Fayette County Arrest Records

Fayette County arrest records are created and maintained by the sheriff's office and other city police departments that exist within the county. They are used to document occasions when people are taken into custody by their officers for committing an offense or failing to honor a court summons. Although warrants are necessary to authorize arrests, law enforcement can also arrest a suspect at a crime scene if the officer witnessed the crime or has probable cause.

Arrested persons in Fayette County are held at the Fayette County Jail. Arrest records can be generally classified under criminal records and can be found during criminal history background checks and when inspecting a person's Fayette County Court Records. While the county sheriff's office is the primary repository for the county's arrest records, other criminal justice agencies like the court, the district attorney's office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) usually maintain an arrest record database.

Are Arrest Records Public in Fayette County?

Yes. The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) provides that every person may access information produced, filed, written, and/or maintained by public agencies about their conduct of public business. Per this provision, arrest records are subject to inspection and copying by any interested member of the public. In line with the TPIA, law enforcement agencies and other criminal justice agencies involved in the custody of these records must provide convenient means by which the public can access such records without unnecessary delay.

However, the public's right-to-know policy fostered by the TPIA is not binding on all arrest records. Moreover, the law lets agencies exercise discretionary power when handling record requests. As such, a record custodian may redact certain information from records before release to the public. Aside from this, provisions under the TPIA exempt certain arrest information from public access for confidentiality reasons. Exemptions include:

• Sealed or expunged records
• Information subject to non-disclosure under other federal or state law
• Information temporarily redacted by a court order
• Information about a minor
• Information about crime victims and confidential informants
• Social security numbers
• Other information deemed sensitive by an agency, such as those about ongoing criminal investigations.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Despite redactions that may apply to certain details on public arrest records, the following arrest information is public:

• The arrestee's name and date of birth
• Physical characteristics: race, sex, eye color, hair color, height
• Name of arresting agency
• Name of detention facility
• Alleged charges
• Bail amount and type
• Arrest date and time.

Fayette County Arrest Statistics

The Texas Crime Report by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows that a total of 44 arrests were made in Fayette County in 2023, while the total reported offenses in the said year numbered 294. These included:

• Rape — 18 reported cases and 3 arrests
• Robbery — 2 reported cases and 1 arrest
• Aggravated assault — 36 reported cases and 12 arrests
• Burglary — 35 reported cases and 2 arrests
• Larceny — 167 reported cases and 34 arrests
• Auto theft — 36 reported cases and 2 arrests

Find Fayette County Arrest Records

The Fayette County Sheriff's Office is the chief law enforcement body besides three other police departments in the county. While the Sheriff's Office is the primary resource for county-wide arrest record searches, people may also be able to obtain records from local police departments for arrests made by their officers. Interested parties should contact the Sheriff's Office during business hours for inquiries at:

Fayette County Courthouse
151 North Washington Street
La Grange, TX 78945.

Information about an arrest of interest is required to furnish a record search. Relevant details include the arrestee's name and date of arrest. However, remember that certain records may not be public, and requests for records that have not been created at the time of such requests shall not be granted.

Furthermore, people can view Fayette County arrest records when they inspect the associated criminal court case record. Case numbers are usually required for court record requests, alongside the defendant's name. The court clerk is responsible for such requests. Note that record custodians may charge a nominal fee for this service.

Free Arrest Record Search in Fayette County

Many third-party websites exist where people can find arrest records for free. These websites are usually privately owned and operate independently of government agencies. Searches on these sites are usually name-based and cover multiple counties or states. For some of these sites, complete arrest reports are usually restricted behind a paywall. Please note that these websites only exist for informational purposes. Only arrest records obtained from law enforcement may be used officially.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. However, Texas law affords individuals a "second chance" at clearing their records of arrests and other criminal records. This can be done by expunction or sealing, after which the affected records will be removed from public view.

Expunge Fayette County Arrest Records

Texas Law permits record bearers to petition for their arrest records to be expunged or sealed, after which they are removed from public databases and the person can deny that such arrests ever occurred. However, a person must meet eligibility requirements outlined in Article 55.01 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Also, statutes of limitations apply to certain crimes, depending on the nature of the offense. Note that certain conviction records are not eligible for expunction.

For instance, a person is not eligible for an expunction if the arrest was made for probation violation or if they absconded from a jurisdiction after being released on bond. Most felonies, such as murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, human trafficking, and manslaughter, cannot be sealed. The following records are eligible for expunction:

• A criminal charge that was dismissed or acquitted
• Arrests where an individual was not charged to court
• Conviction of a minor for certain alcohol-related offenses
• Certain misdemeanor offenses committed by minors
• Convictions where the offender was later granted pardon by the governor or president

At the time of filing an expungement petition, the person named on the record must have completed their sentence, not have any pending criminal charges, and have fulfilled any court-ordered probation or parole. Eligible persons should start by preparing and filing an expungement petition or hire an attorney to do so on their behalf. Note that certain filing fees may apply. The petition must contain the arrestee's personal information, information about the crime, the name of the arresting agency, and other relevant information about the arrest incident.

Petitions are filed with the prosecuting district attorney, usually in the county where the offense was committed or where the petitioner resides (Art. 55.02 T.C.C.P.). The court may issue an expunction order or hold an expungement hearing (at which the petitioner and the prosecution shall be present) within 30 days from the date the petition was filed. If the court issues an expunction order, the court clerk shall send certified copies to the Department of Public Safety, the Crime Record Service of the DPS, and each government official, agency, or order entity named on the petition.

Fayette County Arrest Warrants

A Fayette County arrest warrant is a written order issued by a magistrate to a peace officer or other law enforcement officer, commanding them to apprehend a person accused of an offense and bring them before the magistrate (Art. 15.01 T.C.C.P.). Before a warrant is issued, there's usually a complaint laid before the magistrate, either by law enforcement or private citizens. The magistrate may then issue the warrant if there is probable cause. Under Texas law, a warrant must:

• Be issued in the name of "The State of Texas"
• Specify the name of the suspect or state a reasonably definite description if the name is unknown
• State that the person is accused of some offense and list the alleged offense(s)
• Contain the name and signature of the issuing magistrate
• Date and time of issuance

Arrest warrants issued in Fayette County can be executed in any county across the state, except those issued by the mayor of an incorporated city or town.

Do Fayette County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Fayette County arrest warrants remain active for as long as it takes to apprehend a suspect and bring them before a magistrate. Under Art 15.23 of T.C.C.P., a warrant can be executed any day, at any time. A person can only evade an arrest by turning themselves in upon learning about a warrant in their name and satisfying applicable bond requirements.