Lincoln County Arrest Records

The best method of obtaining copies of Lincoln County arrest records is by visiting the Sheriff's Office in person. As the official custodian of these records, the Sheriff provides public access to them in accordance with the Kentucky Open Records Act. Record seekers should be prepared to provide sufficient information to facilitate the search. Sometimes, arrest information may also be available at the Lincoln County Circuit Clerk's Office, notably if the arrest led to formal charges or legal proceedings. Individuals can search Lincoln County court records to locate the relevant arrest details in such instances.

Are Arrest Records Public in Lincoln County?

Yes. The Kentucky Open Records Act grants citizens the right to access arrest records maintained by local and state law enforcement agencies. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office accepts written applications for arrest records by mail, phone, fax, and in person during business hours. The office will respond to all applications within five business days. However, some arrest records are treated as confidential and are not released to the public. Such records are only open to the record holder, their legal representatives, and criminal justice agencies.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

A Lincoln County arrest record typically contains the following information:

• The arrested person's name, mugshot, height, weight, and gender
• The arrestee's date of birth, age, marital status, race, birthplace, hair and eye color, and body build
• Intake and release dates
• Inmate status
• Offender ID
• Offenses, arrest code, statute, case number, and control number

Lincoln County Arrest Statistics

The Kentucky State Police (KSP) provides arrest statistics on its Crime and Traffic Data page. According to the Crime in KY 2023 report, approximately 1,357 arrests occurred in Lincoln County that year. About 1,345 of these were adult arrests and 12 were juvenile arrests. That same year, DUI arrests totaled 188.

Find Lincoln County Arrest Records

The Kentucky Department of Corrections (KDOC) oversees 14 correctional facilities situated across the state. Individuals can visit any of these agencies to obtain copies of the arrest records of Lincoln County adult offenders. Record seekers can also use the Kentucky Online Offender Lookup (KOOL) to find Lincoln County arrest information for free. The search parameters are name, offender PID, and location.

Record seekers can also find Lincoln County arrest records at federal law enforcement agencies. Some agencies, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), limit access to their records and make them open to only record holders. Other agencies, like the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), the United States Capitol Police (USCP), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), make their records available to the public. Requesters can access these records online, by mail, or in person at the local offices.

Free Arrest Record Search in Lincoln County

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office does not have online databases where individuals can find arrest information for free. However, requesters can try contacting them by phone at (606) 365-2696 or by email at lincoln.kysheriff.org to inquire about free access to arrest records.

Third-party portals are a guaranteed way of conducting free arrest record searches. Users can initiate the search by entering a name or a date range. The portals will return arrest information across multiple jurisdictions without charges. However, such free information is always limited. Users must pay a small fee to access comprehensive details or download complete arrest reports.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Most arrests in Lincoln County stay on record forever. For example, civil fingerprint cards and criminal history records of serious-level offenders remain on record permanently. However, individuals can limit access to these records through expungement. Lincoln County residents can view the timeframe of some arrest records using the Kentucky State Police's (KSP) Records Retention Schedule.

Expunge Lincoln County Arrest Records

According to KRS 431.076, the Lincoln County Circuit Court will expunge the arrest records of individuals whose charges were acquitted or dismissed with prejudice after 30 days. Afterwards, the court clerk will send the expungement order to the defendant or attorney and the relevant law enforcement agencies involved. The court and other agencies will delete or remove the person's arrest records from their database.

Arrested persons charged with misdemeanors or felonies may be eligible for expungement if they meet the KRS 431.078 and 431.073 criteria. Those eligible should contact the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to request an expungement certification. Requests can be submitted online through the online request form, by mail, or in person during business hours for a fee of $40, payable by check, money order, credit, or debit cards. Mail applicants must complete an Expungement Certification Request Form and send it to:

Administrative Office of the Courts
Records Unit
1001 Vandalay Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 573-1682 or (800) 928-6381
Email: records@kycourts.net

After getting the certification, the applicant must send a completed Petition for Expungement or an Application to Vacate and Expunge Felony Conviction Form to the Lincoln County Circuit Court Clerk. They must attach the Expungement Certification with the form and pay the necessary filing fees. The Clerk will notify the prosecutor of the expungement application. The prosecutor must respond to the notification within 60 days. The court can sign the order without a hearing if the prosecutor approves the expungement.

Lincoln County Arrest Warrants

Per Ky. R. Crim. P. RCr Rule 2.04, a Lincoln County judge will issue an arrest warrant if a complaint indicates probable cause to believe that a person has committed an offense. The judge can issue multiple warrants for the same complaint. The arrest warrant will be in writing and include the state's name. It will also contain the following information (Ky. R. Crim. P. RCr 2.06):

• The signature and office title of the issuing judge
• The issuing date, the name of the court to which it is returnable, and the complaining party's name
• The defendant's name, if known, or any name or description if the name is unknown
• The name or the description of the defendant's crime, and the county where the offense occurred.

An arrest warrant is usually issued to all peace officers in the state, directing them to arrest the defendant and bring them before the court. If the crime committed by the defendant is bailable, the issuing judge will endorse the bail amount on the warrant. The officer must serve a copy of the arrest warrant and the complaint on the defendant as soon as possible. According to Ky. R. Crim. P. RCr 2.12, the officer must return the arrest warrant to the court after executing it.

Do Lincoln County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants issued in Lincoln County do not expire. Therefore, law enforcement officers can arrest the subject of the warrant at any time except when the judge recalls them. An arrest warrant becomes void when the officer executes it by arresting the defendant.