Anderson County Arrest Records

When an individual is arrested in Anderson County, they are held by the arresting agency in any of the county's holding facilities. Upon arrival at a facility, the arrestee is booked, and their details are collected for documentation. The details assembled during the intake process comprise Anderson County arrest records. This information is managed by the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (T.B.I.), and other law enforcement agencies. Typically, these agencies make arrest records available to members of the public because they are considered part of public records. Because of their relevance to the judicial process, arrest information may also be featured within Anderson County Court Records and related juridical documents.

Are Arrest Records Public in Anderson County?

Yes. The Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA) helps promote government accountability and transparency by providing citizens access to arrest records. The Act authorizes law enforcement agencies to make arrest records available for public inspection and copying during official business hours. However, the provisions of the TPRA are not absolute, and the following information is typically exempt from public disclosure:

• Investigative records
• Any photograph or video portrayal of the minor crime victim
• Arrest information of a defendant and a minor crime victim that are related except if the relationship is an essential element of the offense.
• The name, telephone number, social security number, home, work, and email addresses of a minor victim of a criminal offense.
• Arrest information whose release will identify a confidential informant or an undercover law enforcement agent
• An arrested person's medical records include individually identifiable health information (such as admission date, birth date, address, name, discharge date, and medical record number).
• Footages taken with a law enforcement body camera which reveal minors and the interior of a licensed facility and a private residence that is not being investigated as a crime scene.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records maintained by Anderson County law enforcement agencies typically contain the following information:

• Inmate's full name and mugshot
• Age, race, and sex
• Intake date and time and city of arrest
• Charge, class, bond, and release date
• The arresting officer's name and name of the arresting department

Anderson County Arrest Statistics

The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) Statistical Abstract reports that about 105 persons from Anderson County were incarcerated in state prisons as of June 2023. According to the Jail Summary Reports, 374 arrested individuals were in Anderson County jail as of September 2024.

Find Anderson County Arrest Records

The Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) has 14 state prisons across the state, and requesters can visit them to obtain copies of arrest records. When sufficient information is provided for the search, arrest record custodians will help process a request. The TDOC's Felony Offender Information Lookup (FOIL) tool may also be used to search Anderson County arrest records. Searches can be conducted for free by name, TDOC ID, or State ID.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (T.B.I.) sends arrest records in its custody to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.), and subjects of record can obtain copies of them online, by mail, or through authorized channelers. This service costs $18, and the acceptable forms of payment are credit card through the Credit Card Payment Form, money order, or certified check. Individuals submitting the requests online must submit their fingerprints at participating U.S. Post Office locations. Applicants may also mail a completed Applicant Information Form and the appropriate fee to:

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

Members of the public access Anderson County arrest records online or in person at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.). The Online Detainee Locator System is a convenient tool for locating arrest records for free using an A-Number or biographical details. In-person requests can be made at the I.C.E. field offices or detention facilities.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (B.O.P.) also disseminates Anderson County arrest records online through the Inmate Locator and in person at its facilities. Requesters will need a number (B.O.P. register number, DCDC number, F.B.I. number, or I.N.S. number) or name (first, middle, or last) to use the locator.

Interested persons can find arrest summary reports online and by mail at the United States Capitol Police (USCP). The online portal can be filtered using a crime summary, crime date, CFN number, or crime type. Mail requests include mailing a completed Request Form to:

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

Free Arrest Record Search in Anderson County

The Anderson County Sheriff's Department provides free access to arrest records of individuals currently in jail to the public through the 24-hour Arrest List available on their website. Users can click on the first letter of an inmate's last name to narrow the search. Individuals can also search third-party platforms for arrest records without fees. However, these platforms will offer limited free access or trial periods for arrest records. Most third-party sites charge fees to cover the costs of compiling arrest records. Therefore, a fee will be required for extensive searches.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Indefinitely. Anderson County arrest records are usually publicly available until they are expunged. The Tennessee Secretary of State (S.O.S.) has proper storage and disposal methods for arrest records through its Records Disposition Authorization portal. Below are some examples:

• Arrest index cards are kept until the inmate dies
• The arrest files of dead offenders are kept for 15 years
• Files of sex offender community supervision are kept for 25 years
• Fingerprinting records are retained until the arrestee dies or after 100 years.
• Files of probation and parole community supervision are kept for five (5) years.
• Body scanner images where the incident is unidentified are kept for three (3) months.
• Complaint/incident reports not pertaining to a felony case are retained for five (5) years.
• Inmates' health records are kept for seven (7) years, while medical records are kept for ten (10) years after the inmate's release.

Expunge Anderson County Arrest Records

Expungement, also known as expunction in Anderson County, removes an arrest charge from a criminal record. Individuals can petition the Anderson County Court to have their arrest records removed if:

• The charge has been dismissed (T.C.A. § 40-32-101)
• A no-true bill was returned by the Grand Jury (T.C.A. § 40-32-101)
• A verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury (T.C.A. § 40-32-101
• A Nolle Prosequi was entered in the case (T.C.A. § 40-32-101)
• The prosecution was suspended pursuant to T.C.A. § 40-15-105
• The conviction which has by appeal been reversed (T.C.A. § 40-32-101)
• The petitioner has successfully completed all probation provisions and proceedings (T.C.A. § 40-35-313)

Individuals can visit the Anderson County Circuit Court Clerk's office to obtain the appropriate expungement form and submit a completed copy for filing. Per Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401, the Clerk may charge $100 as the filing fees. The judge will enter an Order for the Expungement of the Criminal Offender Record if the request for expungement is approved. After signing the expungement order, the Clerk will send it to various law enforcement agencies like the arresting agency, Anderson County Jail, Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC), and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (T.B.I.), who will expunge the charges from their databases. The TDOC will remove the person's arrest records from its Tennessee Felony Offender Lookup (FOIL) and Tennessee Offender Management Information System (TOMIS). The T.B.I. will remove the charges from the criminal records, delete them from the paper or electronic fingerprint card, and send the expungement order to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for processing.

Anderson County Arrest Warrants

Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-201 defines an arrest warrant as a written order stating the substance of a complaint commanding a proper officer to arrest a defendant. Magistrates in Anderson County are authorized by Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-202 to issue arrest warrants for apprehending persons charged with public offenses. They are to base the issuance on the satisfaction that there is a probable to believe a defendant has committed the offense mentioned in a complaint (Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-205). An arrest warrant always specifies the defendant's name, but the magistrate can state any name in the warrant if the name is unknown. It also contains the name of the offense committed by the defendant, the issuing county, and the name and initials of the magistrate in office. Per Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-208, the magistrate will attach a copy of the affidavit or complaint to the warrant.

Do Anderson County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants issued in Anderson County do not have an expiration date. Per Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-206, arrest warrants issued for misdemeanor offenses will be automatically deleted and removed from the records if they were not served, returned, or quashed for 5 years from the issuance date.