Find Arrest Records in Limestone County

Limestone County arrest records are available through the Sheriff's Office. They keep an online inmate roster with booking photos, charges, and bail info. The county jail on West Elm Street in Athens handles all local arrests. They post current inmate data to their site daily.

Limestone County Sheriff's Office

The Limestone County Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for the county. They run the jail in Athens. The department patrols areas outside city limits, serves warrants and civil papers, and provides court security. All arrests made by local police get processed through the sheriff's jail. The office has grown a lot as the county population went up. Staff work around the clock to keep the jail running and the inmate roster up to date.

Limestone County Jail

The Limestone County Jail opened in 2004. It sits on West Elm Street in Athens. The jail can hold 280 inmates. But it often goes past 300 during busy times. The jail holds people waiting for court and those serving short sentences of two years or less. Inmates from Athens, Elkmont, Lester, and other parts of the county all come through here. The jail is open 24 hours a day for booking and release.

How to Search Limestone County Arrest Records

Online Inmate Roster

The Limestone County Sheriff's Office keeps an online inmate roster. It shows who is in jail right now. The roster is free to use. You don't need to sign up for an account. Each inmate profile has a booking photo, the charges they face, bail amount if set, and their next court date. The roster gets updated as new bookings come in and inmates get out. So it stays pretty current all day.

To use the inmate roster, go to the sheriff's office website. Look for the jail or inmate search section. You can browse all current inmates or search by name. The search is not case sensitive. So you can type the name any way you want. Results show basic booking info at first. Click on a name to see all the details. Keep in mind that someone just arrested may not show up right away. It takes time to finish the booking process.

In-Person Records Requests

You can also get arrest records by going to the sheriff's office in person. Bring a valid ID. Be ready to fill out a records request form. Staff can look up current inmates and pull files on past bookings. Some older records may take longer to get. They could be stored off-site or in archives. The office is open during normal business hours on weekdays. There may be a small fee for copies.

Alacourt Case Search

Once charges are filed and a case is in the court system, you can look it up through Alacourt Public Access. This is the statewide court records system for Alabama. Select Limestone County from the list. Pick Criminal as the case type. Enter the person's name. Alacourt shows the charges filed, hearing dates, case status, and final outcome if the case is done. This search is free. It covers all case types from traffic tickets to felonies.

VINELink Notifications

Limestone County uses the VINELink victim notification program. This service sends you alerts when an inmate's status changes. You can sign up to get a call, email, or text. They notify you when someone gets out of jail, moves to another facility, or escapes. The service is free. It runs all day and night. Crime victims use it most. They want to know when the person who hurt them is getting out. But anyone can sign up for alerts.

Limestone County Court Records

Criminal cases in Limestone County go through the 39th Judicial Circuit Court. The Circuit Court handles felony cases. The District Court takes care of misdemeanors and traffic violations. After an arrest, the case gets filed with the court. It gets a case number. From that point on, all the paperwork and hearing results are part of the court record. These records are public unless a judge seals them.

Circuit Court Clerk

The Limestone County Circuit Court Clerk keeps all court records. They handle requests for copies. This office processes new case filings, keeps the docket up to date, schedules hearings, and helps people find case info. If you need a certified copy of a court document, this is where you go. The clerk's office is in the courthouse in Athens.

District Court

Limestone County District Court handles less serious criminal matters. This includes misdemeanor charges, DUI cases, traffic violations, and first hearings for felony cases. Many people arrested in the county have their cases go through this court. Not the Circuit Court. The District Court is also in the Athens courthouse.

Additional Arrest Record Resources

Athens Police Department

The Athens Police Department handles law enforcement in the city of Athens, the county seat. Arrests made by Athens PD get processed at the Limestone County Jail. If you need a police report from an Athens case, contact the police department. Not the sheriff's office. The records division can give you copies of reports for a fee.

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA)

For a full criminal history check that covers arrests and convictions from across Alabama, you can ask for a report from ALEA. This is more thorough than online searches. It pulls from the statewide database. You will need to submit fingerprints and pay a $25 fee. The results show all criminal history on file for the person. Not just what happened in Limestone County. Employers often use this for background checks.

Federal Court Records

Federal crimes in Limestone County fall under the Northern District of Alabama. Federal cases are totally separate from state cases. They don't show up in the sheriff's jail roster or Alacourt. To search federal court records, use the PACER system. Federal inmates can be found through the Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator.

State Prison Inmates

If someone gets more than two years in prison, they go from the county jail to an Alabama Department of Corrections facility. The ADOC Inmate Search tool lets you look up anyone doing time in the state prison system. It shows where they are, how long their sentence is, and when they might get out.

Fees for Limestone County Arrest Records

The online searches are free. You can look at the inmate roster, search Alacourt, and sign up for VINELink without paying a thing. Fees come up when you need paper copies of records. Certified copies from the court cost a few dollars per page. Police reports have their own fee schedule. The ALEA background check is $25. That includes fingerprinting. Payment methods vary by office. Most take cash and checks. Some offices now take credit cards too.

Processing Times

Legal Framework for Public Records Access

Alabama law gives people the right to see and copy public records. Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, every citizen can look at and copy any public writing of this state. There are some exceptions written in other laws. But arrest records, jail booking info, and court records fall under this law. They are generally open to the public.

What Information Is Public

When someone gets arrested in Limestone County, certain info about that arrest becomes public. This includes the person's name, date of birth, date and time of arrest, charges, bond amount, mugshot photo, and the arresting agency. Once a case goes to court, even more becomes public. Charges filed, hearing dates, plea, verdict, and sentence all become public record. The jail log that records all bookings is specifically called out as a public record under Alabama law.

Records That May Be Restricted

Not everything is public, though. Juvenile arrest records are sealed under Alabama law. This protects minors. Cases that have been expunged are removed from public view. Active investigations may have details held back until an arrest is made. Personal info like Social Security numbers and home addresses often get blacked out from documents released to the public. Some domestic violence cases have protective orders. These limit what info can be shared.

Expungement in Alabama

Alabama allows people to have certain arrest records expunged. If charges were dismissed, you may qualify. Same if you were found not guilty or finished a pretrial diversion program. Some non-violent convictions can also be expunged after a waiting period. The process starts with filing a petition in the court where the case was heard. There is a $500 filing fee. You can get that waived if you show financial hardship. The court holds a hearing. Then they decide whether to grant the petition. If approved, the record is sealed. It won't show up in most searches.

Legal Resources

Legal Services Alabama - North Region

Legal Services Alabama gives free legal help to low-income residents. They can help you understand charges, get through the court system, and file for expungement. Income limits apply for their services.

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral

If you need to hire an attorney for a criminal matter in Limestone County, the Alabama State Bar runs a lawyer referral service. They can connect you with local attorneys. These lawyers handle criminal defense cases, record expungement, and other matters tied to arrest records. Call the referral line to get started.

Public Defender's Office

If you can't afford an attorney and are facing criminal charges in Limestone County, you may qualify for a public defender. The court will appoint one for you if you meet the income guidelines. The public defender's office represents people charged with crimes who can't pay for a private lawyer.

Search Limestone County Records

Use the search tool below to look up arrest records and criminal history info for Limestone County and across Alabama.

Cities in Limestone County

Limestone County has several cities and towns. Athens is the county seat and biggest city. Arrests made by city police anywhere in the county are processed at the Limestone County Jail on West Elm Street.

The main communities served by the Limestone County Sheriff's Office include Athens, Elkmont, and Lester. None of these cities have over 100,000 people. So all residents access arrest records through the county sheriff's office. Athens has its own police department. They handle calls within the city limits. But booking and jail services go through the county.

If you are looking for someone arrested in Athens, Elkmont, Lester, or any other part of Limestone County, start with the sheriff's online inmate roster. All local arrests end up in the same county jail. It doesn't matter which agency made the arrest.

Nearby Counties

Need to search arrest records in counties near Limestone? The links below will take you to pages with sheriff's office and jail info for each area.