Are Criminal Records in Bay County Publicly Accessible?

Yes, Bay County criminal records are publicly accessible. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes grants public access to criminal records in Bay County. Also, Rule 2.420 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, Section 943.053 of the Florida Statutes, and the U.S. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act are some Florida and federal laws governing access to Bay County criminal records.

Per the Florida Statutes and federal laws, public entities can access Bay County arrest records and information about criminal trials, convictions, sentencing, incarceration, warrants, probation, parole, and sex offenses. However, custodians of Bay County criminal records will deny or redact information whose public disclosure compromises safety or violates privacy laws. For instance, unauthorized entities cannot access Bay County juvenile criminal records or those relating to:

• Ongoing investigations
• Victim or witness information
• Domestic violence and abuse
• Law enforcement undercover agents

Furthermore, sealed or expunged Bay County criminal records are not publicly accessible.

Who is Eligible to Access Criminal Records in Bay County?

Per Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, Bay County criminal records are accessible to:

• Interested members of the public
• Law enforcement agencies
• Court officials
• Authorized agencies and organizations
• Owners of the criminal records
• Legal representatives
• Licensing agencies
• Employers.

Nevertheless, access to Bay County criminal records may depend on the case type and circumstances surrounding the documents' subjects. For instance, law enforcement agencies and court officials can legally access sealed criminal records. In contrast, other requesters may need the record owner's consent or judicial orders to access the documents.

How to Request Criminal Records in Bay County

Bay County criminal records are accessible through the Bay County Sheriff's Office, Bay County Clerk of Court, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Depending on the type of records, the following steps outline how to access Bay County criminal records:

Bay County arrest records

Visit or mail the Bay County Sheriff's Office at:

3421 N Highway 77,
Panama City,
FL 32405

Bay County court-related criminal records

• Log into the Bay County Clerk of Court’s Court Records Search Portal and search for criminal records by case numbers and names
• Visit or send mail requests to the Bay County Clerk of Court at:

300 E 4th Street,
Panama City,
FL 32401
Phone: (850) 763-9061

Bay County criminal history check

• Visit the FDLE Criminal History Information on the Internet (CCHInet) site and request background checks on Bay County criminal records. Alternatively, send mail requests to:

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Attention: Criminal History Services
P.O. Box 1489,
Tallahassee,
FL 32302.

Also, inquirers can access Bay County criminal records online through independent platforms like floridacourtrecords.us and other third-party websites.

For confirmation of eligibility to access Bay County criminal records, send copies of valid government-approved identification documents to the Bay Clerk of Court Office, the Bay County Sheriff's Office, or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Requesters should note the following fees for copies of Bay County criminal records through the various custodians:

Bay County Clerk of Court Office

• Non-certified copies - $1.00 per page
• Certified copies - $1.00 per page and an additional $2.00 certification fees
• Exemplification - $7.00

Bay County Sheriff's Office

• Traffic crash reports - free
• Background Checks - $3.00 each
• Certified copies - $1.00 per page

Non-certified copies - free for the first 10 page

• One-Sided Paper Copies - $. 15 per page (after the first 10 pages)
• Double-sided Paper Copies $. 20 per page (after the first 10 pages)

The Florida Department of Law enforcement

• $25.00 per search (including $1.00 credit card processing fees)
• $25.00 per selection if the requester selects more than one candidate from a search result.

What Information Is Contained in Bay County Criminal Records?

A typical criminal record in Bay County comprises the following information:

• Personal details of the subject
  • Name
  • Known aliases
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Ethnicity
• Arrest information
  • Date and location of arrest
  • Name of the arresting agency
  • Charges against the subject
  • Mugshots
  • Bail/bond details
• Case details
  • Case number
  • Trial dates
  • Plea entered
  • Judgment and disposition
• Sentencing information
  • Length of prison or jail term
  • Fines and restrictions
  • Probation terms
• Appeal information
• Probation/parole information
• Warrant information (if applicable)
• Case status.

Requesters should note that the Bay County Clerk of Court Office and other custodians will restrict access to juvenile, sealed, and expunged criminal records.

Are There Restrictions on Accessing Criminal Records in Bay County?

Yes, there are restrictions on accessing Bay County criminal records. Per the Florida Statutes, access limitations apply to criminal records that violate privacy laws or compromise public safety. For these reasons, the public cannot access sealed, expunged, and juvenile criminal records. Only law enforcement agencies, the courts, and authorized entities can access restricted criminal records in Bay County.

What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Bay County?

Custodian agencies may deny requesters access to Bay County criminal records if the documents:

• Are sealed
• Relates to an ongoing investigation
• Contain sensitive information like Social Security Numbers, victims' identity, and medical history.
• Are juvenile records
• Are under judicial restriction.

The following conflict resolution steps may be helpful if the Bay County Clerk of Court Office, the Bay County Sheriff's Office, or any of the custodian agencies deny access to Bay County criminal records:

• Request a formal explanation from the agency on the reasons for the denial
• Appeal to the agency to rescind the decision if there are reasons to believe they were wrong
• Request the records through a different custodian
• Send written petition to:

The Office of the Attorney General State of Florida

The Capitol PL-01,
Tallahassee,
FL 32399-1050

• Seek advice from legal professionals and consider lawsuits if other options fail.

How to Expunge or Seal Bay County Criminal Records

Individuals can petition the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court through the Bay County Clerk of Court Office to seal or expunge their Bay County criminal records if they fulfill the following conditions:

Sealing of criminal records

• The associated crimes do not result in convictions
• The records are for non-violent and non-sexual crimes
• The owners of the criminal records are first-time convicts
• The Applicants do not have previous sealing of criminal records

Expunction of criminal records

• The underlying crimes result in dismissals
• The owners of the records do not have previous convictions
• The crimes are eligible for expunction under Florida Statutes.

The following may be helpful to individuals seeking to seal or expunge Bay County criminal records:

• Verify eligibility for sealing or expunction of criminal records
• Gather supporting documents that may aid the petition
• Apply for and obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
• File a Petition with the Bay County Clerk of Court (this must include an affidavit stating eligibility to seal or expunge the criminal records and Certificate of Eligibility)
• Pay all applicable fees
• Attend the court hearing relating to the petition
• If the petition is successful, the court will sign an Order to Seal or Expunge Form and send it to the FDLE and other relevant law enforcement agencies.