St. Mary's County Arrest Records

Arrest records refer to the documentation of an individual’s arrest and detention by law enforcement agents. These records include documents that reveal the arrest situation, such as the time or place and the reason for the arrest. Arrests become necessary when an individual is perceived as guilty based on evidence or is seen committing the crime. Such records may either be maintained by law enforcement agencies or as part of the St Mary County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in St. Mary's County?

Yes, St. Mary’s County arrest records are public records. The general public can obtain copies of a record by making in-person records requests at the courthouse or sheriff’s office, mail requests, or use online resources. Requesters will typically require a duly completed request form if it applies or a request letter, accompanied by the receipt of charged fees and some details about the arrest records.

Arrest records are subject to the Maryland Public Information Act, which provides exemptions. Such exemptions include:

• Records that violate an individual’s personal privacy.
• Records violating attorney-client privilege.
• Law enforcement records relating to ongoing investigations.
• Student educational records.
• Confidential medical records.
• Specific tax and financial information related to tax assessments.
• Confidential business details.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records contain some or all of the following information:

• Disposition
• Booking information such as the booking number, date and time, and fingerprint records.
• The case information, such as the assigned case number, court jurisdiction, initial appearance date, and bail/bond details.
• The list of alleged or filed charges, their classification, and description of the alleged offense.
• The arrest information includes time, date, and location.
• The suspect’s personal details.

St. Mary's County Crime Rate

St. Mary’s County’s crime rate for 2022 can be observed from the FBI UCR website. This database recorded 283 violent crimes in the county and 1,154 property crimes. The most common property crimes were larceny-theft, with 839 reports, and burglary, with 237 reported incidents. The least reported property crimes were arson and motor vehicle theft, with 3 and 75 reported incidents, respectively. The most prevalent violent crime was aggravated assault, with 224 reports, followed by robbery and rape, with 25 and 30 reported incidents, respectively. The least reported violent crime was homicide, with four reported incidents.

St. Mary's County Arrest Statistics

St. Mary’s County arrest records for 2022, according to the FBI UCR database, show that the county recorded 737 arrests for all other offenses except traffic offenses. There were 180 larceny theft arrests, 61 burglary arrests, and 21 motor vehicle theft arrests. The county recorded seven arrests for rape, eight arrests for murder, 14 arrests for robbery, and 72 arrests for aggravated assault. The county recorded no arrests for the offense of arson.

Find St. Mary's County Arrest Records

St. Mary’s County arrest records can be obtained in person or by mail through these offices from Monday to Friday during work hours. Arrest records requests must be accompanied by information about the arrest to aid the records search. Arrest records can also be obtained online through the county sheriff’s office website. The public can get contact information for making Maryland Public Information Act requests or requesting a copy of the Police Report. The public can also use state resources such as the Maryland Judiciary Case Search to conduct state-wide arrest record searches.

Free Arrest Record Search in St. Mary's County

St. Mary’s County arrest records are public records and maintained by the courts and law enforcement agencies. These offices process records requests received through in-person requests or mail. The public can also obtain arrest records through the county sheriff’s office platform or third-party websites.

Get St. Mary's County Criminal Records

St. Mary’s County criminal records refer to official archives of documents that detail a person.s history of criminal involvements and convictions. Criminal records are documents that provide details of a person’s arrest, detention, trial, conviction, and sentencing. Criminal records will also contain records of an individual’s incarcerations following convictions. These records are public records maintained by the county courts and law enforcement agencies.

St. Mary's County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Criminal records are documents that reveal the timeline and details of a person’s criminal involvements and court convictions. Criminal records will contain information about the person’s arrest, arraignment, trial, judgment, and how the judgment was executed. Arrest records are files containing documents with details of an individual’s detention with law enforcement. These records are similar, but arrest records are only a part of criminal records. Arrest records are the initial parts of criminal records that precede the arraignment and trial. Criminal records are more detailed and extensive and typically contain convicted crimes, unlike arrest records, which can be with or without a conviction.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests will remain on your public records until steps are taken to remove them or seal them. Generally, arrests will not stay on your records forever because there is a legal process for sealing records called expungement. This process requires certain conditions to be eligible, which include the following:

• There must be an acquittal or dismissal of charges if there is a not-guilty verdict.
• There must be a nolle prosequi by the state’s attorney.
• If there was probation before judgment (PBJ) and all conditions of the probation were fulfilled.
• There must be an unconditional andcompletel pardon.
• The waiting period required has been fulfilled.
• There are no pending convictions or cases during the expungement.
• All sentences from the conviction must have been completed, including probation, fines, and parole.

Expunge St. Mary's County Arrest Records

Expungement refers to a process by which individuals can remove or seal parts of their public records through the courts. This process requires certain conditions to be met before you can be eligible. The first step in obtaining expunging records is to confirm if you qualify for expungement. Individuals who are eligible must satisfy these conditions as it applies to their case:

• If there is an acquittal or dismissal of charges or the state attorney enters a nolle prosequi.
• If there was probation before judgment (PBJ) and the conditions of the probation were fulfilled.
• If there was a full or unconditional pardon from the government.
• If the waiting period has been fulfilled.
• If there are any pending cases or convictions against the applicant at the time of applying for expungement.
• If all sentences from the conviction are completed with probation, fines, and parole.

St. Mary's County Arrest Warrants

St. Mary’s County arrest warrants are documents of legal consequence issued by a judge with a directive to arrest and detain a named individual for the commission of a crime. Arrest warrants become necessary when an individual is linked to or seen committing a crime. These warrants become active after the judge signs them and cannot be recalled by anyone by the judge or court.

Arrest warrants are necessary for lawful arrests but an arresting officer can execute the arrest without possession of the warrant but must provide the warrant to the suspect in reasonable time. Arrest warrants are public records maintained by law enforcement agencies and county courts. The law enforcement agencies keep records of arrest incidents and county jails while the courts handle criminal trial records and active bench warrants. Arrest warrants will usually have the following details:

• Name and physical description of the suspect
• The crimes alleged and the corresponding laws
• The arresting officer’s badge number and name
• The time, place, and date of the arrest and detention

St. Mary's County Arrest Warrant Search

St. Mary’s County has an updated arrest warrant record with governmental agencies such as the courts and law enforcement bodies. Arrest warrants are public records maintained by these agencies. The public has a right, under the Maryland Public Information Act, to inspect or request records of these governmental agencies. Requesters are entitled to records searches through in-person requests at the county courthouses or the sheriff’s office.

Arrest warrant searches can also be conducted online through websites like the county sheriff’s office platform. This website features information for sheriff’s office records and for Public Information Act requests.

Do St. Mary's County Arrest Warrants Expire?

St. Mary’s County arrest warrants typically do not have expiry dates. Immediately the judge signs the warrants, they become effective and will remain active until fulfilled or recalled. The warrants do not expire, and this principle applies to all types of arrest warrants.