Lauderdale County Arrest Records

Lauderdale County arrest records are kept by the Sheriff's Office in Florence. The county jail holds up to 150 inmates. It serves all towns in the county including Florence, Rogersville, Lexington, Anderson, and Killen.

Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office

The Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for the rural parts of the county. They also run the jail. The office books and houses inmates, serves warrants, and provides court security. Deputies patrol rural areas. City police handle their own zones. No matter which agency makes an arrest, everyone goes to the same jail.

Online Inmate Roster

The Sheriff's Office has a free online inmate roster at lauderdaleso.org/roster.php. You can look up anyone in the jail right now or those let out recently. The roster gets updated often as new bookings come in and inmates get released. Search by name or booking number. Each listing shows the inmate's name, charges, booking date, and bond amount.

The roster shows current inmates plus those let out in the past few days. This helps if you want to know if someone got arrested and already bonded out. Each entry lists the charges at booking. These may differ from final charges filed by the DA. For the most accurate charge info, check court records through Alacourt once the case is filed.

How to Use the Inmate Search

Go to the roster page and you will see a list of inmates. The page shows everyone in custody sorted by name. To find a specific person, use your browser's search (Ctrl+F on Windows, Cmd+F on Mac) and type in the name. You can also scroll through the full list. Got a booking number? Enter that for faster results.

The roster shows basic booking info but not detailed case info. For that, check with the Circuit Clerk or search the state court system. Bond amounts are set by the magistrate at booking. They can change after a hearing. If bond shows as "no bond," the person cannot post bail. This usually means serious felony charges or a bond violation.

Lauderdale County Jail

The Lauderdale County Jail is the only jail in the county. It sits next to the Sheriff's Office on Seminary Street in Florence. The jail holds people waiting for trial and those serving short sentences of one year or less. Anyone sentenced to more than a year goes to state prison after their case ends.

Jail Services and Visitation

The jail offers video visits for families and friends of inmates. In-person visits are limited. So video visits are the main way to stay in touch with someone inside. You need to set up visits ahead of time through the jail's system. Inmates can get money for commissary and make calls through approved vendors. Call the jail for current visit times and vendor info.

Inmates can get mail at the jail address. Letters must not have staples, paper clips, or any sticky items. Books and magazines can be sent. But they must come from an approved store, not from you. Mail money orders to add funds to an inmate's commissary account. The jail does not take cash sent through the mail.

Court Records and Case Information

After an arrest in Lauderdale County, the case goes to the 6th Judicial Circuit Court. Felony cases are handled by Circuit Court. Misdemeanors go through District Court. Both courts have records online through Alacourt. This is where you find actual charges filed, court dates, plea info, and case outcomes.

Alacourt Case Search

The Alacourt Public Access portal is free. It covers all Alabama courts including Lauderdale County. Pick Lauderdale County from the dropdown. Choose Criminal or Traffic as the case type. Enter the person's name. Results show every case on file. You see pending charges, past convictions, scheduled hearings, filing dates, and how cases ended. The system does not show sealed or expunged records.

6th Judicial Circuit Court

Lauderdale County is part of the 6th Judicial Circuit along with Colbert County. Circuit Court judges hear felony trials and appeals from district court. They also handle civil cases over certain dollar amounts. The Circuit Clerk keeps all official court records. They can give you certified copies for a fee. Need a document for an employer or other official use? Get a certified copy from the clerk's office.

District Court

Lauderdale County District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic tickets, and preliminary hearings for felonies. If someone is arrested for a misdemeanor, the whole case stays in District Court. For felony arrests, District Court holds the preliminary hearing. This hearing decides if there is enough proof to send the case to Circuit Court. District Court records are also on Alacourt.

Additional Arrest Record Resources

Alabama VINE

The Alabama VINE system tracks inmates in Lauderdale County. Want to know when someone is released or moved? Sign up with VINE to get alerts by phone, email, or text. The service is free and runs 24/7. Call 1-877-846-3425 to sign up by phone. Or use the website to set your alert options.

Florence Police Department

Florence is the biggest city in Lauderdale County. It has its own police department. Florence PD books arrests at the county jail. But the arrest reports stay with city police. To get copies of Florence police reports, call the Records Division. These reports have details about the arrest that may not show up in jail booking records.

State Prison Inmates

If someone got more than a year in prison from Lauderdale County, they go to an Alabama Department of Corrections facility. The county jail only holds people serving one year or less. Use the ADOC Inmate Search to find anyone in state prison. That database shows where they are, how long the sentence is, and when they might get out.

Federal Court Records

Federal cases in Lauderdale County fall under the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Federal arrests are not the same as state arrests. They are handled by agencies like the FBI, DEA, or ATF. Search federal court records through PACER. For federal inmates serving time now, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator.

Fees for Arrest Records

Processing Times

Legal Framework for Arrest Records

Public Records Law

Under Alabama Code § 36-12-40, every citizen can look at and copy public records. Arrest records in Lauderdale County are public. The jailer's logbook with booking info is named as a public record in Alabama law. That is why the sheriff can post the inmate roster online for anyone to see.

What Information Is Public

Public arrest info in Lauderdale County includes the inmate's name, date of birth, booking date and time, charges, bond amount, court dates, and case outcomes. Mugshots are public too. They may be on the roster. Some details like Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers are not given out. Home addresses may be kept private in some cases.

Records Not Available to the Public

Juvenile arrest records are sealed under Alabama law. The public cannot see them. Records that have been expunged by court order cannot be shared. Active criminal investigations may have documents held back until the case is over. Some domestic violence protective order details are also kept private to protect victims.

Expungement in Lauderdale County

Alabama allows some arrest records to be expunged. You may qualify if charges were dropped. Or if you were found not guilty at trial. Or if you finished a pretrial diversion program. Or if enough time has passed since a non-violent conviction. To start, file an expungement petition with the Lauderdale County Circuit Clerk. The filing fee is $500. It can be waived if you show financial hardship. The court will hold a hearing to decide. If approved, the arrest record is sealed from public view.

Legal Resources

Legal Services Alabama - Florence Office

Legal Services Alabama gives free legal help to low-income people in Lauderdale County. They can help you understand criminal charges. They help with expungement petitions. And they can link you with other resources. They cannot represent you in criminal trials. But they can help with related civil matters and clearing your record.

Lauderdale County Bar Association

Need to hire a criminal defense attorney in Lauderdale County? The local bar association can give you referrals. Criminal defense lawyers can represent you in court. They negotiate plea deals. They file motions to suppress evidence or dismiss charges. For serious charges, having an attorney matters.

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral

The Alabama State Bar runs a lawyer referral service across the state. Call (800) 392-5660 to get connected with attorneys in Lauderdale County who handle criminal defense. They can also help you find lawyers who focus on expungement. This is helpful if you want to clear an old arrest from your record.

Public Defender

If you cannot pay for an attorney and face criminal charges in Lauderdale County, you have the right to a public defender. Ask for one at your first court appearance. The court will look at your finances to see if you qualify. Public defenders handle cases from misdemeanors to serious felonies for those who meet the income rules.

Search Lauderdale County Records

Use the search tool below to look up arrest records and criminal history for Lauderdale County and all of Alabama.

Cities and Towns in Lauderdale County

Lauderdale County has several towns. Florence is the county seat and biggest city with around 40,000 people. Other towns include Rogersville, Lexington, Anderson, Killen, St. Florian, and Waterloo. All arrests in these areas go through the Lauderdale County Jail in Florence.

No city in Lauderdale County has over 100,000 people. So all arrests go through the same county system. Whether Florence Police, Rogersville Police, or the Sheriff's Office makes the arrest, everyone goes to the same jail. And they all appear in the same court system.

Nearby Counties

Need to search arrest records in nearby counties? Pick a county below to get their sheriff's office and jail info.