Find Arrest Records in Clarke County

Clarke County arrest records are kept by the Sheriff's Office in Grove Hill. The county jail takes care of all bookings. This applies to arrests made anywhere in this rural southwest Alabama county.

Clarke County Sheriff's Office

The Clarke County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for areas outside city limits. They run the county jail. They also keep all booking records for arrests made by the Sheriff's Office and local police. The department does patrol, investigations, civil process, and court security. Clarke County is rural with a spread out population. So the Sheriff's Office covers a big area with few resources.

Clarke County does not have a big online jail roster like more urban counties in Alabama. Most record requests need to be made by phone or in person. The staff can give you booking info, bond amounts, and release dates for current inmates. For older arrests, you may need to file a formal public records request.

How to Get Booking Information

Clarke County does not have a public online jail roster. So you need to call the Sheriff's Office at (251) 275-3507 to get current inmate info. When you call, have the full name of the person you are looking for. Their date of birth helps too if you know it. Staff can tell you if the person is in custody. They can also share what charges the person faces and the bond amount if one has been set. The jail is open 24 hours a day. But the staff who handle records requests work normal business hours.

For written records or certified copies, go to the Sheriff's Office in person. The address is 114 Court Street in Grove Hill, near the courthouse. Bring a form of ID. Be ready to pay copy fees. If you need records for legal cases, ask for certified copies. Tell them how many copies you need.

Clarke County Jail

The Clarke County Jail sits at the same address as the Sheriff's Office in Grove Hill. This facility holds people waiting for trial. It also houses those serving short sentences for misdemeanors. The jail is pretty small since the county only has about 24,000 people. Inmates may be moved to larger jails in the area if the local jail fills up or if they need special housing.

Booking Process

When someone is arrested in Clarke County, they go to the county jail in Grove Hill for processing. Booking includes fingerprints, a photo, and entering personal info into the jail system. The arresting officer lists the charges. Bond is usually set by a schedule or by a judge. Processing can take a few hours. It depends on how busy the jail is and if extra paperwork is needed.

After booking is done, the person can usually post bond if one is set. You can get bond info by calling the jail. Some charges need a hearing before a judge sets bond. This can mean a longer wait before release is possible. Jail staff can explain the bond process and what options you have for posting.

Court Records for Criminal Cases

Clarke County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit of Alabama. Choctaw and Washington counties are in this circuit too. It started in 1819. That makes it the oldest judicial circuit in the state. Circuit Court handles felony cases. District Court handles misdemeanors and early felony hearings. Both courts are at the Clarke County Courthouse in Grove Hill.

1st Judicial Circuit Court

The Circuit Court is where felony cases are tried in Clarke County. This includes serious crimes like murder, robbery, burglary, and drug trafficking. After an arrest, the case goes to a grand jury. If indicted, the case moves through the circuit court system. The Circuit Clerk's office keeps all case files. They can give you copies of court documents. You can also search court records online through Alacourt.

Clarke County District Court

District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic tickets, and early hearings for felonies. Many arrests lead to charges that stay in District Court. These never go up to Circuit Court. This includes DUI, simple assault, minor drug possession, and theft under certain value amounts. District Court records are also searchable through Alacourt.

The District Court in Clarke County also handles small claims. It deals with civil matters under $20,000 and landlord-tenant disputes too. But for arrest record purposes, you want the criminal docket. The clerk can help you find cases by name or case number.

Alacourt Case Search

The Alacourt Public Access system gives free online access to court records from all 67 Alabama counties. Clarke County is included. To search, go to the website and pick Clarke County from the dropdown menu. Choose the case type like Criminal or Traffic. Then type in the name of the person you are looking for. Results show case number, charges, hearing dates, and status.

Keep in mind that Alacourt shows court cases, not jail bookings. A person can be arrested and booked into jail without charges being filed right away. It may take days or weeks for the DA to review the case and file formal charges. Only after charges are filed will the case show up in Alacourt. For very recent arrests, calling the jail is still the best way to get info.

District Attorney's Office

The District Attorney for the 1st Judicial Circuit prosecutes criminal cases in Clarke, Choctaw, and Washington counties. The DA's office reviews arrests and decides what charges to file. They handle the case through trial. If you need to know whether charges have been filed or the status of a pending case, the DA's office can sometimes help. They may direct you to the court clerk for case records though.

Additional Arrest Record Resources

Alabama VINE

The Alabama VINE system gives victim notification services for Clarke County. You can search for inmates by name. You can also sign up to get alerts when their custody status changes. This is really helpful if you need to know when someone gets out of jail. The service is free. You can use it by phone at 1-877-846-3425 or online. VINE covers all Alabama county jails, so it works for Clarke County.

ALEA Criminal History Check

For official criminal history reports that include arrests from across Alabama, contact the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA). Their Criminal Records Unit handles background check requests. You need to complete ALEA Form 46 and give fingerprints on an approved card. Include a copy of your ID and pay the $25 fee. Results show arrests from all Alabama counties, not just Clarke. Mail requests to ALEA Criminal Records Unit, P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511.

Local Police Departments

The Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency in Clarke County. But some towns have small police departments too. These local police make arrests that get booked into the county jail in Grove Hill. If you need an arrest report or incident report for a case handled by city police, contact that department. But for booking records, the Sheriff's Office is the place to go. All inmates are processed at the county jail.

Federal Cases

Federal criminal cases from Clarke County go to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. That court is based in Mobile. Federal crimes include drug trafficking, gun violations, bank robbery, and crimes on federal land. You can search federal court records through PACER. Find federal inmates using the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator at bop.gov.

Fees for Arrest Records

Most basic questions about current inmates can be answered over the phone for free. But if you need copies of documents or certified records, you have to pay fees. The exact fees can vary. Check with the office when you make your request.

Payment Methods

The Circuit Clerk's office takes cash, money orders, and sometimes personal checks for document fees. Credit card use varies. Call ahead if you plan to pay with a card. The Sheriff's Office usually prefers cash or money order for records requests. All fees can change. Confirm current rates when you call the office.

Legal Framework

Alabama public records laws give citizens the right to access most arrest records and court documents. Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, every citizen can look at and copy public records. The only exceptions are records specifically exempted by law. This includes booking records, jail rosters, arrest reports (after warrants are served), and court case info. Clarke County agencies follow these state laws when handling records requests.

Some types of info are protected from public view. Juvenile records are confidential under Alabama Code Section 12-15-102. Expunged records are sealed. The public cannot see them. Active investigation files, unserved warrants, and info that could hurt ongoing investigations may also be withheld.

Expungement in Clarke County

Alabama law allows expungement of certain arrest and criminal records. People who may qualify include those whose charges were dismissed or who were found not guilty. Folks who finished a diversion program like drug court may also qualify. The same goes for certain non-violent offenders after a waiting period. To seek expungement, file a petition in the 1st Judicial Circuit Court in Grove Hill. The filing fee is $500. Fee waivers are available if you show financial hardship.

If the court grants the expungement, the record is sealed from public view. It will not show up in standard background checks. You usually do not have to tell employers about the arrest on job applications. But law enforcement can still see expunged records. Some professional licensing boards may require you to disclose too. Expungement does not apply to violent felonies, sex offenses, or certain other serious crimes. For help with the expungement process, contact a local lawyer or call Alabama Legal Help at 1-866-456-4995.

Public Records Requests

If you need records that are not easy to get online or by phone, you can submit a formal public records request. Send your request to the right office. That means the Sheriff's Office for booking records or the Circuit Clerk for court documents. Be specific about what records you need. Include the time period too. The agency has a fair amount of time to respond. They may charge fees for search time and copies. Under Alabama law, they cannot charge too much or delay your request without reason.

Cities and Communities in Clarke County

Clarke County is a rural county in southwest Alabama. It has no large cities. The county seat is Grove Hill. That is where county government and the court system are based. None of the communities in Clarke County have 100,000 people, so none have a dedicated city page on this site. Here is info about the main communities where arrests may happen.

Grove Hill is the county seat and largest town. It has about 1,200 people. All county offices are here. This includes the Sheriff's Office, courthouse, and jail. Most arrests in the county are processed at the Grove Hill facility.

Jackson is the second largest town. It sits along the Tombigbee River. About 5,000 people live there. It has its own police department for law enforcement within city limits.

Thomasville sits on the line between Clarke County and Wilcox County. About 4,000 people live there. Depending on where an arrest happens, it could be processed in either county.

Other small communities include Coffeeville, Fulton, and Gainestown. The county has a spread out population. So the Sheriff's Office handles most law enforcement calls outside of the towns. All arrests go to the county jail in Grove Hill no matter where in the county they happen.

Nearby Counties

Not sure which county an arrest happened in? You may need to check with nearby counties. Clarke County is bordered by seven other Alabama counties. Each has its own sheriff's office and jail with separate records.

Mobile County to the south is the most populous neighbor. It has a large online jail roster. Washington and Choctaw counties are also in the 1st Judicial Circuit with Clarke. Wilcox County to the east and Marengo County to the north are rural like Clarke. Monroe and Baldwin counties finish the ring of neighbors to the southeast.

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