Union County Arrest Records

Union County arrest records comprise details gathered and noted by the police about an arrest, including the alleged offense and the offender's release conditions. These records help to determine the circumstances of an arrest and locate a suspect. Law enforcement agencies, lawyers, and the general public may also review arrest records for investigation purposes, background checks, and other legal processes.

Notably, while law enforcement agencies are the primary custodians of arrest records in Union County, specific details of an arrest eventually become part of the Union County court records and other criminal justice documents.

Are Arrest Records Public in Union County?

Yes, According to the Mississippi Public Records Act, any member of the public can request arrest information from local police departments in Union County. However, not every record can be made public.

Specific state statutes, federal law, and court rules prohibit the release of sensitive information that may invade citizens' privacy or impede the administration of justice. Examples of protected arrest information include juvenile records, social security numbers, financial details, and medical records. Sealed arrest records, information tied to active criminal investigations, and specific victim data (usually victims of violent or sex offenses) are also confidential.

Only entities authorized by law can, in most cases, access restricted records. These generally include law enforcement agencies that can demonstrate that such records are necessary for criminal investigations, subjects of records, and parties that have obtained court orders.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Arrest records released to the public in Union County include the following data:

• Arrestee's name, age, physical attributes, and sex
• Description of alleged offense
• Holding facility
• Booking date
• Bond details
• Arresting agency
• Court appearance dates
• Arrest type, including whether the arrest occurred because of a warrant

Union County Arrest Statistics

According to the Mississippi National Incident-Based Reporting System, there were 2,094 Union County arrests in 2024. Law enforcement agencies reported 11 aggravated assault arrests, 41 simple assault arrests, and 213 arrests for drug/narcotic violations, among others.

Find Union County Arrest Records

Members of the public may contact the sheriff's office using the following address and phone details to request information regarding people who were recently arrested by the agency:

300 Carter Avenue
New Albany, MS 38652
Phone: (662) 534-1941
Fax: (662) 534-1993

Local police departments, such as the New Albany Police Department, also hold most information regarding arrests executed by their police officers within city and municipality boundaries. One can contact these agencies to obtain records related to such arrests.

Information about people convicted of state crimes and handed over to the Mississippi Department of Corrections can be obtained by accessing the department's online inmate search tool with a name or ID number. The system displays each inmate's physical attributes (height, build, eye color, hair color, weight, complexion, etc.), sex, race, date of birth, and name. It also includes the location where they are being held, the number of sentences, entry dates, and sentence lengths. One can also approach the DOC directly or use its public records request channel if they require additional inmate information.

It should be noted that finding details about federal arrestees involves approaching the arresting agency. One can also use the federal inmate search tool operated by the Bureau of Prisons to locate federal inmates. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also offers an online detainee search system that allows members of the public to find people arrested for immigration and customs-related crimes.

Free Arrest Record Search in Union County

Third-party websites offer free searches to members of the public looking into Union arrest records or records from various law enforcement agencies. A search can usually be performed with a person's first and last name. However, these sites are not official sources, and documents or information obtained by users should be verified through public agencies. Further, users may be charged to receive comprehensive information.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Arrest records can stay on a person’s criminal history forever unless they successfully file for expungement (or expunction). People who do not qualify for expungement, such as those convicted of certain serious felony offenses and individuals convicted more than once for some misdemeanors, will have their arrest information remain on their records permanently.

Expunge Union County Arrest Records

Various Missouri statutes allow specific individuals to apply for expungement. An expungement is a court order that compels custodians of arrest records to delete such records. Eligible applicants include the following:

• Subjects of misdemeanor charges, citations, and arrests who were not formally prosecuted or charged within 12 months
• Former arrestees and defendants whose charges were dropped or dismissed
• Defendants whose criminal trials did not have a disposition or ended in a finding of not guilty
• Recipients of nolle prosequi orders
• Subjects of investigations who were never indicted
• People sentenced to pre-trial diversion programs
• First-time misdemeanor convicts (except traffic violators)
• Ex-felony convicts who have completed their sentences, probation, and other court-imposed penalties five years ago

These individuals can petition the court in which they were charged or convicted to get their records expunged. Before the court hearing on the petition, petitioners are instructed to give a 10-day written notice to the District Attorney’s office for the third circuit, which is in charge of prosecutions in Union County.

Union County Arrest Warrants

Arrest warrants are court directives issued by judges that allow law enforcement authorities to take people into custody and bring them before a court. These orders are usually issued after police agencies submit sworn complaints to judges accusing particular persons of breaking the law.

Judges sign off on warrants when there is probable cause to believe the accused party may have committed the alleged crime. However, it should be noted that Mississippi law (Miss. Code Ann. § 99-3-7) allows law enforcement agents (and even private persons) to arrest people without warrants in specific situations, such as when a person commits a crime or attempts to break the law in the officer's or citizen’s presence.

In certain instances, judges may issue arrest warrants from the bench without reviewing law enforcement complaints, usually when individuals violate court orders, such as failing to honor court appointments, pay fines, or perform specific actions.

An arrest warrant in Union County generally contains the defendant's full name, the alleged offense, a command for the police to capture the defendant, and the signature of the issuing judge. If the person's name is unknown, the warrant will bear a physical description that can be used to identify them.

People seeking arrest warrant information can visit the issuing Union County court or contact the local sheriff's office.

Do Union County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Arrest warrants remain active until police officers capture the accused persons and take them before a judge. Mississippi law also allows officers who are aware of a warrant but do not have the actual copy to arrest the subjects wherever they may be apprehended within the state. However, a court can quash or recall a warrant if probable cause for the arrest no longer exists.