Lawrence County Arrest Records

Law enforcement officers must make arrests when necessary to ensure peace, law, and order in Lawrence County. These arrests happen when there is a reasonable suspicion that somebody has committed a crime, and depending on the circumstances, they can be performed with or sans a warrant.

Under Ohio Revised Code § 2935.04, a private citizen can also make an arrest without a warrant if a felony crime has been committed. Once a citizen is arrested, the arresting party must turn the suspect over to the nearest law enforcement officer or court.

Arrest records are generated after an arrest and maintained by the arresting law enforcement agency. Arrested persons in Lawrence County are held in the county jail or, if they are juveniles, at the Juvenile Detention Center while awaiting trial or the option to post bail. The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office oversees the county jail operations.

If an arrestee is prosecuted, they will stand trial for the charges against them. The legal proceedings of these criminal cases are documented in the court record. Interested persons may access information about such cases by searching the Lawrence County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lawrence County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Lawrence County. Access to these records is facilitated by the Ohio Revised Code § 149.43. Per the statute, any inquisitive member of the public may, without restraint, approach an arrest record custodian to examine an arrest record. This freedom of inspection, however, does not cut through all Lawrence County arrest records.

Accessibility to the content of certain arrest records is limited by the Ohio Revised Code § 149.43. These arrest records are generally restricted because they are considered sensitive and private. Public disclosure of such information may put an individual at risk of harm. Arrest records in Lawrence County exempt from public disclosure include:

• Arrest records that are part of an active investigation
• Juvenile arrest records
• Medical records
• Financial account information
• Sealed and expunged records
• Identifying information on victims of a sexual crime and other select crimes

Although these arrest records are restricted to the general public, an individual having a legitimate purpose for access may petition the court to give an order granting access.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Researchers may find the following information in publicly available arrest records in Lawrence County:

• Personal details of the arrestee (name, age, gender, and physical descriptions)
• Basic information about the arrest event (date, time, and location of the arrest)
• The arresting agency
• The charges on which the arrest was made
• Booking information (booking number and mugshot)
• Bail information (bail amount and type)
• Court appearance dates

Lawrence County Arrest Statistics

Crime reporting law enforcement agencies operational in Lawrence County report crime incidents annually to the Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System (OIBRS). The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) manages the reporting system. The OCJS furnishes the public with yearly crime statistics reported by several Lawrence County law enforcement agencies. However, the OCJS does not provide the corresponding annual arrest statistics. Researchers interested in acquiring Lawrence County arrest statistics can contact local law enforcement agencies for the data.

Find Lawrence County Arrest Records

An arrest record in Lawrence County is primarily preserved by the law enforcement agency that carried out the arrest. An inquirer may contact the agency to inquire about an arrest record in their custody and obtain a copy if available. The arrest records of persons detained in the county jail can be obtained at the county Sheriff's Office. The inquirer may need to provide some information about the inmate to enable a search for the record.

Some offenders found guilty of committing a crime in Lawrence County may be incarcerated in one of Ohio's 28 correctional facilities run by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC). Inmates in a state prison can be located electronically using the DRC Offender Search tool. The portal's search criteria include a last name, first name, county of commitment, residential county, and zip code. Other search criteria include the inmate's status and the next parole board hearing date or number.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) oversees the custody and management of individuals convicted of violating federal laws. These offenders are typically housed in federal correctional facilities across the country. The BOP provides an Inmate Locator tool that the public can use to search for federal inmates. A federal inmate can be located using a BOP Register, DCDC, INS, or FBI number. Researchers can search for inmates using their last, middle, and first names.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lawrence County

Requesting a copy of an arrest record in Lawrence County will incur a fee, as record custodians are permitted to charge for the reproduction of records in their custody. However, Lawrence County law enforcement agencies may allow inquirers to view the content of an arrest record without a cost if they do not wish to obtain a copy.

Alternatively, individuals can search for Lawrence County arrest records on third-party platforms. These platforms may disclose some arrest record information to their users for free. A full disclosure of the arrest record may incur a fee. Researchers should note that only publicly available arrest records can be accessed through third-party resources. An official custodian may need to be contacted to access a restricted Lawrence County arrest record.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Ohio law does not provide for the automatic expungement of an arrest from an individual's record over time. As a result, law enforcement agencies are expected to retain and disseminate an individual's arrest record under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 when necessary.

Notwithstanding, an arrest in Lawrence County may be eligible for sealing or expungement if it meets specific criteria. For such arrest cases, an arrestee can file a petition with the court asking that the arrest be sealed or expunged as the case may be. If an arrest record is sealed, it remains in existence but under the purview of authorized individuals, usually law enforcement agencies, the subject of the record, and the court. An expungement, on the other hand, erases an arrest from a person's record. Essentially, it makes the record permanently irretrievable.

Expunge Lawrence County Arrest Records

Lawrence County arrest records are sealed or expunged in line with Ohio Revised Code § 2953 (2953.31 - 2953.61). Generally, an individual may request the court to seal or expunge an arrest if the following criteria are met:

• If the arrest charges were dismissed or the individual was granted a pardon
• If the individual received a no bill indicating that no charges will be filed from a grand jury and two years have passed

If the arrest led to a conviction, individuals can apply for sealing or expungement under the following conditions:

• If the arrest was for a third-degree felony and three years have passed from the date of final discharge, provided the offense does not include solicitation of improper compensation.
• If the arrest was for a misdemeanor, a fourth-degree, or fifth-degree felony and one year has passed from the final discharge, provided it was not a violent felony offense or solicitation of improper compensation.
• If the arrest was for soliciting improper compensation and seven years have passed since the final discharge.
• If the arrest was for a minor misdemeanor and six months have passed.

The following offenses are not eligible for sealing or expungement in Ohio:

• Violent felony offenses not sexually related
• Offenses where the victim was less than 13 years of age unless the conviction was under Ohio Revised § Code 2919.21
• A first or second-degree felony arrest that led to a conviction
• Third-degree felony offenses if the offender has more than one felony conviction or more than two misdemeanor convictions
• Sexual-related crimes where the offender is subject to the requirements of Ohio Revised Code § 2950
• Domestic violence and violation of protective order crimes except for certain misdemeanor offenses of the fourth degree, which may be eligible for sealing only

Certain traffic violations and related municipal offenses are also not eligible for sealing or expungement.

If an arrest record fulfills the eligibility criteria, the record's subject can file a sealing or expungement application with the court. The court then sets a hearing date and informs the prosecutor and possible victims. If the court hearing ends in favor of the applicant, the court will issue an order requesting that all copies of the arrest record be sealed or expunged.

Lawrence County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a written directive from a court demanding the arrest of an individual believed to have committed a crime. In Lawrence County, a judge, a clerk, or a magistrate can issue an arrest warrant.

An arrest warrant is issued when an affidavit or formal complaint stating that an individual has committed a crime is brought before the court. In felony-level charges, the presiding personnel is required to issue an arrest warrant immediately, except if the complaint is deemed insubstantial. Such cases are referred to a prosecuting attorney for further investigation before the arrest warrant is issued. In a misdemeanor or municipal order violation, it is at the discretion of the presiding personnel to either issue an arrest warrant or a summons. A summons requires the accused to appear before the court. Failure to appear will lead to the arrest of the individual.

A Lawrence County arrest warrant typically contains the suspect's full name, the charges for which the warrant was issued, and the details of the issuing personnel. It can be executed in any county in Ohio. Individuals can check if an arrest warrant exists in their name by contacting the Sheriff's Office.

Do Lawrence County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Lawrence County arrest warrants do not expire until executed. A warrant can only become inexecutable if the suspect dies or the court withdraws it. Per Ohio Revised Code § 2935.10, a judge may rescind a misdemeanor arrest warrant if it is not served within two years, provided keeping the case open is not required for justice. An arrest warrant, whether for a misdemeanor or felony, may be withdrawn if there are concerns about its issuance, and recalling the warrant is deemed reasonable.