West Virginia Court Records
- Search By:
- Name
- Case Number
WestVirginiaCourtRecords.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on WestVirginiaCourtRecords.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
Putnam County Arrest Records
Arrest records are produced in Putnam County after a law enforcement officer apprehends and detains a person. The arrest may occur after a police investigation uncovers evidence that implicates the suspect. An individual may also be arrested if they are caught at a crime scene, observed breaking the law, or have an active warrant.
When someone is arrested in Putnam County, they may be booked or lodged at the nearest police station or jail—the Western Regional Jail and Correctional Facility. Information about the arrest and the suspected offender will be collected during the booking process and used to create pertinent documents, such as the arrest report.
Putnam County arrest records are useful for charging offenders, determining their offenses and whereabouts, filing for expungement, and more. However, the records only show that a person was apprehended, questioned, or detained for a felony, misdemeanor, or another criminal offense. Such records are insufficient to ascertain a person's guilt. It is recommended to seek a review of the Putnam County court records to learn about the legal proceedings that may have occurred after an arrest.
Are Arrest Records Public in Putnam County?
Yes. Arrest records in Putnam County are publicly disclosable per West Virginia's Freedom of Information Act (W. Va. Code §§ 29B-1-1 to 29B-1-7). Per the law, everyone has the right to inspect or copy the public records of any public body within the state, including arrest records maintained by law enforcement agencies in Putnam County.
However, there are some exemptions to this general access. As highlighted in W. Va. Code § 29B-1-4 and other applicable laws, certain records may be completely confidential, partially redacted, or available only in specific circumstances (such as if the subject or their legal representative requests the record). These confidential records include:
- Medical or similar documents
- Records related to open investigations
- Juvenile arrest records
- Information that, if disclosed, would endanger a person's life or safety
- Information specifically exempt by federal law or regulation
- Sealed/expunged arrest records
What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?
The following information can often be found in a Putnam County arrest record:
- The suspect's full name, date of birth, sex, and race
- The suspect's height and weight
- The charge(s)
- Booking date and time
- Housing facility and custody status
- Bail type and amount
- Court case number
Putnam County Arrest Statistics
As of 2024, West Virginia's latest uniform crime report (compiled by the West Virginia State Police) was for the year 2019. That year, Putnam County recorded 107 arrests in total.
More recent statistics are available through the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crime Data Explorer (CDE) (the data is grouped by reporting agency). For example, statistics pulled from the CDE reveal that the Putnam County Sheriff's Office recorded 459 arrests in 2023. More males (346) than females (113) were arrested, and driving under the influence (DUI) was the most prevalent cause of arrest, with 143 incidents recorded that year.
Alternatively, interested individuals can contact the local law enforcement agency overseeing a jurisdiction to examine its arrest figures.
Find Putnam County Arrest Records
Members of the public can request a Putnam County arrest record from its custodian—the law enforcement agency that made the arrest. The exact procedure for obtaining an arrest record differs from one police department to another. However, requesters are usually asked to make a written or oral request and bring information that allows the agency's records unit or officer to locate the record in question.
Individuals seeking information about those detained by local or state police departments following an arrest in Putnam can access the Offender Search tools provided by the West Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR). These systems provide information about those booked into the regional jails, including the Western Regional Jail that serves Putnam County. Users can also find information about those imprisoned in a jail or state penitentiary.
To find offenders transferred to federal custody after their court proceedings, an individual can access the Federal Inmate Locator, which the Federal Bureau of Prisons provides for such purposes. Because the tool only disseminates basic information about a federal inmate, submitting a FOIA request to the Bureau may be necessary if seeking other information. However, it must be said that the BOP only maintains records from 1982 to the present. Earlier federal prison records may be available through NARA (the National Archives and Records Administration).
Free Arrest Record Search in Putnam County
Individuals seeking a free arrest record search in Putnam County may utilize third-party aggregator websites for such inquiries. A person's first and last name is often the required search criterion on these websites, with some offering basic arrest information at no cost. However, anyone who needs extensive information about their search subject will typically be liable for the relevant service charges.
A free arrest record search may also be obtained at a Putnam County law enforcement agency by submitting a request under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Under the Act, a police agency may not charge requesters for inspection requests, but if a copy of a record must be furnished, the requester will bear the associated costs.
How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?
Any arrest made in Putnam County typically remains part of the suspect's criminal history record indefinitely. Consequently, unless the record is ordinarily deemed confidential by law, it may be seen by any interested party. However, West Virginia law allows eligible persons to expunge their arrest records by court order.
Expunge Putnam County Arrest Records
In Putnam County, an expungement is a legal process that removes or seals criminal records, effectively making them publicly inaccessible. This remedy is granted to qualified defendants under W. Va. Code §§ 61-11-25, 61-11-26, and 61-11-26a. Each aforementioned section of the law addresses a type of expungement that is only available to specific parties under specified conditions.
Section 61-11-25 covers the expungement of criminal charges, i.e., where the record pertains to an arrest or charge that did not result in a conviction. In other words, the defendant was acquitted (found not guilty) or had the charges against them dismissed. An individual may qualify to file under the statute if their charges were not dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea, they have no previous felony convictions, and they have no pending charges in court.
To petition under W. Va. Code § 61-11-25, the eligible individual will need to fill out Form SCA-C903 and file it with the Putnam County Circuit Clerk's Office, so long as the arrest or charge originated in the county. There is a waiting period of 60 days after the dismissal or acquittal before the petition can be submitted to the court. However, no filing fee or costs are assessed when filing the petition.
A Section 61-11-25 expungement seals all records relating to the arrest, charge, or other matters arising from the arrest or charge. To an employment, housing, or credit-related inquiry about the record's existence, the holder can state that none exists. However, the subject can still inspect the record. A prosecuting attorney can also obtain the record upon a court order when needing it to investigate or prosecute a crime.
W. Va. Code §§ 61-11-26 and 61-11-26a cover expungements for eligible convictions, including nonviolent felonies and misdemeanors. Petitions under these statutes are still filed in the circuit court and are subject to waiting periods. For example, a misdemeanor conviction is not eligible for expungement until one year after the conviction and completion of any related incarceration sentences or periods of supervision. However, a petitioner cannot have any pending charges to file under either statute.
The West Virginia Judiciary's Expungement Instructions can be reviewed for eligible offenses and their waiting periods, as well as the expungement steps. Relevant petition forms can be obtained from the West Virginia Judiciary's Forms page. There is a $200 filing fee to petition the circuit court (additional fees may apply) and a $100 fee payable to the West Virginia Police to process the expungement.
Putnam County Arrest Warrants
In Putnam County, arrest warrants are issued by judges upon a complaint from a law enforcement officer stating probable cause to believe an offense occurred and the accused person committed it. If the judge discovers probable cause, the warrant will be issued, ordering a peace officer to arrest the accused and bring them to a judge in the county where the warrant is executed.
As directed in W. Va. Code § §62-1-3, Putnam arrest warrants bear the name of the person to be arrested (or, if the name is unknown, any name/description by which the individual can be identified). These writs also describe the charge(s) set forth in the complaint and carry the judge's signature.
Do Putnam County Arrest Warrants Expire?
No. All arrest warrants released in Putnam County are valid until their execution or the suspect's demise. In other words, until the accused party appears before a judge or dies, the warrant will remain executable by any peace officer who possesses a copy or knows of the document's existence.