Are Criminal Records in Leon County Publicly Accessible?

Criminal records are generally public in Leon County. Chapter 119 of the Florida Sunshine Laws allows the public to access, inspect, and make copies of criminal records maintained by law enforcement agencies. This also includes records maintained by the county courts containing criminal information.

Leon County criminal records are available based on records requests that can be submitted to the county Sheriff’s Office and court clerks. The law creates certain restrictions that guide records that are not publicly accessible, such as:

• Victim confidentiality information
• Juvenile records
• Records of ongoing investigation
• Medical records with mental health information or other conditions that may be subject to restrictions.

The criminal records available in Leon County include arrest records, court records, and jail records. Arrest records provide details of the individual’s detention, court records provide information about trial and sentencing, and jail records provide details of the individual’s rehabilitation. Access to criminal records can be denied in Leon County, where the request does not meet the requirements or the records are exempted. Criminal records can also be withheld when the agency concludes that public access to the records will disrupt ongoing investigations.

Who is Eligible to Access Leon County Criminal Records?

Leon County criminal records are available to the following categories of persons or entities:

• Employers: Employers can have limited access to job-related details from individuals' criminal records, which usually require written consent from the individual.
• Attorneys and Law enforcement agencies: This category of persons has broad access to criminal records for official duties and for representing clients.
• The General Public: Public access to criminal records is available on written requests. Requesters cannot access restricted records such as juvenile records and victim details.

How to Request Criminal Records in Leon County

Leon County criminal records can be obtained by following these steps:

• Determine the nature of the records you require, such as court or arrest records. The nature of the records will determine the agency from which to request them.
• Gather the required information for the request, such as the individual's date of birth, full name, any known nicknames or aliases, case number, date of offense, and more.
• Decide the method of request, which can be by mail, in person, or online. Online requests can be made through the county’s Online Services website, where all forms of county and court records can be searched and requested. Request by mail involves sending a completed mail-in request form to the agency’s appropriate address.
• Identity verification may be required depending on the nature of the request. Also, fees may apply, which must be paid for the request to be valid if no waiver is given.
• Wait for the processing time to lapse and receive the records in person or by mail.

In-person requests can be submitted at these addresses:

Leon County Sheriff’s Office
2825 Major James Morgan Jr. Way
Tallahassee, FL 32304
Records Management Division
(850) 606-3317

Alternatively, third-party search platforms like floridacourtrecords.us offer online repositories for accessing criminal records in Hillsborough County. The sites feature user-friendly interfaces and may not restrict users based on their geographical location. However, the accuracy of information obtained on such sites cannot be guaranteed.

What Information Is Contained in Leon County Criminal Records?

Leon County criminal records will contain details about the individual, the arrest information, details of charges, and court records. Thus, criminal records have details like the individual’s full name, date of birth, social security number, arresting agency, case number, sentencing records, charges, probation or parole conditions, and violations, if there are any.

Criminal records in Leon County can also contain information about the victim or witnesses. The content of public records in Leon County is guided by Florida Sunshine Laws, which also provides for records that should be exempted from public access. Such records include expunged records, sealed records, juvenile records, confidential victim details, and mental or other health records.

Are There Restrictions on Accessing Leon County Criminal Records?

State laws regulate access to Leon County criminal records, defining what is available to the public and what is restricted. These restrictions protect individual privacy, security, and public safety. Records include juvenile records, expunged records, records of ongoing investigations, sealed records, and confidential information such as victim details and medical records.

Sealed records include criminal records sealed by a court order. This process requires meeting certain conditions, and the records will remain but will not be publicly accessible. Expunged records are removed from criminal records, meaning they are not part of the individual’s criminal history and will not be on file. These restrictions might not be absolute for some agencies such as law enforcement agencies (Sheriff’s Office and Police Department), the courts, and other authorized individuals such as parole or probation officers. However, these agencies will have limited access to restricted records.

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

Records requests are subject to regulations from the agency and the records law. Thus, requests can be denied for various reasons, such as unavailability of the records due to their nonexistence in the system or if they have been sealed or expunged. Other reasons include the application of exemptions and insufficient information provided for the recovery of records. Requesters can review the denial letter or explanation and appeal the denial by following the agency’s appeal process. Follow the appeal process or make further inquiries at these addresses:

Leon County Sheriff’s Office
2825 Major James Morgan Jr. Way
Tallahassee, FL 32304
(850) 606-3300

Leon County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller
301 S. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
(850) 606-4190

How to Expunge or Seal Leon County Criminal Records

Expungement of records involves removing certain parts of public records, while sealing involves redacting parts of public records, and they are available based on eligibility. Individuals can be eligible for expungement when the sentence has been completed, the waiting period is over, and the nature of the offense qualifies for expungement. Sealing of records in Leon County can have wider eligibility conditions. The process for expungement includes the following:

• Determine your eligibility
• Obtain the required documents, such as court records and criminal history reports.
• File a Petition at the Leon County Circuit Court along with the Certificate of Eligibility, Affidavit stating reasons for expungement and eligibility, and the proposed court order.
• Serve a copy on the State Attorney’s Office
• Attend the court hearing and await the court order.