Fayette County Arrest Records

In Fayette County, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, Washington Court House Police Department, Jeffersonville Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies create arrest records when they witness crimes or have probable cause to believe that identifiable individuals have committed crimes. Law officers also execute arrests at the orders of the courts. After arrests and bookings, they may detain these individuals at the Fayette County Jail to await trials before judges or magistrates at the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas or the Washington Court House Municipal Court.

The Sheriff's Office in Fayette is responsible for maintaining the county's arrest records, which they make available to interested individuals upon request. Record seekers may access some arrest records as part of the Fayette County Court records through criminal court case files.

Are Arrest Records Public in Fayette County?

Yes, Fayette County arrest records are public. According to Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office and other custodian agencies must make these documents accessible to interested individuals upon request. Nonetheless, there are some exemptions and limitations. For the privacy of citizens and the integrity of the law enforcement process, non-authorized persons cannot access Fayette County arrest records or information relating to:

• Juveniles
• Sealed or expunged cases
• Active law enforcement investigations
• Confidential Law Enforcement Investigatory Records (CLEIRs)
• Medical or mental health histories
• Residential and familial information of public employees, such as law enforcement officers, judges, and public prosecutors
• Arrest information that may compromise public security.

Authorized requesters may access Fayette County arrest records through the Fayette County Sheriff's Office at:

1500 Robinson Road SE,
Washington Court House, OH 43160
Phone: (740) 335-6170
Fax: (740) 333-3597
Email: sheriff.records@fayette-co-oh.com.

Fayette County Arrest Statistics

FBI arrest data for Fayette County reveals that the Fayette County Sheriff's Office and the Washington Court House Police Department documented 1,396 arrest Incidents between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2025. According to the Uniform Crime Reporting database, 997 males and 399 females were arrested for various offenses within the county. During this time, the most common arrests were for simple assaults (323), larcenies (142), and DUI offenses (113). Additionally, there were 92 arrests for disorderly conduct, 45 for drug/narcotic violations, and 41 for vandalism. Other incidents collectively accounted for 640 arrests.

Find Fayette County Arrest Records

For information about arrests in Fayette County:

• Log in to the Fayette County Current Inmate Page and click on the inmate names to reveal their information.

• Call, mail, email, or visit the Fayette County Sheriff's Office at:

  1500 Robinson Road SE,
  Washington Court House,
  OH 43160
  Phone: (740) 335-6170
  Fax: (740) 333-3597
  Email: sheriff.records@fayette-co-oh.com.

Fayette County arrest records may also be accessible through Fayette County court records. Individuals seeking access to Fayette County arrest records associated with criminal cases should log into the Fayette County Common Pleas Court Records Search Portal and search for information by name or case number. Alternatively, reach out to the Fayette County Clerk of Courts Office at:

110 E Court Street
3rd Floor, Court House,
Washington Court House,
OH 43160
Phone: (740) 335-6371
Fax: (740) 333-3522
Email: clerkofcourts@fayette-co-oh.com.

For Fayette County criminal case arrest records predating 2001, register and log in to the Fayette County Clerk of Courts Record Search Portal.

Fayette County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Fayette County arrest and criminal records play crucial roles in criminal investigations within and outside the county. These documents provide vital information for monitoring the criminal actions of convicts. However, arrest and criminal records differ in several aspects, including their contents, implications, and impacts.

Fayette County arrest records are law enforcement documents detailing the arrest of individuals within the county. These documents contain personal information of their owners, booking details, circumstances surrounding arrests, and bail/bond conditions. Under state and federal laws, arrest records do not confirm guilt or innocence for crimes unless the courts state otherwise after trials. Also, arrest records may not significantly impact their owners if they do not result in criminal convictions.

By comparison, Fayette County criminal records are court-generated documents detailing the prosecution, conviction, and incarceration of individuals for criminal activities. These documents provide more thorough details of individuals' interactions with law enforcement and the Fayette County criminal justice system. Contrary to arrest records, criminal records are legal evidence of guilt for crimes and may affect job, housing, and relationship opportunities.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest information stays permanently on records unless they are sealed or expunged. Sections 2953.31, 2953.32, 2953.38, and 2953.39 of the Ohio Revised Code outline the conditions for the sealing and expunction of arrest records in Ohio. Under Ohio laws, owners of Fayette arrest records may petition the Fayette County Common Pleas Court or the Washington Court House Municipal Court if the records fulfill the following criteria:

Sealing Fayette County arrest records:

• The arrest did not result in a conviction
• There are no pending criminal trials
• The sealing of the arrest record is in the public interest

Expunction of Fayette County arrest records:

• The owner of the record was a minor at the time of the arrest
• The arrest record is for a misdemeanor or a 4th or 5th-degree felony
• The petitioner does not have pending criminal trials
• The owner received a State pardon from the Ohio Governor
• The arrest records belong to a victim of human trafficking

• The owner of the arrest record observes the following waiting periods after completing the sentence for the crime (this includes the probation period):

  • Misdemeanor 1 year
  • One Felony: 3 years
  • Two Felonies: 4 years
  • Three to Five Felonies: 5 years.

Fayette County Arrest Warrants

Fayette County arrest warrants are official documents from Fayette County courts authorizing law enforcement to arrest designated individuals. Under Criminal Rule 4 of the Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure, judges and magistrates in Fayette County issue arrest warrants when law enforcement or prosecutors provide evidence of criminal acts against individuals. The courts also issue arrest warrants for contempt of court, disregard for judicial orders, violations of probation/parole, grand jury indictments, or missing a required hearing.

Fayette County arrest warrant details include, but are not limited to:

• Names and physical descriptions of the defendants
• Allegations against the wanted persons and citation of the specific sections of the Ohio Revised Code allegedly violated
• Order of arrest from the courts to law enforcement
• Names and locations of the issuing courts
• Time and dates of issuance
• Instructions on the execution of the warrants
• Names and signatures of the authorizing judges/magistrates.

Do Fayette County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Under state and federal laws, arrest warrants do not expire. In Fayette County and other parts of the U.S., once the courts issue arrest warrants, they remain valid and enforceable until law enforcement apprehends the wanted persons or the courts recall or revoke them. However, clerical errors, false information, changes in Ohio or local laws, lack of probable cause, unreasonable delay in execution, and lack of jurisdiction are some factors that may affect the validity of Fayette County arrest warrants. Furthermore, the statute of limitations may influence the issuing of arrest warrants in Fayette County.

Expunge Fayette County Arrest Records

The following steps may assist individuals who meet the eligibility criteria established by Chapter 2953 of the Ohio Revised Code and wish to seal or expunge Fayette County arrest records:

• Gather documents that are necessary for the sealing or expunction of the arrest records (this includes certified copies of criminal history from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the disposition documents from the Fayette County Clerk of Courts

• Download and complete Sealing and Expungement Forms and mail or submit them along with the supporting documents to the Fayette County Common Pleas Court (for felony cases) or Washington Court House Municipal Court (for misdemeanor cases) at the following addresses:

  Fayette County Court of Common Pleas
  110 E Court Street, 3rd Floor,
  Washington Court House,
  OH 43160

  Washington Court House Municipal Court
  119 N Main Street,
  Washington Court House,
  OH 43160

• Pay all applicable fees.
• Attend hearings to counter objections and provide reasons the courts should seal or expunge the records.
• Wait for the decisions. If the applications are successful, the courts will notify the relevant agencies to seal or expunge the records and update their databases.