Defiance County Arrest Records

Defiance County law enforcement agencies maintain records for every arrest made within their jurisdictions. These records are accessible to residents online or in person, allowing the public to stay informed about criminal activity and take appropriate safety measures. While arrest records pertain to an individual's apprehension and detention, information pertaining to subsequent judicial proceedings is maintained in other public records, like Defiance County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Defiance County?

Yes. The Ohio Public Records Act requires that arrest records be open to the public. Therefore, all law enforcement agencies in Defiance County are required to make their arrest records available for public inspection and copying. However, the Act provides certain exemptions to public disclosure for some of these records. For example, records about probation and parole proceedings, trial preparation, and investigations are restricted to a select few persons/institutions as well as those authorized by a court order.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Below is some information that is available in public arrest records maintained by Defiance County law enforcement agencies:

• The personal information of the arrestee (mugshot, name, date of birth, gender, and race)
• Arrest information (number, admission date, and status)
• Offense information (sentence date, judge's name, counts, jail time credit, docket number, and degree of felony)
• Sentence information (aggregated sentence and expected release date or parole eligibility date)

Defiance County Arrest Statistics

Interested members of the public may find felony arrest statistics for Ohio and its judicial districts on the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) official website. According to recently published data, about 47 felony arrests occurred in Defiance County in 2024, while there were 53 recorded arrests in 2023.

Find Defiance County Arrest Records

Inquirers may find the arrest records of Defiance County offenders housed in any of the state prisons by submitting a request to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction (ODRC). The ODRC has an Offender Search portal where users can find arrest records using a name, number, county, or hearing date. Alternatively, record seekers can visit the specific ODRC facility where the offender is admitted to obtain copies of Defiance County arrest records.

Federal law enforcement agencies, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), United States Capitol Police (USCP), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), also process arrest record requests. Therefore, individuals can contact any of these agencies to obtain copies of Defiance County arrest records. Most federal law enforcement agencies have online databases where requesters can find arrest records for free, but others, like the FBI, charge a fee for such services.

Free Arrest Record Search in Defiance County

Record seekers can view arrest records for free at the Defiance County Sheriff's Office (DCSO). However, the record staff will typically charge requesters a nominal fee for copying and certifying these records if required. Alternatively, third-party websites offer free arrest records searches to members of the public. However, these sites typically restrict access to complete records to paying users.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Defiance County arrest records are kept for the length of time specified in the record retention schedule provided by the Ohio History Connection. According to the schedule, all law enforcement agencies in Defiance County must maintain electronic copies of weekly court disposition reports for six months, while paper copies are kept for 110 years or 7 years after death. Supplemental reports, criminal cases, crash reports, incidents, arrests, and warrants are kept for 6 years, criminal case files are kept for 50 years, and daily jail activity logs are kept for three (3) years.

Expunge Defiance County Arrest Records

According to OH Rev Code §2151.355, an expungement is the destruction and deletion of a person's arrest record, whether physical or electronic. Arrested persons may review the Ohio Revised Code § 2953 to determine their eligibility for expungement. Eligible individuals can then proceed to request copies of their court records from the Defiance County Clerk of Courts to obtain information necessary for completing their expungement form. Additionally, the requester should also obtain an expungement form from the Clerk. File the completed Complete the form and a fee of $100 in person at the Clerk's Office at:

Defiance County Clerk of Courts
221 Clinton Street
Defiance, OH 43512

The Clerk will set a hearing date to determine if the applicant is eligible for expungement. A notification of the hearing will be sent to the Defiance County Prosecutor, who can file an objection to the request. The hearing will hold if no objection is filed, and the judge will sign an expungement order if the request is granted. The applicant may then be notified of the order by mail. All relevant agencies should then receive the signed expungement order from the Clerk. Following the notice, these agencies will have 6 weeks to expunge the applicant's arrest records from their databases.

Defiance County Arrest Warrants

Under Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 4, a judicial officer issues an arrest warrant when a filed complaint or affidavit shows probable cause that a defendant committed an offense. Multiple warrants may be issued based on the same complaint. Each warrant must include:

• The defendant's name (or any identifier sufficient to locate them if the name is unknown)
• A brief description of the offense
• The numerical designation of the applicable statute
• A copy of the complaint attached to the warrant

Law enforcement officers can execute a valid warrant anywhere in Ohio, and executed warrants must be returned to the issuing court.

Do Defiance County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants in Defiance County do not have an expiration date. They remain active indefinitely unless canceled by a judge at the request of the prosecuting attorney.