Rockingham County, North Carolina Arrest Records
Rockingham County arrest records are government files about arrest events. Such records are created by law enforcement agencies in the aftermath of an arrest event. Arrest records may reveal the arrestee’s name, charges, arrest date and location, mugshot, booking number, and bond amount.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and local police department create and maintain arrest records in accordance with state laws. Chapter 132 of the North Carolina Statutes regulates the creation and maintenance of public records. The N.C. Gen. Stat. § 93B-8.1 specifically determines the public’s right to access criminal history records, which also cover arrest information.
These state laws make arrest records accessible to the public due to these reasons:
- To promote transparency and fairness in the criminal justice system.
- To notify the local community of recent arrests and incarceration.
Are Arrest Records Public Information in Rockingham, North Carolina?
Yes, most arrest records in Rockingham County are accessible to the public. The state laws allow the public to inspect and obtain copies of such records from designated record custodians. Record custodians are government entities tasked with the duty to create and maintain records upon requests from interested parties. In addition, the law requires record custodians to provide options via which the public can access arrest records.
North Carolina laws restrict the public from obtaining specific arrest records. Such records typically include information that may endanger record subjects and concerned parties.
Note: North Carolina laws do not restrict out-of-state residents from accessing arrest records. All record seekers must follow legal procedures to obtain records.
What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?
In Rockingham County, public arrest records may reveal the following information:
- Arrestee’s name, birthdate, age, and physical features.
- Mugshot.
- Arrest charges and description.
- Arrest date and location.
- Booking number and date.
- Bond or bail amount.
Public arrest records do not cover statutorily exempt information. For example, personal identities of crime victims and informants are not accessible to the public. Other non-public arrest records include the following:
- Juvenile arrest records.
- Arrest records that may interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation.
- Arrest records that are sealed or expunged under court orders.
Rockingham County, North Carolina Arrest Search
Record seekers may search and find arrest records in inmate databases maintained by state and federal agencies. For example, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction maintains a search database of inmates serving time in state prisons. The database may reveal the arrestee’s name, mugshot, charges, booking number, and bond amount. To view records on the platform, record seekers must enter the inmate’s name, race, sex, arrest date, or release date.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator offers an alternative means of locating arrest records. Record seekers may view records on the platform by providing the inmate’s name or prison ID number.
Record seekers may locate arrest information in court case files. For instance, you may find arrest records via the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s online case search portal. Record seekers may find records by entering the case party names or record number.
Rockingham County Inmate Locator
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office does not offer an online searchable platform for inmates serving time in the county detention center. However, record seekers can still look up arrest information by submitting a request to the sheriff’s office between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at this address:
130 Justice Center Drive
Reidsville, NC 27320
Phone: (336) 634-3232
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 128
Wentworth, NC 27375
The request must contain specifics about the arrest records, including the arrestee’s name, report number, and arrest date. Note that the sheriff’s office may charge fees to produce copies of requested documents.
In contrast, record seekers may obtain arrest records in court case records. To obtain case records in Rockingham County, record seekers must submit a request to the clerk of court’s office at this address:
105 West Franklin Street
Rockingham, NC 28379
Phone: (910) 419-7400.
Active Warrant Search in Rockingham County
Rockingham County arrest warrants are legal documents that authorize the arrest of defendants. Court judges issue warrants upon receiving an affidavit or complaint from law enforcement officers. The complaint must show sufficient evidence that the defendant violated state laws.
Arrest warrants issued in Rockingham County must include the following information:
- Defendant’s name, home address, and identifying features.
- Warrant issuance date and location.
- Name of the warrant issuing court.
- Court document number.
- A statement calling for the arrest of defendants.
- Alleged criminal offense.
- Name and signature of the court judge or magistrate that issued the warrant.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office maintains an online database of active warrants issued by the county’s courts. Record seekers may find information on the database or make inquiries in-person at the sheriff’s office.
In contrast, the Rockingham County Clerk of Courts may provide information on active and resolved warrants. Record seekers may obtain such information by visiting the clerk’s office at this location:
105 West Franklin Street
Rockingham, NC 28379
How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Rockingham County
Record seekers may conduct free searches for arrest records on government-owned websites. For example, you may view arrest records for free in inmate search platforms maintained by state and federal agencies. The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction hosts a free inmate search platform. Record seekers may view arrest information on the platform by entering the inmate’s name, prison ID number, and identifying features.
In contrast, you may search arrest records of federal inmates by using the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator. To view records on the platform, interested parties must enter the inmate’s name or prison ID.
Rockingham County Arrest Report
In Rockingham County, arresting officers create arrest reports in the aftermath of an arrest event. Such reports are written from an arresting officer’s perspective and may include the following:
- The officer’s observations and the events that led to the arrest.
- The offender’s conduct during the incident.
- Statements collected from witnesses and crime victims.
- Evidence collected at the crime scene.
Rockingham County arrest reports are primarily under the purview of the arresting agency. Since arrest reports contain confidential information, arresting agencies may only disclose them to legally eligible parties.
Unlike arrest reports, arrest records contain basic information about an arrest event and may also include post-arrest details. For example, you may find booking numbers, mugshots, and bond amounts in arrest records. Record seekers may locate arrest records in the custody of criminal justice agencies. These agencies may offer online or offline resources via which the public can obtain the records.
How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Rockingham County
Interested parties may expunge arrest records by filing a petition with the court clerk where the arrest occurred. To expunge arrest records, interested parties are typically required to fulfill the following legal requirements:
- The arrest charges were dismissed.
- They were charged with a misdemeanor or felony before December 1, 1999.
- The court passed a not-guilty verdict before December 21, 2021.
- The court dismissed the case before December 21, 2021.
The state laws prevent the expungement or sealing of specific arrest charges or convictions. Ineligible charges or convictions include the following:
- An assault-related offense.
- Felony offense listed in Chapter 90 of the General Statutes that involves heroin or methamphetamines.
- Any felony offense that involves the possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine.
- Offenses listed under G.S. 14-401.16 and G.S. 14-54(a1).
- Offenses that involve impaired driving as defined under G.S. 20-4.01(24a).
Petitioners must wait for specific periods to expunge arrest charges that led to court convictions. For example, they must wait 15 years post-conviction to expunge a non-violent felony.
Eligible parties may expunge arrest records by following these steps:
- Create a petition that includes the following:
- A completed criminal record application form to authorize a name-based criminal history check by North Carolina’s State Bureau of Investigations.
- An affidavit that the petitioner has maintained good moral conduct and has not been convicted of a crime within the set timeframe.
- An affidavit signed by the petitioner stating that there are no outstanding payments or fines from civil judgments.
- Verified testimonials of the petitioners’ good moral conduct from two persons who are not related by blood or family.
- Make copies of the petition and file the original with the Clerk of the Superior Court in Rockingham County.
- Pay $175 as a filing fee to the court clerk.
Upon receiving the petition, the clerk will forward a copy to the district attorney’s office. The district attorney has up to 30 days to file an objection to the petition.
The court will then set up a hearing to determine if the petitioner is eligible to expunge their records.
How Do You Remove Rockingham County Arrest Records From the Internet?
Petitioners must first obtain an expungement order before they are eligible to remove arrest records from the internet. After the court issues the order, the clerk may forward copies of the order to relevant criminal justice agencies. Upon receiving the order, the agencies will pull down the records from their database.
However, petitioners must directly send a copy of the expungement order to third-party websites that hold the records. Petitioners may find the websites’ contact information on their “Contact Us” or “About Us” pages.