Lawrence County Arrest Records

According to Chapter 544 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, an arrest happens when there is an actual restraint of the defendant or the defendant submits to the custody of an officer under the authority of a warrant or otherwise (RSMo. § 544.180). The officer may arrest any person who violates the law or who the officer has reasonable grounds to believe has violated any law in the state, including misdemeanors, infractions, or ordinances (RSMo. § 544.216).

The Lawrence County Sheriff's Office keeps and maintains all arrest information within the county. However, certain arrest records are part of public files and may be accessible through other law enforcement agencies in the county. For example, arrest information may be accessible in Lawrence County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lawrence County?

Yes. Arrest records in Missouri are public records. According to the Missouri Sunshine Law, all state and local law enforcement agencies may make arrest records available upon request. In other words, any person can access Lawrence County arrest records for examination or make copies for other purposes.

However, the law (RSMo. § 610.100) states that certain arrest information is not open to the public, including:

• Information if disclosed may violate a person's privacy rights or security.
• Investigative reports of all law enforcement agencies are not open until the investigation becomes inactive.
• Arrest report on any person arrested and not charged with an offense against the law within thirty days of the person's arrest.
• Any information in any suspicious activity report that if disclosed has the potential to endanger the health or safety of an individual.
• Juvenile arrest records are automatically sealed.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

An arrest record in Lawrence County may contain the following information:

• Full name and any aliases of the individual under arrest
• Personal details of the individual including date of birth, address, and physical description
• Mugshots and fingerprints
• Date and place of the arrest
• Booking number and details of the law enforcement officer in charge
• Charges.

Lawrence County Arrest Statistics

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) publishes arrest statistics in Missouri. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Information Systems Division submits Missouri's Uniform Crime Reporting data to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Section. The 2019 statistics report shows 10,435 arrests for offenses from people under 18 and 156,375 arrests for offenses from people of all ages.

The most prevalent arrests for people under 18 were for offenses like property crime (1,799), other assaults (1,796), larceny theft (1,336), and all other offenses except traffic (1,906). The total arrests for all ages from the most prevalent offenses were property crime (18,331), other assaults (14,488), larceny theft (13,947), and all other offenses except traffic (51,050).

Find Lawrence County Arrest Records

Interested persons may find information on inmate arrests by visiting the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office website. The Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center maintains an online inmate roster for offenders under jail custody in Lawrence County. Individuals will have to provide the offender’s first or last name to perform a search for inmates. Some details that will be available from the search include the offender’s name, booking number, release and booking date, bond, charges, and a complete profile. For additional information, contact:

Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office
240 North Main, Suite 10
Mt. Vernon, MO 65712
Phone: (417) 466-2131

The Missouri Department of Corrections also provides an offender search website that allows individuals to access information about active offenders, including probationers and parolees, supervised by the department. However, note that the site does not provide information about certain offenders due to safety, security, or confidentiality concerns (RSMo. § 610). Individuals may search for inmate information using the doc ID or first and last name search criteria.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lawrence County

Interested persons can access Lawrence County arrest records through online search portals on the Sheriff's County office website. Other law enforcement agencies in Missouri may provide free access to arrest reports and criminal history information on public terminals.

There are certain third-party sites that allow individuals to look up statewide arrest information online. However, these are non-governmental sites and may not ensure the accuracy and completeness of the results. The information made available is usually from the official websites of various custodians in the county.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

It depends. In Lawrence County, an arrest may stay on a person's record indefinitely or forever. According to RSMo. § 610.122, expungement of Missouri arrest records is allowed in very limited situations when not automatically expunged by the courts.

Expunge Lawrence County Arrest Records

Expungement or sealing of Lawrence County arrest records ensures that the public cannot access these records. However, Missouri law enforcement agencies, judges, and authorized employers may be able to see a sealed record. Third parties who wish to view sealed records should be authorized or with a court order.

Under RSMo. § 610.140, an individual should meet certain eligibility requirements to expunge arrest records in Lawrence County. To begin, the person will have to file a petition in the county court where the arrest took place.

The eligibility requirements for an expungement depend on the type of petition, destroyed or closed. To be eligible for both types of expungement, the petitioner should:

• Not have other convictions, other than traffic violations.
• Ensure all fines and restitution are paid.
• Not be a threat to public safety.
• Ensure that the record expungement follows the interest of the public and the justice system.

Note that the following crimes are not eligible for expungement:

• Serious felonies
• Violent crimes
• Motor-vehicle violations
• Sex crimes
• Intoxication-related crimes.

The following are the procedures for filing for an arrest record expungement:

• Fill the petition for expungement form.
• Make copies of all documents for future reference.
• File the form and other related documents with the County Court Clerk.
• Pay a fee of up to $250. However, in cases where the individual cannot pay the fee, a fee waiver request can be made at the Clerk of Court’s Office.
• Attend the hearing on the expungement petition. Once the petition is filed, the state court has 30 days to accept or object to the petition.

Upon granting the expungement petition, the court will order all record custodians to close or destroy the records.

Lawrence County Arrest Warrants

A Lawrence County arrest warrant is an order issued by a judge, authorizing police officers to make an arrest within the county. When an officer has reasonable evidence that a person is a suspect or responsible for a crime, an arrest can be made at any place and time using an official warrant.

The judge will only authorize and sign the warrant if probable cause was established. Once an arrest warrant is issued it becomes a court matter and the officer will have to take the individual into custody for further investigation and legal decisions. An arrest warrant will contain the defendant's name, offense, date of arrest, court appearance, judge’s name and signature.

Do Lawrence County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Lawrence County arrest warrants do not expire but stay active unless the subject of the warrant dies or the court judge quashes the warrant.