Jim Wells County Arrest Records

Jim Wells County arrest records are legal documents that document the arrest of a suspect on the commission of a criminal act. It is evidence that a person has been taken into custody, and it includes the reason for the arrest or temporary detention, the nature of the arrest, the charge(s), and all interactions with the law enforcement officer/agency.

In Jim Wells County, arrest records are created by local law enforcement agencies(the police department and the Sheriff's office). If the suspect is formally charged, arrest information is provided to the courts, as the court clerk must create court records for that particular case. Arrest information is also contained in Jim Wells County Court Records. Arrest records are public records and may be retrieved from the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office.

Are Arrest Records Public in Jim Wells County?

Yes. Under the Texas Public Information Act, every person, regardless of citizenship or residency status, is entitled to complete information about the affairs of the government and other public officials. The Act also guarantees the rights of members of the public to access and request copies of government bodies' records.

Notwithstanding, the law has some exceptions. Certain records or information ordinarily included in law enforcement records may be subject to nondisclosure rules. Likewise, government agencies have the discretionary power to redact information from arrest records they deem sensitive or confidential. In this case, the record custodian is legally authorized to refuse requests for arrest information deemed confidential or exempt from public disclosure.

The following sections under the Texas Public Information Act specify several exceptions to the right of access to arrest information:

• Sealed or expunged records
• Information classified as confidential by the constitution, federal or state law, or an order of the court
• Information that may interfere with criminal investigation or prosecution of crime
• Sensitive crime scene image
• Personally identifiable information on law enforcement or court personnel
• Personal information about a minor.
• Information that compromises the safety of a victim or witness
• Confidential records subject to nondisclosure rules.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The Texas Public Information Act compels government agencies to make public records reasonably available to members of the public and requesters. Individuals can expect to find the following information in a Jim Wells County public arrest record:

• The arrestee’s general identification information: The accused’s full government name, alias, and age.
• The arrestee's physical description includes race, ethnicity, gender, weight, height, hair, and eye color.
• The location, date, and time of arrest
• Booking ID
• Charges: A brief description of the charges, the specific offense, counts, and class of offense (felony, misdemeanor)
• Charge: Counts, charge, description of the charge, class of offense (felony, misdemeanor, minor infractions)
• Outstanding arrest warrants
• Bail Information: Eligibility for bail, bond amount, and conditions for release.
• Case Status
• Holding facility.

Jim Wells County Arrest Statistics

According to the Texas Crime Report for 2023 by the Texas Department of Public Safety, law enforcement agencies recorded 938 offenses for murder, rape, arson, auto theft, larceny, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and human trafficking. Only 207 arrests were made for the stated offenses. In the same year, there were 410 incidents of family violence and 23 incidents of sexual assault. Statistics indicate that the most popular and recurrent crimes in Jim Wells County are larceny (425), burglary (211), aggravated assault (168), and auto theft (77).

Find Jim Wells County Arrest Records.

Arrest information is available to the public through government agencies. However, access does not include confidential information or records subject to nondisclosure rules. Researchers and interested persons can direct requests for public arrest records to the relevant state or local law enforcement agencies.

In Jim Wells County, the County Sheriff’s Office is the primary custodian of arrest records. However, just like the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office, police departments within the county also arrest and book suspects and offenders who break the law. This means that researchers can consider municipal police departments as well as the sheriff’s office as primary and official sources for retrieving arrest information.

Although the Jim Wells County Sheriff doesn’t maintain an online arrest log, members of the public can still find criminal information on the office’s website, such as information on wanted persons and the jail rosters for current inmates. Regardless, researchers can contact the county sheriff at or visit the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office to inspect or request copies of arrest and other public law enforcement records.

Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office
P.O. Box 1286
Alice, TX 78333
Phone: (361) 668-0341
Fax: (361) 668-0569

Free Arrest Record Search in Jim Wells County

Interested persons can find free arrest records searches through the Jim Wells County Court Clerk. Jim Wells County criminal court case records contain basic arrest information and are available online at the County CourtView Portal. Researchers may also contact the Alice and Premont Police Department in Jim Wells County to find arrest information.

Another viable option is using third-party aggregate search sites. Third-party sites get their information from official sources as well. However, these service providers are not affiliated with the government. As a result, their information may not be complete or up to date. Also, because they’re privately owned, their services are not free.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Texas, an arrest will stay on a person's public record indefinitely unless it is expunged or sealed. Expunged or sealed records are not accessible to the public, and individuals do not have to disclose these records on applications. To expunge or delete a record, the person must petition the court in the county where they were arrested or where the charges were filed, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

Expunge Jim Wells County Arrest Records

Anyone who wishes to expunge their arrest record must meet eligibility requirements under Article. 55.01 (Right To Exemption) T.C.C.P. First, the petitioner should complete and submit the criminal procedure form titled Expunction Petition-Arrest Records (Chapter 55).

The requirements for eligibility under this provision are for arrested persons who have been tried and acquitted by the trial court or court of criminal appeals or convicted and thereafter pardoned on the grounds of innocence. Or when a person is arrested and released and the charge, if any, does not result in a final conviction, and the person has no further court hearings or court-ordered community supervision (unless the offense is a Class C misdemeanor).

It is trite to note that where charges for a class C misdemeanor offense are dismissed, they cannot be sealed until the statute of limitations for that offense has expired. A second exception to this rule is when an offense that does not have a statute of limitations (common with felonies) is dismissed, that record cannot be sealed. Such offenses include - murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, aggravated assault, offenses against minors, hit and run, and human trafficking.

Furthermore, when a person is convicted of a subsequent offense after acquittal or is still subject to prosecution for at least one other charge, the court cannot order the expungement of files or documents related to that arrest. An individual will also not be eligible to have their records expunged where they have been granted an order previously with respect to related records.

To expunge a record in Texas, the petition for expunction must be filed with the trial court in the jurisdiction of the arrest or the court that handled the case (Art. 55.02 T.C.C.P). Once notified, the court must grant the expunction within 30 days if the individual meets the criteria under Article 55.01(a)(1)(A). The petitioner must provide their full name, sex, race, date of birth, driver’s license and social security numbers, address at arrest, offense date, arrest date, county or municipality of arrest, arresting agency, case number, presiding court, and addresses of all relevant law enforcement agencies and entities that hold related criminal records.

Jim Wells County Arrest Warrants

A Texas arrest warrant is a written order from a magistrate commanding a peace officer or other named law enforcement officer to bring the person accused of an offense before the law (Art. 15.01.). A warrant will be issued when a complaint is submitted to the magistrate claiming that a person has committed an offense, and the complaint must show probable cause to believe the accused committed the offense.

A validly issued warrant in Texas must include the name of the person to be arrested (or a clear description if the person's name is unknown), state the offense against state laws, and be signed by a magistrate.

Do Jim Wells County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Unlike search warrants, arrest warrants issued in Jim Wells County do not expire. It is not possible to evade an arrest warrant by waiting it out or absconding until a significant amount of time has passed. Although law enforcement officers can execute an arrest warrant weeks or months after it is issued, they must do so within a reasonable time to prevent undue delay.

A warrant can be resolved in several ways. A person may do this by voluntarily submitting themselves to the police for questioning or detention, posting a bond to ensure their appearance in future court hearings, attending all scheduled court hearings, or providing valid reasons for missing any previous court hearings. It is best to contact an attorney for legal advice.