judge will sign the expungement order to update the court's case management system. Copies of the expungement order are forwarded to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office, and the St. Clair County District Attorney's Office to update their databases.

How Do You Remove St. Clair County Arrest Records From the Internet?

The first step in removing a St. Clair County arrest record from the internet is to expunge it through the St. Clair County Circuit Court. This process seals the record and makes it inaccessible through official channels.

After expunging the record, identify and submit removal requests to all private online publishers of the record. The requests may be submitted through websites' footers and dedicated portals, legal compliance and contact channels, or web hosts and domain registrar contact details.

To reduce the likelihood that the information appears online even after it is removed from third-party websites, submit content removal requests directly to the major search engines to de-index the record.