Morgan County Arrest Records

Arrest records are documents and information that detail how and when a person was arrested and taken into custody by law enforcement authorities. These records tell searchers whether one was arrested at the scene of a crime without a warrant, after a warrant was issued, or after the prosecutors filed an indictment. Individuals can also go through arrest records to find release (bail) conditions, where a person is being detained, and the crimes that necessitated the arrest.

Arresting agencies and detention facilities are the primary custodians of arrest records. However, inquirers can find certain arrest information, like bail and warrant details by assessing Morgan County Court records. Court records can be obtained through court clerks and resources provided by the Indiana Judiciary.

Are Arrest Records Public in Morgan County?

Yes. Morgan County arrest records are public information per Indiana's Access to Public Records Act (APRA). The act maintains that public agencies, such as law enforcement authorities and courts, are required to provide their official records to anyone who submits a request.

However, these records are subject to restrictions outlined in various state regulations and federal laws. For example, members of the public will be prohibited from accessing records generated by police departments during active investigations, as well as sensitive personal information like social security and driver's license numbers and juvenile arrest records. Sealed records and certain medical information are also exempt from public perusal.

Be that as it may, certain parties with statutory authorities are permitted to view protected records. These include law enforcement agencies, courts, and parties to sealed case records. People who believe that they have legal rights to obtain protected records can ask courts for relief.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Interested persons can generally view the following arrest details:

• Name and description of an arrestee
• Arrestee's age
• Booking number and date
• Arrest date and location
• Arresting agency
• Holding facility
• Bond and bail details
• Charges and offenses
• Court appearance

Morgan County Arrest Statistics

The Indiana Management Performance Hub releases annual arrest data in collaboration with the Indiana State Police through the Indiana Arrest Information dashboard. This dashboard contains figures submitted by various local law enforcement agencies, such as the Morgan County Sheriff's Office and city police departments. According to the 2023 report, there were 590 arrests in Morgan County. Out of that number, 96 were classed under general crimes, 248 represented drug offenses, and 74 were for violent crimes. Property-related incidents accounted for 74 arrests and traffic violations resulted in 202 apprehensions.

Find Morgan County Arrest Records

Law enforcement agencies are the main custodians of arrest records, but individuals can also look through other sources, such as correctional facilities and courts.

However, it is advisable to start with arresting agencies and local authorities if the arrest was recent. Local law enforcement can also provide the original report on most incidents.

If a person was arrested in the City of Martinsville, one can visit the Martinsville Police Department to find details about that arrest. The department offers copies of incident reports for $3 per copy. Police officers create incident reports to document details about call responses, which may cover executed arrests.

In most cases, members of the public can obtain arrest information from the Morgan County Sheriff's Office since it oversees the county jail. People arrested throughout the county are remanded in the facility pending trial. One can use the sheriff's inmate locator tool operated by a third-party vendor to confirm whether a person is remanded in jail. The website only shows the inmate's name, age, and location, and users can search by name. The searcher can then request arrest details from the sheriff's County Jail division.

Individuals can fill out the Request for Public Records form and submit it by email to sheriffpublicrecords@morgancounty.in.gov to access case records. They can also complete the Request for Law Enforcement Recording form and send it to:

160 N. Park Avenue
Martinsville, IN 46151
Phone: (765) 342-1080
Fax: (765) 349-5058

Interested parties can visit the Sheriff’s Public Records Request webpage to learn more and access the required forms.

Members of the public seeking arrest information on individuals convicted of felony offenses and serving time in state prison can approach the Indiana Department of Corrections. The department's offender search system allows anyone to see any inmate's offense description, county of conviction, type of conviction, and location. It should be noted that the department only keeps offense and incarceration details regarding cases for which an inmate was convicted and sentenced. In some situations, an inmate can be arrested on one offense and incarcerated on different charges, which may have been upgraded or reviewed to a lesser degree from the original alleged offense.

Court records also contain certain arrest details, such as bail and bond details and the defendant's offenses. Like the DOC’s records, criminal trial information only covers details of the charges filed by prosecutors, which may not be the same as the offenses contained in law enforcement records. However, one can use these details to get a sense of the defendant's original crimes. Interested parties can approach the Morgan County Clerk or the county's Court services office to obtain criminal case records. Anyone can also use the MyCase portal, which contains details of criminal cases heard throughout Indiana. Members of the public can search MyCase by providing the defendant's personal details or case number. The portal displays detailed information, such as case events, filed charges, and bail conditions.

Alternatively, individuals may have to contact federal authorities in cases where arrestees were taken into custody by federal law enforcement agencies. The Bureau of Prisons usually keeps information regarding inmates awaiting trial in federal courts, and people can use its federal inmate search tool to find an inmate's name and location. However, one can contact the arresting agency directly for inquiries.

Free Arrest Record Search in Morgan County

Persons seeking to obtain arrest records for free can use online tools provided by courts, the state's department of corrections, and the Bureau of PrisonS. However, they must note that these tools do not always offer comprehensive arrest information that can be obtained through law enforcement agencies and court documents.

Using public records request options may incur fees for reproducing official documents, and police reports attract flat fees.

However, people also have the option of using online resources provided by independent agencies. These vendors are not affiliated with government bodies but compile publicly available records from law enforcement agencies and publish them online.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

It varies. A person will have permanent criminal and arrest records if they were convicted of crimes that do not qualify for expungement. On the contrary, those whose arrests did not result in convictions or individuals whose convictions qualify for expungement can ask a Morgan County court to block public access to their records. However, sealed conviction records can still be accessed and used by law enforcement agencies and other authorized entities.

Expunge Morgan County Arrest Records

According to IC 35-38-9-1, individuals who were arrested, charged with criminal offenses, or accused of juvenile delinquency can apply for expungement if they meet the following conditions:

• There was no juvenile adjudication or conviction
• The juvenile adjudication or conviction was appealed and vacated

People who meet any of these conditions must also not be participants of any pretrial diversion program and have no pending criminal trial at the time of their application. Further, one year must pass after the incident before they can file their petition.

The law specifies that applicants must include the following in their petitions:

• County of arrest, indictment, allegations, or charges
• Date of the arrest, allegation, charges, or indictment
• Petitioner's social security number and date of birth
• Arresting agency
• Court where the complaint, indictment, or criminal charge was filed
• Optional information, such as petitioner's aliases, arresting officer's name, criminal charges and dispositions, and case number

The petition must be filed in Morgan County's circuit or superior courts and applicants are not required to pay processing or filing fees. If the petition is granted, the law directs that the person's record is removed from statewide, regional, and local criminal history information databases. Clerks of courts with information regarding the applicant's arrest, charges, and indictments are required to seal such records.

There are different rules and procedures for people looking to restrict public access to arrest records if their arrests resulted in misdemeanor or felony convictions. Interested parties can find relevant instructions by going through IC 35-38-9-2 through 35-38-9-8. However, it must be noted that expunged conviction records will still be available to law enforcement agencies and other entities listed under IC 35-38-9-6 and IC 35-38-9-6.

Morgan County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are court documents requested by law enforcement agencies for the apprehension and confinement of individuals suspected of breaking the law. These arrest orders are granted by Morgan County superior and circuit court judges after reviewing complaints submitted by police officers. Judges can also issue arrest warrants for defendants who have violated court orders and instructions, such as community service, hearing appearance, and fines.

These warrants typically contain the following information:

• The defendant's name or physical description
• The alleged offenses and charges
• Date of issue
• Issuing county
• Judge or clerk's signature
• Bail conditions (if applicable)

Checking for active arrest warrants involves contacting the Sheriff's Office since most orders are directed to the office. However, the Morgan County Clerk (for cases related to the circuit court), and Morgan County Court Services department can also show individuals details of arrest warrants issued by the county’s superior or circuit courts.

Do Morgan County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Police officers are allowed to execute arrest warrants as long as the accused person has not answered for their alleged offenses. However, judges can recall or squash warrants when new evidence exonerates defendants.