Williamson County Arrest Records

Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-7 authorizes law enforcement agencies to apprehend any citizen or resident of Williamson County found violating a county ordinance or committing a public offense (felony or misdemeanor).

After an arrest, the arresting officer will transport the suspect to the Williamson County Detention Division of the John Easley Junior Criminal Justice Center at 408 Century Court for a mandatory booking process. This involves thoroughly searching and confiscating the offender's personal property, collecting DNA and fingerprints, photographs, medical screening, existing warrant search, and assigning a temporary inmate housing area. The suspect can either be released on bail or scheduled for a first court arraignment within 24 hours of booking.

The booking process creates an official file called an arrest record. Williamson County Sheriff and police departments are primarily delegated to create and maintain these records. Arrest records provide insight into a person’s criminal history. Thus, it is a vital document in court proceedings and may form part of the Williamson County court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Williamson County?

Yes, Tennessee arrest records are public records in Williamson County. According to the Tennessee Open Records Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503), members of the public may request viewing access and copies of these records for several purposes, at no cost, and without stating the reason for use. Since transparency is critical to the county’s pledge to accountability and open governance, individuals can easily obtain vital arrest information for housing, tenancy, bank loans, and even personal background checks.

The Open Records Act mandates Williamson County sheriff's office and police departments in the custody of a public record to promptly process inquiries for any public document generated during their statutory affairs.

However, certain arrest records are specifically exempt from public disclosure. These exemptions are stated in Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-504 and include:

• Juvenile Records: Per Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-154 and § 37-1-155, the general public cannot access all arrest files and records regarding minors. Except in specified conditions according to § 37-1-146, only law enforcement agencies, court officials, and authorized entities may inspect the records under Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-153(b).
• Child Abuse: Arrest files and reports generated during child abuse processes are confidential and exempt from public disclosure under Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-612.
• Open Case and Ongoing Investigations: Arrest and information regarding ongoing criminal investigations are only publicly accessible in compliance with a subpoena. Especially if public disclosure may interfere with the progress and authenticity of the investigation.
• Sealed and expunged Records: Arrest records sealed by injunction are redacted from members of the public. Some records are only temporarily sealed pending court motions regarding the case.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Williamson County public arrest records provide necessary information regarding someone's apprehension, detention, and arrest outcome. They include:

• Full name, alias(es), date of birth, sex, race of the arrestee
• Arrestee's physical descriptors. For example, Height, weight, hair color, and eye color
• Date, time, and location of the arrest; arresting agency; and arresting officer
• Offense type, description, statute, and bond amount
• Booking date, time, number, mugshot, and detention facility
• Status of Release
• Case Number

Williamson County Crime Rate

According to data provided by the Tennessee Crime Insight Portal and the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Portal, a total of 869 criminal incidents were reported by law enforcement in Williamson County, Tennessee, in 2024. With a population of almost 269000, the crime rate in the county for the year 2024 was 299.65 per 100000 people.

The most common crime recorded by the Williamson County Sheriff's Department was Drug/Narcotic violations (420), which made up 48.3% of the total crimes in the county. Surprisingly, the second most committed crime in the county was fraud (139), accounting for 15.9% of the total arrests made by law enforcement. Some of the other prevalent crimes were DUI (91), aggravated assault (112), and non-consensual sexual offence (69), each making up 10%,13% and 7.9% of the crime total, respectively. Property-related crimes, such as burglary (33) and motor vehicle theft (21), accounted for 3.7% and 2.4% of Williamson County's total crime in 2024.

Violent crimes such as robbery and murder had the fewest number of incidents, with only one (1) reported incident each.

Williamson County Arrest Statistics

Data obtained from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting portal and the Williamson County Sheriff's Office annual report shows that 2,577 arrests were made by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office in 2024. Non-violent traffic-related arrests(1699) made up 61.6% of the total arrests made by law enforcement agents, which was the highest number of arrests for a crime in the county. Simple assault and drug possession were very common crimes that led to  178 and 147 arrests, respectively. DUI (91) and Larceny (59) arrests were also prevalent in the county, accounting for 3.5% and 2.2% of the total arrests, respectively.

Find Williamson County Arrest Records

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and city police departments maintain and process requests for public arrest records and local background checks per state law. WCSO adheres to the tenets of the Tennessee Public Records Act and the Public Records Policy of Williamson County regarding disseminating arrest records. Interested persons can follow the instructions on the agency’s website to inspect and obtain these records.

County Sheriff's Office:

The records division of the Williamson County Sheriff's Office is the first point of call for anyone to obtain non-confidential arrest and public records. A requester may be asked to submit a government-issued identification or alternative forms of identification.

Inquirers can submit public record requests in writing, by phone, fax, or mail to:

Williamson County Sheriff's Office
408 Century Court
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone: (615) 790-5560
County.Sheriff@williamsoncounty-tn.gov

According to Tenn. Code Ann. § 10-7-503(a)(7)(C), the record custodian may charge processing fees for public record requests as stated in the schedule of reasonable charges. Fees can be paid by cash, check, credit card, or money order. Record request costs 50 cents per 8 ½ x 11 or 8 ½ x 14 color copy and 15 cents per 8 ½ x 11.

Municipal Police Departments

Residents within any municipal police department can also obtain arrest records in person, in writing, or by phone, such as the Nolensville Police Department or Franklin City Police Department.

Notably, inquirers can only obtain records of arrests that occur within the jurisdiction of the city police departments. Some Williamson County police departments (like the Town of Thompson's Station) are maintained by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office. In this regard, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office is the official records custodian and should be reached for arrest information.

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

Often, federal agents may apprehend someone for violating federal statutes within the county. The BOP's Federal Inmate Locator is a worthy resource for finding arrest information regarding county residents apprehended by federal agents. Since the inmate locator database only states the facility where a person is being held, inquirers may obtain explicit arrest information by submitting a Freedom of Information Act request.

Free Arrest Record Search in Williamson County

The most efficient method of conducting a free arrest record search in Williamson County is through the local sheriff's office. Interested persons may request records in writing by filling out the public record request form. Requestors are expected to fill out their first and last name, address, phone number, city, address, and Tennessee citizenship identification.

To expedite retrieval of records, individuals may be asked to provide a description of the desired records. This includes:

• The type of record. In this case, “arrest record”
• The date range for the required records
• Related keywords
• The name of the arrestee, physical address, driver’s license number, date of birth, gender, race, and any other important information.

Metropolitan police departments, like Franklin County, also process arrest records requests. Inquirers can fill out and submit the public request form on their website. Arrest record requests cost a non-refundable fee of 5 cents.

Aside from these government resources, online third-party platforms offer convenient access to arrest records. These repositories typically refer to law enforcement agencies for public arrest files, but a nominal fee may be charged.

Get Williamson County Criminal Records

To get Williamson County criminal records, individuals can visit the Tennessee's Bureau of Investigation or the county circuit court. These records include details about a person's arrest, charges, and case dispositions.

As the central repository for criminal records, the TBI provides comprehensive statewide criminal records by mail or online for a $29 fee. Citizens can request a Tennessee adult criminal history on any individual. The process may be done by mail or online using a valid email address. Background check results are provided electronically.

Furthermore, subjects of records can request an FBI nationwide criminal record search through the TBI for a $50 fee. Requestors and certified entities may conduct this search for the TBI’s contractor. Unlike the state criminal record search, a nationwide record search is fingerprint-based. Alternatively, record holders can order directly from the FBI for $18.

Additionally, anyone who requires a Williamson County-only background check may submit a request to the County Sheriff's Office or City Police Department Records Division through the Open Records Request Policy and Form, as explained above. However, the request will only cover county arrests and criminal charges.

The Williamson County Criminal Court Clerk is an alternative resource for people to request a criminal record check. One can access non-confidential Williamson County criminal records during regular business hours via:

Circuit Court Clerk
Williamson County Judicial Center
135 4th Avenue South Franklin,
TN 37064

Williamson County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

A major difference between an arrest and a criminal record is the depth of information and implications. Having an arrest record only means that someone was apprehended for committing a public offense. It also provides details of the incident and outcome. The existence of an arrest record does not mean the person is guilty of alleged or even an ex-convict.

On the other hand, a criminal record provides details of a person’s run-ins with the criminal justice system, including arrests, charges, and court sentencing. Notably, only ex-convicts have existing criminal records, unless the records are sealed or expunged.

Most people often misunderstand the difference between an arrest and a criminal record. Typically, only criminal records constitute a part of a background check for licensing, school, or employment.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Williamson County, arrests are permanent information on a person’s record unless they request a court-ordered expungement.

Expunge Williamson County Arrest Records

Expungement is a legal procedure authorized by a court for complete or partial relief of an individual's arrest records. Notably, only specific arrest records are eligible for an expungement.

One may qualify for no-cost record expungement in Williamson County if they meet the following conditions:

• The grand jury returned a "no true bill".
• The individual was arrested but charges were dismissed.
• The court delivered a not-guilty verdict.
• The case ended as a nolle prosequi (decision not to pursue prosecution).
• The court/judge denied an order of protection following a legal proceeding.
• The plaintiff is acquitted.
• The plaintiff completed a pretrial diversion program (except for sexual offenses) and had their charges dismissed under Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-15-102. However, filing fees still apply.

How to File for Expungement of Arrest Record

Eligible subjects of record must file for expungement in the county court where the case was initially filed, either a trial or general sessions court. The following steps are familiar:

• Individuals requesting expungement should submit the required case information to the court clerk. This includes docket numbers and offense details. One can obtain a copy of the arrest record from the court clerk to verify information before filing for expungement.
• Next, submit an expungement petition to the court. Individuals can query the court clerk for necessary forms. Anyone filing an expungement of multiple charges must fill out and submit individual forms for each record.
• Petitioners must specify the eligible charges for expungement and submit the documentation to the criminal court clerk without a personal court appearance.
• When submitting the expungement forms, one must provide a self-addressed stamped envelope for each charge to receive copies of the expungement documents.
• Query the court clerk’s office for certified copies of the expungement order and the charging document.

Once anyone files an expungement petition, a judge of reputable court standing will carefully review the petition. If approved, the court will send the expungement order to all law enforcement in custody of the arrest records to complete the expungement process.

If a charge indicates "dismissed with costs," the petitioner must settle the outstanding court costs before proceeding with expungement petitions. Likewise, arrest records bearing "retired," indicate that the case was indefinitely postponed. In this regard, one must request to reclassify the retired case as dismissed.

Despite court orders, publicly unavailable arrest information, case investigative reports, and other confidential records held by law enforcement agencies or district attorneys may not be expunged. However, law enforcement agencies are statutorily prohibited from releasing these records, especially after expungement.

Williamson County Arrest Warrants

Williamson County arrest warrants order an alleged suspect’s person's apprehension and detainment under probable cause that they party to a public offense. An arrest warrant does not mean that the person is guilty or convicted of the said crime. However, it is the start of a person's prosecution and trial. Arrest warrant issuance and execution are determined by Tenn. R. Crim. P. 4 and Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-201.

To secure an arrest warrant, the requesting officer must present an affidavit demonstrating probable cause for arrest to a Williamson County magistrate or clerk. Typically, arrest warrants must specify the individual to be apprehended, the county, and the alleged offense (Rule 4, Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure). The judge may grant the warrant if there is sufficient evidence to believe that the individual in question has violated the criminal justice system or county statute.

Williamson County Arrest Warrant Search

To verify the existence of an arrest warrant, individuals can visit the Williamson County Sheriff's Office or the Williamson County Criminal Court Clerk's Office in person. It is advised to make this visit with an attorney or make inquiries on one's behalf.

Do Williamson County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. According to Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-6-206, arrest warrants for felony offenses do not have an expiry date. However, warrants issued for misdemeanor offenses are only valid for five years