Marion County Arrest Records

Marion County arrest records provide official accounts of a person's arrest and detention by local law enforcement agents. Arrests are made when the police execute arrest warrants or respond to criminal activity.

Arrests are typically part of an individual's criminal history information, obtained from arresting agencies, correctional institutions, and the state police. When a suspect appears before a judge, their arrest information may be incorporated into the Marion County court records, which are retrievable through the clerk's office.

Members of the public, law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and the media look up arrest records to verify why people were arrested and where they are held, prepare for criminal defense and prosecution, research crime trends within communities, and run background searches.

Are Arrest Records Public in Marion County?

Yes, S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 (the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act) asserts that public-funded agencies must release official information to members of the public unless exempted by federal or state law. Under the Act, law enforcement bodies provide their official records, including arrests, to interested members of the public.

However, the public's access is not unrestricted, as some records are protected from public disclosure. Social security numbers, bank account details, identification numbers (passport and driver's license numbers), and medical data are typically removed from public viewing. Additionally, sealed records and information tied to active police investigations are not disclosed.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Members of the public can view the following arrest information in Marion County:

• Arrested individual’s name, photograph, ethnicity, race, date of birth, and other personal identifying information
• Arrest date
• Arresting agency
• Detention facility
• Alleged offense(s)
• Ticket/warrant number
• Bail/bond information

Marion County Arrest Statistics

According to the 2023 Crime in South Carolina report published by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), police agencies in Marion County reported 885 arrests in 2023. That number represents a 2.3% decrease over the previous year's 906 arrests.

Of the total arrests in 2023, weapons law violations accounted for 35 incidents, aggravated assault for 50 arrests, and larceny theft offenses for 90 arrests. Furthermore, 122 arrests were attributed to simple assault, 28 to burglary/breaking and entering, and 38 to disorderly conduct.

Find Marion County Arrest Records

Members of the public can approach the Marion County Sheriff's Office to inquire about arrests. The office oversees the county's detention center, where recent arrestees may be detained before and after their first court appearance. One can visit the detention center’s website for details about current and released detainees. These details include inmate number, photograph, name, sex, race, birth date, building block and cell where detained, booking date, arresting agency, and warrant number.

Members of the public can also contact the city police departments in Marion regarding arrests made by their officers.

To look up state inmates (which may include persons arrested and sentenced in Marion for serious crimes), one can access the online inmate search system provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections. The online system displays an inmate's photograph, physical description, identifying information, county of conviction, state facility of detention, and conviction offense.

Additionally, a person can run criminal background checks using the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s Citizens Access to Criminal Histories (CATCH) service. The service allows members of the public to view people’s encounters with criminal justice agencies, including arrests and convictions. The service costs $25 for regular requesters and $8 for charity organizations.

Federal agencies are another source for arrest information, especially where a person may have been detained for breaking federal laws. The Federal Inmate Locator, provided by the Bureau of Prisons, is a handy resource for locating federal arrestees and inmates.

Free Arrest Record Search in Marion County

Obtaining free arrest information in Marion County involves utilizing resources, like the detention center’s inmate search tool, which is offered at no cost. Making inquiries over the phone or at police agencies may also be free.

Additionally, individuals can search arrest information for free on websites operated by independent vendors. These vendors collate public arrest records from multiple law enforcement agencies and make them available on one website. That way, members of the public have access to a more consolidated database. Interested parties should note that these websites do not represent government agencies and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data they publish.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests are typically permanent components of a person's criminal history. However, a record may be destroyed at a particular agency once a specific timeframe has run. For example, the South Carolina General Records Retention Schedule for County Records and Municipal Records stipulates that certain records must be deleted after a particular time frame. Booking reports can be destroyed 10 years after creation, and fingerprint files can be deleted after the death of the subject or 75 years after creation.

Additionally, qualified individuals can have their arrests removed from public access via an expungement.

Expunge Marion County Arrest Records

Certain individuals can seek expungement of their records of arrests, convictions, and charges in Marion County. The eligibility requirements are outlined in S.C. Code Ann § 17-22-910 (The Uniform Expungement of Criminal Records Act).

According to the law, eligible parties must apply for expungement through the 12th Circuit Solicitor's Office, which serves Marion and Florence counties. Applicants must also pay the following fees when applicable:

• $35: Filing fee payable to the clerk of court
• $25: SLED verification fee (non-refundable)
• $250: Non-refundable administrative fee

Individuals are not required to pay the administrative fee if they were arrested but not charged, or their charges were dismissed or resulted in an acquittal.

The Solicitor will send the applicant's information to SLED to verify whether their records are eligible for expungement. Once the confirmation is made, the solicitor will collect signatures from the circuit court judge, the PTI (Pre-Trial Intervention) director, and the summary court judge to sign the order of expunction, which will then be filed with the clerk of court. The order will be served to every agency possessing the arrest records, ultimately leading to the removal of the petitioner's records from public view.

Marion County Arrest Warrants

When law enforcement agents believe a person has committed a crime, they may submit affidavits to a magistrate, municipal, or circuit court judge. If the sitting judge is convinced of probable cause (i.e., that a crime has occurred and a particular person is likely responsible), the officer will issue a warrant for the person's arrest.

Judges can also issue arrest warrants (bench warrants) when individuals fail to appear in court, refuse to pay court fines, or violate parole, probation, or any other court order.

Arrest warrants generally contain the accused person's full name, charges, warrant number, issue date, offense description, and issuing authority's signature.

Individuals who want to check whether an arrest warrant has been issued in Marion can contact the sheriff's office and local police departments. The clerk of the court’s office can also release information regarding warrants.

Do Marion County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No, Arrest records do not expire. Police officers and sheriff deputies can pursue subjects of arrest warrants until they are captured and brought before a judge. However, judges may squash or recall warrants if certain conditions are met.