Caroline County Arrest Records

Caroline County arrest records are used by law enforcement to document incidents when offenders are taken into custody. Arrestees in the county are typically held at the Caroline County Detention Center maintained by the corrections department. Individuals with relatively long sentences are held at state facilities. Upon admission into the detention center, arrest records are created using information such as arrestee name, leveled charges, arrest date, location, arresting agency name, and offense classification.

Due to judicial proceedings that typically follow arrests, arrest records usually constitute Caroline County court records and may be found while perusing case files at the court clerk’s office.

Are Arrest Records Public in Caroline County?

Yes, under the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA). The PIA ensures access to public records by interested parties while protecting the privacy rights of record subjects and legitimate government interests. Records restricted from public access include but are not limited to, medical records, personnel records, juvenile records, records containing attorney-client advice, financial information, investigatory records, expunged records, and shielded records.

Shielded and/or expunged records can only be obtained by persons granted permission by the court to access them. This can be done by completing certain forms or filing a motion at the court using form CC-DC-054.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Requesters at the Caroline County Department of Corrections are usually furnished with an inmate’s name, charge, and bond, as they are generally considered public. Although certain arrest-related information is typically restricted, members of the public are usually privy to the name of the arresting agency, arrest date, booking information, and court dates.

Caroline County Arrest Statistics

According to the Uniform Crime Report (UCR), published by the Central Records Division of the Maryland State Police, the total arrests made in Caroline County in 2020 was 1,343, comprising 1,200 adults and 143 juveniles. Compared to the previous year, when the total number of arrests was 1,658, this indicated a 19% drop. The following arrests were reported by the sheriff’s office and various police departments in the county:

• Rape—6
• Robbery—2
• Assault—38
• Breaking and entering—24
• Larceny—110
• Motor vehicle theft—10
• Sexual offenses—5
• Weapon law violation—11
• Narcotics-related offenses—264.

Find Caroline County Arrest Records

Arrestees in Caroline County are under the Custody of the Caroline County Department of Corrections. This agency maintains records for all inmates held at its detention center and can facilitate public access to them. Per the state’s Public Information Act, access to arrest records comes at no cost. However, individuals may be charged certain fees to cover any expenses incurred by their search. For instance, researchers are required to pay for record copies taken from the premises. For more information, visit:

Caroline County Department of Corrections
101 Gay Street
Denton, Maryland 21629
Phone: (410) 479-2517
Fax: (410) 479-4128

Remote access to records can be achieved through the statewide Case Search platform. Note that this website only provides information about arrests that resulted in a court trial, as the resource is primarily dedicated to court case searches. To perform a search, one needs to know the case number or the name of the defendant.

Free Arrest Record Search in Caroline County

Third-party websites offer a free and convenient alternative, especially since the Caroline County Department of Corrections does not maintain an online arrest records database. Searches are typically name-based, although more advanced platforms exist where users can search using case numbers. In addition, third-party websites are mostly multijurisdictional, making them ideal for broad searches and when the county of arrest is not known. While many of these sites offer free services, users usually have to pay for advanced features and in-depth information.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Unless shielded or expunged, arrests stay on a person’s records indefinitely. However, arrests that resulted in dismissal, acquittal, or not guilty dispositions are automatically expunged after three years. Arrestees in such cases are allowed to appeal for an expungement before the end of three years.

Expunge Caroline County Arrest Records

In Maryland, expungement is a legal procedure that removes information about an arrest or criminal court case from law enforcement and court records. People looking to expunge their arrest records should take note of the following:

• Arrests made for DUI offenses are ineligible for expungement.
• The petitioner must not be a defendant in an active criminal case, although exceptions can be made if the case whose record they wish to expunge was closed on acquittal, not guilty, nolle prosequi, or dismissal.
• Minor traffic offenses cannot be expunged by the courts. This falls under the MVA’s jurisdiction.
• The waiting period associated with the offense must have elapsed before an expungement petition can be filed. Certain felony convictions require seven (7) years (with certain first degree felonies requiring up to ten), misdemeanors require five (5) years, and domestically related offenses require (15) years.

For additional eligibility and filing requirements, see Criminal Procedure Article §§ 10-105, 10-107, and 10-110. Expungement petitions are filed in the Caroline County District Court. The filing fee is $30 if the arrest resulted in a conviction. Application forms vary depending on whether an arrest led to a conviction or not. For non-conviction arrests, Form CC-DC-CR-072A is used, while Form CC-DC-CR-072B is used for guilty dispositions.

The expungement process typically involves filing the applicable form along with the required fee at the courthouse that handled a case. The petitioner shall be directed to obtain the required arrest record from the agency that made the arrest and submit it to the court. The court shall review the petition to determine whether it qualifies for expungement. If granted, the court then issued an expungement order to all agencies with custody of the affected records to expunge the records. After expungement, the agency sends a Certificate of Compliance back to the court.

Caroline County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is issued in Caroline County when a court has reasonable evidence to establish that arresting the individual named on the warrant is appropriate. Circumstances that could necessitate issuance of a warrant include failure to appear in a criminal court proceeding, violation of court order or sentencing terms, or commission of an offense. By law, an arrest warrant must set forth the following:

• Suspect’s name
• Leveled charges
• Name of issuing authority
• Date of issuance
• Arrest clause.

Do Caroline County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Arrest warrants issued in Caroline County do not expire, as there are no statutes of limitation on them. They only become void after a suspect has been arrested or turns themselves in. Otherwise, they can only go away if the court recalls or quashes them.