Missoula County Arrest Records

Missoula arrest records are documents and files that provide details of an individual’s arrest and detention within the county. Such records include files and documents that give details of the arrest, such as the place or time, the reason for the arrest, and the arresting officer’s information.

Law enforcement agencies maintain active arrest and bench warrants and jail records, while the courts maintain records of Missoula County court records. These records are accessible through mail, in-person requests, or online platforms.

Are Arrest Records Public in Missoula County?

Yes, Missoula County arrest records are public records. Maintained by the courts and law enforcement, such are subject to Montana’s Freedom of Information Act. This Act also provides for exemptions from public access, which include:

• Information that will invade another’s personal privacy, such as financial or medical information.
• Information that could jeopardize ongoing legal processes or investigations.
• Information violating attorney-client privileges.
• Trade secrets or confidential business information.
• Internal drafts and communications from deliberative processes.
• Educational records and medical records.
• Financial records.

Requesters typically use online resources to access arrest records, such as Record Requests for the sheriff’s office records and Copies & Records Searches to access criminal court records.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records contain information about an individual’s arrest and detention that does not violate the exemption rules of the Montana Freedom of Information Act. These include all or some of the following:

• The arrestee’s name and physical description
• Booking information such as fingerprint details, the date and time of booking, and booking number, and mugshots.
• Disposition
• The case details such as court information, case number, and appearance date.
• The arrest details, such as date, place, and time of arrest.
• The alleged crimes, classification, and description of charges.

Missoula County Crime Rate

Missoula County’s crime statistics can be accessed on the FBI UCR website. The statistics for 2022 show a total of 131 reported violent crimes and 362 reported property crimes. The most common property crime was Larceny theft, with 241 reported incidents, followed by burglary and motor vehicle theft, with 73 and 46 reported incidents, respectively. The most prevalent violent crime was aggravated assault, with 105 reported incidents, followed by rape and robbery, with 20 and 6 reported incidents, respectively. The least reported crime was arson, with two reported incidents, while there was no report of homicide.

Missoula County Arrest Statistics

Missoula County arrest statistics 2022 can be accessed on the FBI UCR platform. This data reveals 30 arrests for all other offenses except traffic offenses. The county recorded 39 arrests for aggravated assault, two arrests for robbery, and one arrest for larceny theft. There were ten arrests for burglary and three arrests for motor vehicle theft. The county recorded no arrests for rape, arson, and murder or manslaughter.

Find Missoula County Arrest Records

Missoula County arrest records are available through the county sheriff's offices and the courts. Such records are accessible to requesters through mail or in-person requests. The public can find these records by submitting requests to these agencies from Monday to Friday during work hours. Requests should be submitted with further details about the records of interest. Such details include the arrest date or place, the arrestee’s name, and more.

Free Arrest Record Search in Missoula County

Missoula County arrest records can be searched through the archives of the county courts or the sheriff’s office. These offices maintain records of jail inmates, active arrest and bench warrants, and criminal court records, all of which may contain arrest details.

The public can submit an in-person search request or mail it to these offices with some details about the records requested, such as names, locations, or booking numbers. Arrest records can also be searched for free using third-party websites.

Get Missoula County Criminal Records

Missoula County criminal records refer to official archives of documents giving information about an individual’s criminal activities. Such records typically contain information on a person’s arrest, court trial, detention, conviction, and sentence. Records may also cover the details of the individual’s incarceration after conviction. Criminal records are public records maintained by law enforcement agencies such as the police sheriff’s office and the courts. The courts maintain criminal court records through court trials, in which law enforcement agencies maintain records of arrests, jail inmates, active arrests, and bench warrants. These records can be obtained via mail or in-person requests at the county courts or sheriff’s office from Monday to Friday.

Missoula County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Missoula County arrest records contain information about an individual’s arrest situation, while criminal records contain information about a person’s crimes, detention, trial, and sentencing. Criminal records cover details from arrests to incarceration, while arrest records are restricted to information about the individual’s arrest. Arrest records contain details such as the arresting officer’s name and badge number, the alleged offenses, and the date or time of arrest, while criminal records contain details of the individual’s arrests, criminal court trials, and sentences.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Missoula County, arrests generally do not stay on your public records indefinitely. The duration of an arrest will remain in your public records depending on the outcome of your arrest and case. Generally, you can have arrests removed from your records or sealed through a court process.

To be eligible for this process, you must meet the following conditions:

• If charges are dismissed or acquitted, it can be sealed or expunged.
• Juvenile records can be sealed.
• Misdemeanors require five years waiting time of no further criminal activity for expungement.
• If convicted, arrests will be permanent on your records unless you qualify for expungement.

Expunge Missoula County Arrest Records

Expungement is a legal process of removing or sealing parts of your public records. This process is available to individuals whose case is eligible. The first step to expunge arrests from your records is to determine if you qualify for the process.

To determine your eligibility, you must meet the following conditions:

• The charges must be acquitted or dismissed.
• Juvenile records can be sealed.
• If there is a conviction, arrests will be permanent unless you qualify for expungement.
• Misdemeanors have a 5-year waiting period to qualify for expungement.

Missoula County Arrest Warrants

Missoula County arrest warrants are documents used to authorize the arrest and detention of an individual for the commission of a crime. These warrants become necessary when the named individual in the document is seen committing the crime or the evidence points guilt at them.

Arrest warrants are issued by a judge to law enforcement agencies and they become active after the signature of the judge is appended. These warrants, whether ordinary warrants issued before arraignment or bench warrants issued after arraignment, will remain active until the arrest is executed or the warrant is recalled.

Missoula County arrest warrants will contain the following information:

• The alleged crimes and corresponding laws
• The name and physical details of the arrested individual
• The place, date, and time of the arrest
• The arresting officer’s badge number and name

Missoula County Arrest Warrant Search

Missoula County arrest warrants can be searched through the county sheriff’s office or through the courts. Requesters can approach the court or sheriff’s office during work hours from Monday to Friday to submit in-person records search requests or to process mailed requests. Search requests must be submitted with details of the arrest warrant, such as the arrested individual or arresting officer’s name, the time or date of the arrest, or the alleged offense.

Arrest warrants can also be searched online through the Sheriff’s Record Requests website. This website contains a Public Requests link and a link to access the accepted forms of payment for records.

Do Missoula County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, arrest warrants do not expire in Missoula County. Warrants will remain active after they are signed and issued to the law enforcement agency until the named individual is in detention or the warrant is recalled or canceled.