Anderson County Arrest Records

Per Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 15.22, an officer arrests a person by putting them under restraint or taking them into custody with or without a warrant. According to Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 14.01, a warrantless arrest may be performed when a person:

• Commits a felony office in the presence of a peace officer
• Commits a felony offense in the presence of a magistrate, and the magistrate verbally orders the person's arrest.
• Is found in suspicious places and under circumstances that reasonably show that they have committed a felony.
• Has committed an assault that resulted in bodily injury to another person.
• Has committed an offense under Penal Code § 25.07 in the absence of the officer
• Committed an offense involving family violence

The officer collects information during the arrest and booking process generates an arrest record. Like Anderson County court records, such records are available for public perusal. The Anderson County Sheriff's Office is the custodian of arrest records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Anderson County?

Yes. Per the Texas Public Information Act, arrest records are public information. Therefore, citizens can access arrest records maintained by any Anderson County law enforcement agency. The Act exempts certain arrest records from public disclosure. For example, the following arrest records are deemed confidential in Anderson County:

• Investigative records
• Arrest records of juvenile offenders
• The medical records of an arrested person
• Arrest records relating to child abuse investigations
• The arresting officer's home address and family member information
• Information relating to the execution of a convict
• Arrest records whose disclosure would reveal a confidential source's identity constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or endanger a person's life or physical safety.
• A photograph of a peace officer whose release would endanger the officer's life or physical safety.
• Information that reveals the identity of a crime victim
• A law enforcement agency or prosecutor will not disclosure information in their custody relating to the detection, investigation, or prosecution of a crime if:
  • The release of such information would interfere with the crime's detection, investigation, or prosecution.
  • The investigation did not result in conviction or deferred adjudication.
  • Such information relates to a threat against a peace officer or detention officer and is collected or disseminated under Texas Government Code § 411.048.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

An Anderson County public arrest record contains the following information:

• The date of arrest
• The arrested person's name (including aliases)
• The arrest's date of birth and physical description.
• The name of the arresting agency
• The arrest charge and whether it is a felony or a misdemeanor
• Disposition and disposition date

Anderson County Crime Rate

Record seekers can find crime rates on the Texas Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Crime Report page. The report shows that Anderson County had about 413 crimes in 2023, a decrease from 651 in 2022. The major crimes committed that year were larceny (248), aggravated assault (62), and burglary (50).

Anderson County Arrest Statistics

In 2023, the Texas Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Crime Report showed 91 arrests in Anderson County. This was an increase from that of 2022, which was 66. Most of the arrestees were guilty of crimes like larceny (59), aggravated assault (18), and burglary (8).

Find Anderson County Arrest Records

Individuals can find Anderson County arrest records at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Requests can be made via the following methods:

• Online: The TDCJ has an Inmate Information Search tool through which individuals can view arrest records online. The search criteria are by last name, first name, TDCJ number, SID number, gender, or race.
• By email: The record staff will need the inmate's full name and 7-digit TDCJ number to process email requests. If the TDCJ number is unknown, record seekers can provide the exact date of birth. However, if the exact date of birth is unknown, requesters can provide an approximate age and county of conviction. The email address is pia@tdcj.texas.gov. The email's subject line should have the inmate's name.
• By phone: Call the TDJC during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) at the following offices:
  • (844) 512-0461 (the Board of Pardons and Paroles status line)
  • (512) 406-5202 (the Parole Division status line in Austin). Provide a TDCJ or SID# or date of birth.
  • (936) 295-6371 or (800) 535-0283 (Inmate Locator/General Information Line - Huntsville)
• In-person: In-person requests can be made at any TDCJ facility during business hours.

Record seekers can also find Anderson County arrest records at federal law enforcement agencies. The common ways to find such records are online, by mail, and in person. Interested persons should be able to find arrest records at the following federal agencies:

• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) provides arrest records for free through its Inmate Locator. A search can be conducted by number (BOP register number, DCDC number, FBI number, or INS number) or name (first, middle, or last). The BOP also has facilities across the county where individuals can get copies of arrest records for a fee.
• Subjects of records can get arrest records online, by mail, and through approved channelers at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS). A copy of an arrest record costs $18. Acceptable payment methods include Credit Card Payment Form, money order, or certified check. Anderson County residents requesting arrest records online must visit a participating U.S. Post Office location to submit their fingerprints. Online requests take 15 days to process. Individuals requesting records by mail should submit a completed Applicant Information Form to the CJIS. It takes about 20 days to process mail requests. The mailing address is:

FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

• The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provides arrest records online and in person to members of the public at its local field offices and detention facilities. Requesters can use the ICE's Online Detainee Locator System to view arrest records electronically using an A-Number or biographical information.
• The United States Capitol Police (USCP) has an online portal where record seekers can view arrest records without charges. The portal allows searches to be filtered by CFN number, crime date, crime summary, and crime type. The USCP also provides arrest records to individuals when a completed Request Form is mailed to:

United States Capitol Police
Reports Processing Section
119 D Street, Ne
Washington, DC 20510

Free Arrest Record Search in Anderson County

Individuals can retrieve arrest records for free over the phone at the Anderson County Jail. They must call (903) 731-8209 during business hours. The record staff will ask for the inmate's name or arrest date to process the request. Alternatively, requesters can utilize third-party portals to find arrest records for free. Only basic arrest information is freely available to users. In fact, individuals cannot view and download a full arrest report with the free option. They would have to pay a small fee for such a service.

Get Anderson County Criminal Records

The Anderson County Sheriff's Office's (ACSO) Records Department is the custodian of criminal records, also known as background checks. Individuals interested in getting criminal records can make their request in writing by letter or email. To send an email, go to the ACSO official website and click the "Records Dept" tab. Scroll down to the Email Records section and enter the necessary information. Afterward, click the submit button to make the request. Requesters submitting a letter should mail it to:

Anderson County Sheriff's Office
ATTN: Records
1200 E. Lacy St.
Palestine, TX 75801
Phone: (903) 731-8214

Individuals can also get Anderson County criminal records from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) 's Crime Records Division (CRD). A search can be conducted by name or fingerprints. A name-based search can be done online through the Criminal History Conviction Name Search database. New users must create an account and log in to the portal with their email address or user ID and password. A fingerprint-based search can be done by visiting any DPS FAST location to submit fingerprints. This service is usually by appointment. Review the Criminal History Information document to understand how to get criminal records using fingerprints. Name-based searches cost $10, while fingerprint-based searches cost $15. FAST services cost an extra $10 for fingerprinting fees. The processing time for criminal records is ten (10) business days.

Anderson County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

An arrest record contains information about a person who has committed a criminal offense and has been apprehended by the police. Per Tex. Govt. Code §411.082(2), criminal records are information a criminal justice agency maintains about an arrested person. These records include identifiable descriptions of the person, along with details of arrests, detentions, indictments, charges, and their respective outcomes.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests stay on a person's record forever in Anderson County, and they are open to anyone with proper authorization. However, arrested persons can find a way to erase or seal their records through expungement. The Texas State Library & Archives Commission (TSLAC) provides the general public with the Retention Schedule of some arrest records:

• A person's arrest reports are kept for 75 years.
• Police activity logs or dockets relating to an arrest are retained for two (2) years.
• Offense investigation records are kept for 75 years or until the date the subject of the record dies.
• Offense records (first-degree and capital felonies) of cases cleared or dismissed by the court are kept for 50 years.
• Offense records (second and third-degree felonies) of cases cleared or dismissed by the court are kept for ten (10) years.
• Offense records (class A and B misdemeanors and state jail felonies) of cases cleared or dismissed by the court are retained for two (2) years.
• Clery act reporting (crime log and statistics) associated with arrests for liquor and drug law violations and illegal weapons possession are kept for seven (7) years.
• Arrest reports and citations for Class C misdemeanors and unclassified violations of state or local law punishable by fine only are kept for six (6) months.

Expunge Anderson County Arrest Records

Anderson County residents use both expungement and expunction interchangeably. It is the erasing or eliminating of a person's arrest records. The Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 55 highlights the offenses eligible for expungement in Anderson County:

• Some misdemeanor juvenile offenses.
• Crimes associated with alcohol-related offenses committed by a minor.
• The statute of limitations for the crime has expired, so it can no longer be prosecuted.
• The Governor of Texas or the U.S. President grants the arrestee a pardon for the offense.
• A misdemeanor or felony charge where the arrestee was found not guilty by a judge or jury.
• The convicted individual receives a pardon or is granted relief because they were found innocent.
• Crimes relating to unlawful carrying of weapons that a person commits before September 1, 2021, pursuant to Texas Penal Code Section 46.02(a).
• Charges for a crime that did not lead to a final conviction and is not pending, with no court-ordered community supervision (except Class C misdemeanor offenses), provided that:
• The arrestee has not expunctioned any arrest record and file previously.
• The waiting period of the offense has been completed (this period varies by offense).
• No charging instrument or indictment has been filed against the arrestee after the arrest or case was dismissed or quashed.
• The petition for discretionary review period has passed, the individual was tried, convicted, and subsequently acquitted by the court of criminal appeals, or the government office responsible for prosecuting the offense recommends expunction.

Eligible individuals must file a Petition for Expunction with the Anderson County District Court, where the case was handled, to have their records expunged. The court charges a filing fee of $350 pursuant to Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 102.006. After receiving the petition, the court will schedule a hearing within 30 days from the filing date. The hearing notice will be mailed to all the law enforcement agencies involved in the case. The court will not charge any fees if the agencies are part of their electronic system. However, the requester would have to pay a $7 per agency fee plus a copy of the petition & order setting hearing ($1 per page) for the court to serve the notice of hearing on agencies not part of their electronic system. The applicant is expected to bring a drafted Order of Expunction to the hearing. The law enforcement agencies can contest the expungement during the hearing. If the applicant meets the necessary requirements, the court will grant the request. The judge will sign the Order for Expunction and serve it on all law enforcement agencies with the applicant's arrest records. The court charges $7 per agency plus a copy of the order ($1 per page) and certification (5 per document) for serving the Final Order (Granted/Denied). The agencies are required to delete or return the records to the District Court Clerk.

Anderson County Arrest Warrants

Under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. § 15.01, an arrest warrant is an order written by a magistrate directed to a peace officer or someone named on it, commanding them to arrest a person accused of an offense. It is usually issued in the name of the state, and it contains:

• The name of the person to be arrested. If the name is unknown, the accused's description will be provided.
• The name of the offense the person is accused of
• The magistrate's signature and their office

An arrest warrant issued in Anderson County can be executed anywhere in Texas. The officer can make an arrest on any day, at any time of day or night. After the arrest, the executing officer must bring the suspect without delay before the issuing magistrate or the magistrate named in the arrest warrant. However, if the issuing or named magistrate is in another county, the officer will bring the suspect before the magistrate in the county of arrest.

Anderson County Arrest Warrant Search

Individuals can get arrest information at the Anderson County Sheriff's Office Civil Division. Requests can be made by phone at (903) 731-8243 or in person during business hours. The record staff will require at least a name to conduct the search. The office is located on the first floor of the main courthouse at:

Anderson County Courthouse
500 N. Church St.
Room 12
Palestine, TX 75801

The Anderson County Clerk makes copies of warrants available for public inspection at their office. Individuals can make requests in person during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Copies of arrest warrants cost a small fee.

Do Anderson County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. An arrest warrant issued in Anderson County remains active until it is resolved. A warrant is only resolved when the person named on it is arrested. However, there are times when an issuing judge can recall or quash an arrest warrant.