Meade County Arrest Records

Law officers from the Meade County Sheriff's Office, the Brandenburg and Muldraugh police departments, Kentucky State Police (KSP) – Post 4, and other law enforcement agencies are authorized to arrest individuals who commit arrestable acts in their presence or are implicated by credible witness accounts of committing or being about to commit such acts.

These agencies create arrest records as evidence of the individuals they take into custody as part of the arrest process. Meade County arrest records are precursor documents for criminal case trials within the Meade County Circuit and District Courts. If the courts do not seal or expunge them, these documents may be accessible as part of Meade County court records.

The Meade County Detention Center is the county's main correctional facility. It houses individuals awaiting trials, sentencing, or transfer to other facilities and also holds individuals serving short-term sentences.

Are Arrest Records Public in Meade County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Meade County. Section 61.872 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) stipulates that all official documents (including Meade County arrest records) in the custody of government agencies and their employees are open to inspection by residents of the Kentucky Commonwealth.

However, for privacy reasons and the integrity of law enforcement processes, there are exemptions to public access to some Meade County arrest records. According to the Kentucky Open Records Act, Meade County arrest records are publicly disclosable if they relate to:

• Juvenile arrests
• Sealed or expunged cases
• Ongoing investigations
• Victim or witness information
• Undercover agents
• Sensitive details such as Social Security Numbers and financial account information
• Medical or mental health histories.

Inquirers should note that only the subjects and authorized entities can access the exempted Meade County arrest records. Individuals seeking access to Meade County arrest records should reach out to the Meade County Sheriff's Office at:

516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 14,
Brandenburg,
KY 40108
Phone: (270) 422-4937
Fax: (270) 422-5191

Meade County Arrest Statistics

FBI arrest data shows that the Meade County Sheriff's Office, Brandenburg Police Department, and the Muldraugh Police Department arrested 1,415 individuals for various offenses within Meade between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2025. These arrestees comprised 1,009 males and 416 females. Within this period, there were 135 arrests for drug-related offenses, 66 for simple assaults, and 56 for DUI. Also, 40 persons were arrested for non-violent family offenses, 30 for disorderly conducts, and 22 for larcenies. Other offenses accounted for 1,066 arrests.

Find Meade County Arrest Records

There are several options for finding Meade County arrest records. For information about arrests within Meade County:

• Log in to the Meade County Detention Center JailTracker Portal and view or search for arrest details of Meade County's current inmates, or visit the Meade County Detention Center at:

  516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 16,
  Brandenburg,
  KY 40108

• Send a mail request or visit the Meade County Sheriff's Office at:

  516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 14,
  Brandenburg,
  KY 40108.

Meade County arrest records are also accessible as part of Meade County criminal case records. Information seekers should log into the Kentucky Court of Justice CourtNet Portal and perform name searches for Meade County arrest records through criminal records, or visit the Meade County Open Records Request webpage and fill out the online request form. Alternatively, download and complete a Criminal Records Request Form and mail it to:

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

Requesters can also access criminal case-related arrest records through the Meade County Circuit Court Clerk's Office at:

516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 4,
Brandenburg,
KY 40108
Phone: (270) 422-4961

Meade County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Meade County arrest and criminal records are complementary but differ significantly in their content, creation method, legal implications, and effects on their owners. The following points outline the differences between Meade County arrest and criminal records:

Method of Creation

In Meade County, the Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies within the county create arrest records as evidence of arrests. Conversely, the Meade County Circuit and District Courts generate arrest records during criminal case trials.

Contents

Meade County arrest records are law enforcement documents containing the names of specific individuals arrested for various offenses, the reasons for the arrest, booking information, and the conditions for their release. In comparison, Meade County criminal records are details of criminal activities and their prosecutions by the Meade County Circuit and District Courts; these documents contain Meade County arrest records and other files relating to the prosecutions, sentencing, and incarceration of criminal offenders within Meade County.

Legal implications

In Meade County and other parts of the United States, an arrest record does not imply guilt or innocence of an offense; arrestees are innocent of the allegations against them unless the courts find them guilty. In contrast, a criminal record confirms that courts find the owner guilty of criminal acts.

Effects

Meade County arrest records may have little or no effect unless they result in convictions. In contrast, Meade County criminal records can adversely affect employment and housing prospects while carrying social stigma for their owners.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Unless the Meade County Circuit or District Court removes them, Meade County arrest information may stay permanently on records. The Kentucky Revised Statutes guarantee the right to petition the Meade County Circuit Court to expunge arrest information if the owners meet certain qualifying conditions.

Meade County Arrest Warrants

Meade County arrest warrants are official legal authorization for law enforcement to arrest specific individuals within the county. Judges of Meade County Circuit and District Courts issue arrest warrants when law enforcement or prosecutors show evidence through an affidavit that specific individuals committed crimes within Meade County. The courts also issue arrest warrants if individuals:

• Disobey court orders
• Violate parole or probation
• Fail to appear for a hearing for cases in which they are suspects
• Plan to flee Meade County to avoid trials for their crimes.

Meade County arrest warrants contain the following information:

• Full names, known aliases, and physical descriptions of the wanted persons
• Allegations against the subjects and sections of the Kentucky Statutes allegedly violated
• Dates of issuance of the warrants
• Names and signatures of the issuing judges
• Orders to law enforcement to arrest the subjects
• Instructions on how to execute the warrants.

Do Meade County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Meade County arrest records do not expire. Once Meade County Circuit or District Court judges issue arrest warrants, they will remain enforceable until law enforcement apprehends the subject, the court revokes them, or the defendant dies. However, clerical errors, false information, and unlawful execution can affect the validity of Meade County arrest warrants. Also, for arrests whose underlying crimes have a statute of limitations, prosecutors must begin trials within the defined period. Otherwise, the courts will not issue arrest warrants.

Expunge Meade County Arrest Records

Sections 431.073, 431.076, and 431.078 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes grant Meade County residents the right to petition the courts to seal or expunge their arrest records if they fulfill the qualifying criteria. Under Clean Slate Kentucky, there is automatic expungement for cases dismissed with prejudice or acquitted on or after July 15, 2020 (this excludes traffic offenses). For Class D felonies and other eligible offenses, the subjects of the arrest records can apply to the Meade County Circuit Court to seal or expunge their arrest information if:

• There are no criminal charges.
• The petitioner was not convicted of any misdemeanor or felony within five years of filing the petition.
• The petitioner observes a five-year waiting period
• The applicant obtains a Certificate of Eligibility from the Kentucky State Police.

The following steps outline the process for expunging Meade County arrest records:

• Determine eligibility for expungement of the arrest information
• Apply for and obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Kentucky State Police (this applies to conviction records only)
• Depending on the type of conviction, download and complete an applicable Expungement Form from the Kentucky Court of Justice website

• File a petition for expungement with the Meade County Circuit Court Clerk's Office at:

  516 Hillcrest Drive, Suite 4,
  Brandenburg,
  KY 40108

• Send notice of the petition to the Meade County Attorney's Office (for misdemeanor arrest records) or the Commonwealth's Attorney for the 46th Judicial Circuit (for felony arrest). Also, the arresting law enforcement agency should be notified.
• If applicable, attend the court hearing to provide answers and counter objections to the petition.
• Wait for the Meade County Circuit Court to review the application
• If the petition is successful, the court will issue orders to the relevant agencies to remove the arrest information from records.