Madison County Arrest Records

In Madison County, law enforcement agencies such as the Sheriff’s Office and the local police departments generally do not make arrests unless they catch someone committing an offense or have reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed or may commit a crime. In such instances, officers typically take the arrestee into custody for questioning.

Under state law, an arrestee is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, law enforcement must release them after a reasonable period unless they choose to charge the arrestee with the crime. Suspects involved in non-bailable offenses are held in the Madison County Jail pending their court appearance. Madison County court records typically include information about these appearances, which often continues from where arrest documentation leaves off.

Are Arrest Records Public in Madison County?

In Madison County, arrest records are public documents readily available to anyone who wishes to view or copy them. However, certain information, such as sealed juvenile records and records involving ongoing investigations, may be legally redacted from public view. These policies are usually put in place to protect the safety of other individuals. As a result, you may need to demonstrate a legal right to the record or show legal authorization to access the records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The details contained in an arrest record may vary, depending on the information the arresting agency considers most relevant. Nevertheless, Madison County arrest records typically include:

• The complete name of the individual arrested
• Their date of birth
• Physical description
• Arrest date and time
• Location of arrest
• The arresting agency
• Charges
• Bail information
• Booking information
• Circumstances surrounding the arrest
• Mug shots
• Outstanding warrants

Madison County Arrest Statistics

According to the Sheriff's Office, homicide, robbery, burglary, theft of property, and rape constitute the major crimes in Madison County. In 2019 the agency arrested and convicted ten individuals for homicide, 37 for robbery, 509 for burglary, 1,149 for theft of property, and 32 for rape. Thankfully, there was a significant reduction in the numbers in 2020. Only four homicide cases were recorded. The number of robberies was the same as the previous year - 37, 446 individuals were arrested for burglary, 1,037 for theft of property, and 25 for rape.

Find Madison County Arrest Records

In Madison County, certain resources may help researchers locate an inmate double-time. You may look up inmates incarcerated in the Madison County jail through the Madison County Sheriff’s Office Website; navigate to “Departments” and click on the “jail information” option. Under this section, you will be directed to the appropriate source where you may look up offenders electronically.

Once logged in, click on the “search for someone option” and indicate that you are looking for an offender. Click on the drop-down button and select the relevant state, then proceed to provide the offender’s full name. If you have their ID number, you may opt to provide this information instead of their name.

In addition, the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmates Locator tool offers convenience to individuals who wish to find records of inmates incarcerated in federal custody. Interested individuals need to provide sufficient information that identifies the case they wish to find. This information includes the first and last names of the inmates and other relevant information that may be required.

Free Arrest Record Search in Madison County

Several resources offer access to Madison County arrest records. However, most of them usually do so for a charge. If you are looking for avenues where you may obtain arrest records at no cost, these resources may be helpful:

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Roster allows members of the public to access arrest records and mugshots for free. Users may search by entering the first or last name of the individual to find relevant information. However, if you do not have information on the inmate you seek, you may navigate the pages to see if you will recognize the specific inmate from the list of offenders.

Additionally, the Huntsville Police Department (HPD) maintains records that include arrest information. Citizens may visit the Records Division in person to request copies of reports, although there may be a nominal fee for physical copies:

City of Huntsville Police Department Records Division

815 Wheeler Avenue
Huntsville, AL
Phone: (256) 427-7020

Madison County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

While arrest records are primarily created and maintained by law enforcement agencies, criminal records typically contain information documented by several institutions within the justice system, such as the Madison County court records, county jail records, and the arresting agency reports. Consequently, criminal records provide a more comprehensive view of an individual’s contact with the justice system.

For instance, they usually provide the following information:

• Date of arrest
• Charges
• Court hearing
• The testimonies of law enforcement and witnesses
• The judge’s findings and decisions
• Conviction and sentencing
• Detention center
• Release date

The bulk of this information is usually absent in an arrest record. It is important to note that a person may be discharged and acquitted of the alleged crime in certain instances. In such instances, the documentation of their interaction with the justice system will end at that point. Consequently, they will have no detention record.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

An arrest typically remains on an individual’s record indefinitely unless expunged. Once expunged, the proceeding regarding the charge shall be deemed not to have occurred. Consequently, the courts and other agencies shall reply to any inquiry that no record exists on the matter.

Expunge Madison County Arrest Records

To expunge a criminal record, including an arrest record in Madison County, you need to petition the circuit court where the charge was filed. However, a potential petitioner must first be eligible for expungement under state law. Consequently, individuals who were arrested and charged with a misdemeanor criminal offense may petition the criminal division of the circuit court if:

• The charge was dismissed without prejudice.
• The person has been found not guilty of the charge.
• The charge was dismissed without prejudice more than two years ago and has not been refiled. The person has not been convicted of any crime during that period.

For felony-related arrests, the arrestee may petition the court if:

• The charge was dismissed with prejudice.
• The charge has been no billed by a grand jury
• The person has been found not guilty of the offense

The circuit court clerk charges $300 for petition filings. Once expungement is granted, every information relating to the arrest is withdrawn from public view by the agencies that held them and forwarded to the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center within 180 days. The records are not destroyed, the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center merely archives them and tags them as protected.

Note: Petitioners generally have no right to expunge a criminal record. A request for expungement is granted or denied solely at the discretion of the court.

Madison County Arrest Warrants

In Madison County, the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division is primarily responsible for hands-on enforcement of state laws. However, some offenses may occur outside their surveillance. The Criminal Investigation Division typically manages these criminal incidents, which usually involves trying to identify the offender.

When investigators gather evidence to suggest that a specific individual may be responsible for the crime, they typically approach the court to request an arrest warrant. To obtain this warrant, the Sheriff’s Office must present evidence before a judge establishing probable cause that the suspect was in pole position to have committed the offense. If the judge is satisfied with the evidence, an arrest warrant will be issued:

An arrest warrant usually contains:

• The name of the individual to be arrested
• A description of the alleged crime
• The date and time of issuance
• The judge's signature
• Specific instructions for law enforcement regarding how to execute the arrest

Once issued, law enforcement may arrest the named individual wherever they find them within state borders. Consequently, an arrest warrant is a legal document ordering the apprehension of the individual named in the warrant for suspicion of criminal behavior.

Do Madison County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Madison County, once a judge issues an arrest warrant, the warrant typically remains outstanding until the named individual is apprehended. An arrest warrant does not expire unless the issuing court is presented with a legally justified reason to quash it. This includes:

• If the case has become statute-barred. That is, the defendant cannot be tried any longer for the offense because of a lapse of time. The judge may be persuaded to dismiss the warrant.
• For minor offenses, you may be allowed to pay a fine and clear the warrant.

That said, the relevant law enforcement agency is still expected to execute the warrant fairly quickly.