Fannin County Arrest Records

Under Texas law, a law enforcement officer or a private citizen may arrest someone without a warrant if a felony or an offense against the public peace is committed in their presence or within their view. In certain situations, the police may also obtain a warrant from a county court to carry out an arrest.

Arrest records are documents created to store information about arrests made by law enforcement officers. They are kept in the arresting agency's local database. After an arrest, the record must be entered into the Texas Department of Public Safety's Computerized Criminal History Database within seven days under Chapter 66, Article 66.102 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Information regarding subsequent judicial proceedings will be outlined in Fannin County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Fannin County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Fannin County per the Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, and the Texas Public Information Act (PIA). Fannin County arrest records are regarded as a category of criminal records that are available to interested persons. Individuals can access these records and request arrest records through official channels provided by the records custodians. However, a court order or specific state statutes exempt certain arrest records from public disclosure. Some examples of non-disclosable arrest records in Fannin County include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Arrest records from child abuse investigations
• Arrest records that show the name and address of a law enforcement officer
• Arrest reports that reveal social security and credit card numbers

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Fannin County public arrest records usually reveal the following information:

• The name of the subject of the record
• A physical description of the arrested person(race,sex, height,weight)
• The date and time of the arrest
• The individual's last known address
• The arrest report(cause of the arrest)
• Charges against the arrested individual
• Name of the arresting agency
• Bond and bail information

Fannin County Arrest Statistics

Data from the FBI's uniform crime reporting portal showed that the Fannin County Sheriff's Department made 120 arrests from January to December 2023. Most arrests were made for drug-related offenses(38), which made up 28% of the total arrests in that time period. The second most arrests were for simple assault(21), contributing to 18% of total arrests. Driving under the influence (20) and aggravated assault made up 17% and 13% of arrests, respectively.

Find Fannin County Arrest Records

Interested members of the public may find Fannin County arrest records at the police department or county sheriff's office that made the arrest. Every law enforcement organization in Fannin County has a Records Division, which acts as a vital link between the public and law enforcement and guarantees the safe and correct preservation of critical law enforcement data. The Records Division's primary duties include keeping track of, storing, and retrieving manual and electronic criminal records. Requests for arrest records can be made to these divisions in person, by mail, or via email. Fannin County's record divisions provide a method for people to request arrest records by submitting a Public Information Request. Requesters are typically required to provide a detailed description of the specific records they are looking for. The agency will ask the Office of the Attorney General of Texas for a determination on the exemption if it thinks the requested arrest records are legally exempt from disclosure. If the agency requests a ruling, requestors will be informed.

Persons seeking information regarding an individual taken into custody and detained pending their initial court appearance may contact the arresting department or the agency's jail division. For the Fannin County Jail, this is located at:

Fannin County Jail
2389 Silo Road
BONHAM, TEXAS 75418
Phone: (903) 640-4171
Fax: (903) 640-0832

Free Arrest Record Search in Fannin County

Free arrest records searches may be done in person at any Fannin County law enforcement office. Police departments may waive the fees associated with a record search in cases where the arrest records will be used to serve the public interest. Arrest records can also be searched for free if the person on the record was wrongfully arrested and is requesting the records for expungement purposes. However, it is at the discretion of the custodian to waive these fees.

Alternatively, inquirers may perform a Fannin County arrest record search through third-party websites. Third-party websites are privately owned databases that provide access to interested persons online. They can be searched using the name of the individual on the record of interest. However, they can also be narrowed down using filters such as the date of the arrest, place of arrest, and the name of the arresting agency. Additionally, subscription-based versions of third-party sites provide more detailed arrest records and records compared to free-to-use sources.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Forever. Fannin County arrest records remain on a person's record indefinitely. Texas has no automatic expungement statutes, so an arrest record will remain active on a person's criminal record if steps are not taken to have it erased. The only way to erase an arrest record in Fannin County is through processes known as expungement or acquiring non-disclosure orders.

Expunge Fannin County Arrest Records

According to Texas law (chapter 55. expunction of criminal records), expungement is the process of Completely erasing an arrest record as if the offense never occurred. Following expungement, the public and the majority of private organizations will be unable to access the record, and the arrestee can lawfully deny the incident ever occurred. In non-disclosure, the record usually remains hidden from the general public and most private organizations, such as employers or landlords. However, it is still accessible to government agencies and in some court cases.

Only eligible persons can apply for an expungement in Fannin County. The requirements for expunging arrest records in Fannin County, Texas, differ based on the offense and whether the arrest led to charges and a conviction. The following classes of arrest records may be more easily expunged:

• Arrests for a Class C misdemeanor that Received deferred adjudication
• Persons who were detained without being accused, found guilty and subsequently granted a pardon, or acquitted
• Persons who were exonerated after being declared guilty.
• Arrest, charge, or conviction on a person's record because of identity theft by someone who was actually arrested, charged, or convicted of the crime;
• A criminal charge that was later dismissed;
• arrests that led to Conviction for a crime that was later acquitted by the trial court or the Criminal Court of Appeals;
• Conviction for a crime that was later pardoned by the US President or the Governor of Texas

The waiting periods for expungement vary depending on the offense, typically ranging from 6 months to 3 years.

To start the expunction process, an individual (or their attorney) must file a Petition for Expungement with the Fannin County district court. This petition should include personal information, the date and nature of the alleged offense, the arresting agency's name, and a list of all agencies or organizations that might hold a record of the arrest. The court sets a hearing date and notifies all relevant entities (the "Respondents"). If the petitioner meets all requirements, the court will grant the expunction.

Fannin County Arrest Warrants

Fannin County arrest warrants are documents created by a Fannin County court that direct law enforcement to make an arrest and bring the person before a judge.

Law enforcement officers obtain arrest warrants from the judge by making a complaint with physical evidence that a person has committed a crime. A Fannin County arrest warrant shows the following information:

• The name of the person who is under arrest
• A physical description of the wanted individual so that they can be identified
• The date and time of the issuance of the warrant
• The suspect's last known address
• The signature of the judge

Individuals can search for warrants issued by the Fanning County courts by contacting the Fannin County court clerk. The county's sheriff's office also has a database of state-issued active warrants.

Do Fannin County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants issued by courts in Fannin County do not have an expiry date. They remain active as long as a person mentioned in the warrant is alive. Fannin County arrest warrants remain valid until they are recalled by the judge who issued them.