Nelson County Arrest Records

In Nelson County, Kentucky, an arrest occurs when an individual is apprehended and detained by law enforcement. Depending on the circumstance, this right to detain is given to law enforcement through section 431.005 of the Kentucky Statute. The law enforcement officer takes the detainee to the Nelson County Jail. The details of the arrest are documented, forming an arrest record. Arrest records are official documents that describe the circumstances of an arrest.

The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office handles Nelson County arrest records, which may be significant in criminal proceedings. In such instances, interested parties can access arrest records in Nelson County Court records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Nelson County?

The Kentucky Open Records Act permits the public to view records created by public entities. As a result, arrest records produced by the Sheriff’s Office, a government agency, are considered available to the public.

However, the Act’s exemptions limit or restrict public access to particular records because they are confidential. As a result, such records might not be fully or partially accessible to the public, depending on what they include. Only eligible parties and entities may access these personal records for specific purposes. These parties include the record subject, their legal representatives, and law enforcement officers.

KRS 61.878 lists a few KORA exemptions, including the following:

• Records that contain private information whose release would violate the privacy of the record holder
• Records that, if made public, could endanger informants or undercover agents
• Juvenile arrest records

Nelson County Arrest Statistics

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer shows that the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office made 157 arrests throughout 2023. Drug/Narcotic offenses led other offense categories in terms of arrests, with 71 arrests. Simple Assault and All Other Offenses followed this.

Find Nelson County Arrest Records

The county jail website's Inmate Lookup portal provides information on inmates at Nelson County Jail. The website includes the full name, charge description, mugshot, booking date, inmate classification, arrest details, and physical description of the inmate. Alternatively, record seekers can visit the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office to get inmate records:

Nelson County Sheriff’s Office
10 Plaza Drive
Bardstown, KY 40004

Alternatively, people can search the Kentucky Department of Corrections' offender search for records.

Nelson County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Criminal records and arrests indicate distinct phases of the legal procedure. When the police detain someone suspected of a crime, the detaining organization creates an arrest record. The record includes basic details such as the person's identity, the date of the arrest, the charges, and the arresting agency. These publicly accessible records do not prove anyone guilty or exonerate them of a crime. A record custodian may also leave out certain information to preserve privacy or conduct further research.

However, a criminal record only exists when a person is found guilty in court. A criminal record contains comprehensive details on their arrest, charges, and sentencing. The public cannot freely access criminal records. They are only available to the record holder, legal representatives, and law enforcement officers.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

No law in Nelson County specifies how long an arrest record will remain on a person’s record. The Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy states that unless an individual asks to expunge an arrest record, the record will stay on the subject's criminal history record. If an individual wants to know if they qualify, they must first file for an expungement certification under KRS 431.079. It should be noted that the expungement process differs depending on the result of a person’s arrest.

For example, if a person’s arrest leads to a conviction, they must file an expungement petition under KRS 431.073 and fill out form 496.3.

In the case of arrests that led to acquittal or a felony charge that did not lead to a conviction, parties must expunge the records under KRS 431.076 and must complete form 497.2.

When an arrest leads to the arrestee's conviction for specific misdemeanors, violations, or traffic infractions, the arrest and other relevant records may be erased under KRS 431.078 utilizing form 496.2. The following eligibility requirements must be fulfilled for a court to authorize the expungement of qualifying records.

• Neither an offense against a minor nor a sexual offense was the reason for the petitioner's arrest.
• Five (5) years had passed since the petitioner's last felony or misdemeanor conviction when the expungement petition was filed.
• There are no proceedings against the petitioner for felony or misdemeanor offenses.
• Either the time restriction for such an augmentation has gone away, or the petitioner's offense cannot be enhanced to a second or subsequent offense.

Applicants should file their petitions to the Nelson County Circuit Court. Interested parties will find the court at the following address:

Nelson County Circuit Court
200 Plaza Drive
Bardstown, KY 40004

Nelson County Arrest Warrants

A judge or magistrate can issue an arrest warrant, which gives law enforcement the authority to detain someone they suspect of committing a crime. Such warrants are issued in Nelson County when there are good reasons to suspect that the individual listed on the warrant has committed a crime. An arrest warrant may include the following details:

• Information about the Arrestee: Complete name, physical attributes, and other identifying information.
• Charges: The particular crime or crimes that the offender is alleged to have committed.
• Court information: The name and signature of the magistrate or judge who issued the warrant are the Issuing Authority.
• The issuing authority's address: Instructions from the issuing authority specify how and when the warrant will be executed.

Do Nelson County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants in Nelson County are valid until the individual named on the warrant is taken into custody, the warrant is recalled by the judge or magistrate who issued it, or the charges against the person are withdrawn. Parties can check if an arrest warrant is still in effect by going to the Nelson County Sheriff's Office at:

Nelson County Sheriff’s Office
10 Plaza Drive
Bardstown, KY 40004