Clermont County Arrest Records

Arrested individuals are usually released pending trial after their bail or bond hearing and if their release conditions are met. In serious cases, the Court of Common Pleas may remand suspects in jail until the court determines their innocence or guilt. Loved ones and legal representatives who are interested in finding arrestees, the conditions required to secure their release, and details about their arrests must look up suspect arrest records.

The process involves going through Clermont County court records or approaching the arresting law enforcement authority. People would have to use federal resources if the arrestee allegedly broke federal law.

Arrest information and documents are also required by members of the public assessing the safety of their environment and record subjects who want to restrict public access to their records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Clermont County?

Yes. Most Clermont County police records are accessible to members of the public pursuant to the Ohio public records law. The statute instructs public bodies to accept the requests of people who want to obtain or inspect their official records. People seeking arrest records within court documents also have access to such information per Ohio R. Superi. Ct. 45.

Notwithstanding the state's policy about transparency, the public lacks access to certain sensitive and privileged information, such as the following:

• Personal information like financial records (credit card and bank account) and identification numbers (passport, driver's license, social security, employment, etc.)
• Police records such as active investigation materials, operational tactics, and confidential sources
• Juvenile arrest and criminal records
• Information about witnesses and victims in certain high-profile criminal cases
• Medical records
• Trade secrets that may have been uncovered during arrests
• Expunged and sealed records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Clermont County law enforcement agencies are allowed by Ohio law to provide the following arrest information:

• Name, date of birth, photograph, and physical description of the arrested individual
• Arrest location, date, and time
• Arresting law enforcement agency
• Alleged offense
• Booking date and number
• Bond details, such as amount and type
• Court appearance and case number

Clermont County Crime Rate

According to the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS) maintained by the state's Office of Criminal Justice Services, Clermont County recorded 2,157 crimes in 2023. Violent crimes accounted for 240 incidents, and property crimes represented 1,917 cases.

Out of the reported violent crimes, 43 were rape, 8 accounted for murder, 16 incidents involved robbery, and 173 records were for aggravated assault. For property crimes, law enforcement authorities recorded 1,621 larceny incidents, 126 motor vehicle theft occurrences, and 170 burglary cases.

Clermont County Arrest Statistics

The OCJS does not circulate arrest statistics through its OIBRS database. However, the Clermont County Sheriff's Office reported 1,520 juvenile and adult criminal arrests in its 2023 annual report. They are broken down as follows:

• Juvenile misdemeanors: 176
• Juvenile felonies: 30
• Adult misdemeanors: 1030
• Adult felonies: 284

It should be noted that these numbers represent arrests executed by Sheriff deputies. For example, individuals can view arrests executed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol on the agency's Clermont County Statistics webpage.

People who want more comprehensive data, such as arrests for specific types of crimes, can contact the Sheriff's Office, OCJS, or local police department.

Find Clermont County Arrest Records

Arresting agencies in Clermont County include the Sheriff's Office and local police departments. These entities maintain detailed records of past and present arrestees in their custodies. They also dispense relevant information regarding these arrests to members of the public using online and offline resources.

The Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and maintains records of arrest and offense incidents within the county. People looking for recently arrested individuals that may be in the Sheriff's custody can refer to the office’s Jail Inmate Search system. The online program allows members of the public to view a list of recently arrested individuals and current inmates. It shows each person's date of birth, booking number, booking date, charges, and bond details. It also displays the court where they were charged and their next court date (if applicable).

Secondly, the office releases a weekly arrest and offense report that shows offenses and ensuing arrests. It lists the following information:

• Offense date, time, location, code and number
• Arrestee name, age, and gender
• Arrest date and location

Interested parties can also submit public records requests to the Sheriff's Office if they want to inspect details not available online or obtain copies of certain records. The request process involves completing the Public Records Request form and submitting it via email or hand delivery using the following details:

Clermont County Sheriff’s Office
4470 State Route 222
Batavia, OH 45103
Email: sheriffpublicrecords@clermontcountyohio.gov

Members of the public can also call (513) 732-7555 to request records.

The next option for obtaining arrest records is contacting the police department for the township or village where the arrest occurred. For example, one can call the Batavia Police Department at (513) 732-5692 during business hours to ask for offense and incident reports that may cover details of arrest. People can also visit their local police agencies to make inquiries.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol also maintains criminal records generated from anywhere in the state, including Clermont County. Individuals can submit public records requests to the agency through its online vendor.

Those who want to find information about people arrested in Clermont County but convicted of serious state offenses like felonies, can approach the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The department’s Offender Search website allows members of the public to find inmates by name or assigned number. The database contains each inmate's admission date, location, offense information (charges, degree, counts, committing county, and docket number), expected release/parole eligibility date, and status (whether incarcerated or released).

The arresting agencies can only obtain details about people arrested on federal offenses. If the individual was arrested by the FBI, one can visit the nearest FBI field office or contact the agency by phone. Some federal institutions may have online resources that can help individuals find their loved ones. For example, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) holds details about people in the agency's custody. The Bureau of Prisons also allows members of the public to where federal prisoners are being held using its Inmate Locator tool.

Free Arrest Record Search in Clermont County

These online resources are free, as explained above:

• Clermont County Sheriff's Office inmate search tool and weekly offense and arrest report
• The ODRC's offender search system
• The U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement's ODLS
• The BOP's inmate locator

Get Clermont County Criminal Records

Criminal records are different from arrest records because they show how arrested people are tried and found guilty or innocent. These records are also called criminal histories and contain arrest information, details and documents of court proceedings, and incarceration data.

Members of the public can search through court records or request background checks through the Ohio Attorney General's Office and FBI.

Court records

Court records are information and documents created and collected during criminal proceedings. These proceedings are handled by the Clermont County Court of Common Pleas and Municipal Courts.

• Court of Common Pleas

The Clermont County Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction over crimes categorized as adult felonies. These include aggravated assault, arson, drug abuse, aggravated burglary, felonious assault, murder, e.t.c. Individuals can find criminal court records using the case management system provided by the clerk of common pleas. Users can enter the first and last name of the defendant or provide a case number. The system also allows people to search by attorney and action code. Search results provide the following detials:

• Case number
• Case type
• Filing date
• Charges
• Case judge
• Sentencing information
• Case events
• Docket information

Those who want to request copies of court records can contact the clerk's office.

• Municipal Court

Members of the public can also use the Clermont County Municipal Court clerk's online case search system to find misdemeanor and traffic related court records. The tool has the same controls as the Court of Common Pleas case search system and provides the same forms of information.

One can also contact the clerk's office to order copies of court documents and courtroom recordings.

• Federal court

Members of the public cannot find details of federal court cases through county court clerk offices. Instead, interested parties must use resources provided by the federal judiciary. For online searches, one can use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records system. Visiting the district court, such as the Southern District of Ohio located at Cincinnati, is another viable way to inspect and obtain records of federal criminal cases.

Background checks

Background checks produce comprehensive criminal reports, also called RAP sheets and criminal background information. The service is provided by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation under the Attorney General’s office. However, only private and public employers, criminal justice agencies, people who have criminal records, and other entities permitted by law are authorized to run background checks.

The process involves visiting a WebCheck location where the applicant's fingerprint will be taken and transmitted to the BCI. The Clermont County Sheriff's Office offers the fingerprint service as a WebCheck location and allows walk-ins during its operating hours. Interested parties are required to provide a completed WebCheck form, accepted form of ID, reason code, and fee.

The service costs the following:

• BCI (Ohio only): $30
• FBI (federal background check only): $36.42
• FBI and BCI (Federal and state checks): $56.25

Clermont County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Criminal records are documents and recordings that detail a person's past experiences with the criminal justice system. They include arrest information, court papers and records, and incarceration and probation details. People who search criminal records can tell whether a person was convicted of a crime and see all the crimes they were prosecuted for.

Arrest records only contain information regarding a person's arrest; they do not indicate whether someone was found guilty, and do not contain court proceedings.

Further, while criminal records can be said to be in the possession of criminal justice agencies and courts, local law enforcement departments are not custodians of court proceedings and case files included in criminal records. Rather, these agencies are considered the primary custodians of arrest information and documents.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. People’s arrests remain part of Ohio public records until court orders are issued to remove or restrict specific information. Sealed records generally remain in the possession of record custodians but will not be accessible to members of the public while expunged records will be destroyed. However, only a specific set of individuals qualify to have their records expunged or sealed.

Expunge Clermont County Arrest Records

The process for expunging arrest records in Clermont County involves confirming that one is eligible to expunge their records, obtaining one's arrest records, filing the application with a court, and attending the hearing.

Confirming Eligibility

To be eligible for expungement or sealing, one’s offense must meet the requirements stipulated by law and they must adhere to the required waiting period. Interested parties must be mindful of the following:

• Persons whose arrests never led to court charges can apply anytime after their case is closed
• People named in dismissed charges and indictments can apply anytime after the dismissal
• Individuals whose criminal trials ended in acquittals and not guilty dispositions can submit petitions after the court or jury verdict
• People who had no bill grand jury documentations can apply after two years of the filing
• Pardoned individuals can file their motions after their pardons have been issued
• Certain felonies

Per Ohio R.C. 2953.31 (B)(1), expunged records will be permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved by law enforcement, courts, and other criminal justice agencies.

Individuals who were charged or investigated by a grand jury upon suspicion of committing crimes outlined in R.C. 2953.33(C) can only have their records sealed. These cases typically include the following:

• The driver's license laws (R.C. 4507)
• Commercial driver's licensing regulations (R.C. 4506)
• Driver's license suspension, cancellation, and revocation (R.C. 4510)
• Traffic laws - operation of motor vehicles (R.C. 4511)
• The motor vehicle crimes law (R.C. 4549)
• Violent felony crimes not classed as sexual offenses
• Some sexual-related offenses
• Domestic violence
• Offenses against children under 13 except for cases of non-support

While these records will no longer be accessible to the public, criminal justice agencies, courts, and certain government bodies can access them. Sealed records can also be unsealed during future prosecutions.

Filing the application for expungement or sealing

Once the individual confirms that they are eligible to seal or expunge their records, they must fill out the motion to seal or expunge form, which can be obtained from the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas or municipal court. They must attach every necessary evidence, including records of their arrests or convictions.

The court is required to notify the prosecutor 45 to 90 days after the filing, and then set a hearing date. Once the prosecutor receives the notification, they have 30 days to file their objections, if any.

Clermont County Arrest Warrants

Clermont County arrest warrants are legal processes used to capture individuals who have been accused of committing certain crimes. These processes are documents issued by magistrates and judges once they receive and approve complaints from law enforcement agencies alleging specific offenses against named persons. Notwithstanding, these documents can be issued directly from the bench when judges find that defendants have violated court obligations and orders.

Warrants generally contain the following per Ohio law and Supreme Court rules of criminal procedures:

• The name of the defendant
• Any other identifying information, such as an alias or physical description if the person's given name is unknown at the time the warrant was issued
• Offenses and crimes alleged in the complaint
• The state code the defendant allegedly violated
• Whether the judge or magistrate is issuing the warrant before the defendant’s appearance or scheduled appearance in court
• Conditions for release or whether the defendant will be remanded until they appear in front of a judge

It should be noted that police officers are permitted to arrest people without warrants if they have reasonable grounds to execute such arrests.

Clermont County Arrest Warrant Search

Warrants are issued by courts to law enforcement agencies. Thus, they can be obtained through any of these public bodies. Individuals can contact the Clermont County Sheriff's Office or a local police department to inquire if they have warrants issued for their arrest or another person. They can also approach the municipal court clerks and court of common pleas for such inquiries.

Do Clermont County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Police officers are mandated to pursue and capture people named or described on active arrest warrants unless a judge recalls the warrant or the person fulfills the conditions set therein. Still, the warrant will remain part of the individual’s record until they successfully apply for expungement.