Pursuant to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), codified at Arkansas Code § 25-19-101 et seq., arrest records are public documents in Madison County, Arkansas. This legislation mandates transparency in governmental operations by ensuring public access to official records, including those pertaining to arrests. The Arkansas FOIA establishes that all government records shall be presumed open to public inspection unless specifically exempted by statute.
Law enforcement agencies in Madison County maintain these records as part of their official duties. The Madison County Sheriff's Office serves as the primary custodian of arrest records for the county. Under Arkansas law, these records must be made available for public inspection during regular business hours, subject only to specific statutory exemptions designed to protect ongoing investigations, juvenile records, or personal privacy in certain limited circumstances.
Members of the public seeking arrest records should be aware that while these documents are legally accessible, certain procedural requirements may apply, including the submission of formal requests and potential payment of reasonable copying fees as permitted under § 25-19-105(d)(2)(A).
Madison County arrest records are accessible through various online platforms, both governmental and third-party. The digital availability of these records is consistent with Arkansas Code § 25-19-108, which encourages government agencies to make public records available in electronic format when feasible.
Primary online resources for Madison County arrest records include:
Users of these online systems should note that pursuant to Arkansas Code § 16-90-906, certain records may be sealed or expunged and therefore unavailable through public search methods. Additionally, the most recent arrest data may experience processing delays before appearing in online databases.
Multiple official channels exist for obtaining arrest records in Madison County. Interested parties may utilize the following methods to access these public documents:
In-Person Requests at Law Enforcement Agencies:
County Clerk's Office:
Online Resources:
Written Requests:
Requestors should be prepared to present valid identification and pay applicable fees for record searches and copies. In accordance with Arkansas Code § 25-19-105(d)(3), agencies may charge reasonable fees not to exceed the actual cost of reproduction.
Madison County arrest records, maintained in compliance with Arkansas Criminal Justice Information System requirements, typically contain comprehensive information about the arrested individual and the circumstances of their detention. Standard components of these records include:
Biographical Information:
Arrest Details:
Judicial Processing Information:
Visual Documentation:
Pursuant to Arkansas Code § 12-12-1008, certain sensitive information may be redacted from public copies of arrest records, including social security numbers, driver's license numbers, and medical information. Additionally, in accordance with § 9-27-309, records pertaining to juvenile arrests are subject to stricter confidentiality requirements and may not be publicly accessible.
The Arkansas Criminal Records Sealing Act of 2013, codified at Arkansas Code § 16-90-1401 et seq., establishes procedures through which eligible individuals may petition for the expungement or sealing of arrest records in Madison County. This legal remedy effectively removes qualifying records from public access, though they remain available to law enforcement agencies for official purposes.
Eligibility criteria for expungement in Madison County include:
The expungement process requires petitioners to:
Upon granting of an expungement order, the Madison County Circuit Clerk, located at 201 W Main Street, Room 202, Huntsville, AR 72740, coordinates with relevant agencies to seal the records. Pursuant to § 16-90-1417, individuals whose records have been sealed may lawfully deny the existence of the sealed arrest or conviction in most circumstances, including employment applications.
The Arkansas Crime Information Center, which maintains the state's central repository of criminal history information, implements the court's expungement orders within its database systems, ensuring that sealed records do not appear in standard background checks.