Leon County Arrest Records Search

Leon County arrest records are maintained by the Leon County Sheriff's Office in Tallahassee, the state capital of Florida. The sheriff operates the county detention facility and processes all bookings for arrests made in the area. Tallahassee is the largest city in Leon County and home to two major universities, which means the jail handles a steady volume of arrests. You can search for arrest records online, call the jail, or visit in person. Florida's strong public records law gives you the right to access these records in Leon County without having to state a reason.

Leon County Sheriff Arrest Records

The Leon County Sheriff's Office handles all jail operations and arrest records for the county. The detention facility is at 535 Appleyard Drive in Tallahassee. When law enforcement makes an arrest in Leon County, the person is brought to this jail for processing. The booking includes fingerprints, a mugshot, and a log of all charges. This becomes the official arrest record.

Leon County is in the 2nd Judicial Circuit, which also covers Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, and Wakulla counties. But the Leon County jail only holds people arrested within its own borders. The Tallahassee Police Department makes many arrests in the city, but those people still get booked at the Leon County jail. So the sheriff's office has the booking records for all local arrests, whether it was the sheriff's deputies or city police who made the arrest in Leon County.

The Leon County Sheriff's Office website is the starting point for finding local arrest records and inmate data.

This site has links to the inmate search, recent bookings, and contact info for the Leon County jail.

Search Leon County Arrest Records Online

The sheriff's online inmate search is the fastest way to find recent arrest records in Leon County. It covers people who are currently in the jail or were recently released. You search by name and the system returns matching results with charges, bond amounts, and booking photos. It costs nothing and no account is needed.

For older arrest records or a broader search that covers Leon County and all of Florida, use the FDLE Public Access System. FDLE stores criminal history data from every county. A name search costs $25 total. You can run it from home and get results right away. The system uses the person's name, date of birth, and gender. Adding a Social Security Number helps when the name is common. FDLE results show arrests from Leon County and anywhere else in Florida.

The Comprehensive Case Information System is another state tool. CCIS has real-time court data from all 67 Florida counties. It covers criminal cases, including those that started with an arrest in Leon County. The system has over 150 million case records. You can see charges, docket entries, and case outcomes. CCIS is used by over 45,000 government agency users, but parts of it are open to the public.

Note: The sheriff's inmate search only shows current and very recent custody records for Leon County.

Leon County Arrest Record Access Laws

Florida's Sunshine Law is one of the broadest in the nation. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes says all government records are open unless a specific law makes them exempt. Arrest records in Leon County fall under this rule. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not have to be a party to the case. You do not have to give a reason.

The FDLE statewide criminal history records page lets you verify arrest data across Florida.

This state portal covers arrest records from Leon County and all 66 other Florida counties.

Under Section 943.053, the Florida Legislature decided that criminal history records are public unless sealed or expunged. That means Leon County arrest records stay open for viewing. An arrest record is not a conviction. It only means a person was taken into custody. The record shows the arrest date, the charges, the arresting agency, and booking info. Certain records are restricted. Juvenile arrests in Leon County are not public. Records under active investigation may have limits. Sealed or expunged records under Sections 943.0585 and 943.059 are removed from public view.

Expunging Leon County Arrest Records

If you have an arrest record in Leon County that qualifies, you can apply to seal or expunge it. Start by contacting FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility. The fee is $75. FDLE takes about 12 weeks to process the application. They do not speed it up. You must wait your turn.

After you get the certificate, file a petition with the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court in Leon County. The Clerk of Court handles the paperwork. Under Section 943.0585, an expunged record is destroyed by most agencies. FDLE keeps a confidential copy. You can then deny the arrest happened in most situations. Sealed records are not destroyed but are hidden from public searches. The certificate from FDLE is valid for 12 months. If you do not file the court petition in time, you need a new certificate. Get the application from the Leon County Clerk or from the FDLE seal and expunge page.

Florida Corrections and Leon County

People arrested in Leon County who are sentenced to state prison get moved to the Florida Department of Corrections. The FDC Offender Search tool lets you look up anyone in the state system. Search by name or DC number. The FDC holds records under Chapter 119 and Section 945.10 of the Florida Statutes. Confidential information gets redacted before release.

For people still at the Leon County jail, call 850-606-3500. The jail staff can tell you if someone is in custody. They can also give basic booking info over the phone. For written copies of arrest records, make a formal public records request to the Leon County Sheriff's Office. Be specific about what you need, as detailed requests cost less to process.

Cities in Leon County

Tallahassee is the main city in Leon County and the only one with a population over 75,000. The Tallahassee Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits, but all arrests still go through the Leon County jail for booking.

Other communities in Leon County include Woodville, Bradfordville, and Chaires. Arrests in these areas are handled directly by the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

Nearby Counties

Leon County is in the panhandle region of Florida. These neighboring counties each have their own sheriff's office and jail. If the arrest did not happen in Leon County, check with the county where it occurred.