Union County Arrest Records

Union County arrest records are managed by the Union County Sheriff's Office at 55 SW 3rd Street in Lake Butler. This is one of the smallest counties in Florida by population, but arrest records here follow the same public records rules as every other county in the state. The sheriff's office runs the county jail and handles all bookings. You can search for Union County arrest records through the sheriff's online tool, by calling the jail, or by using statewide databases run by FDLE. Florida law gives the public full access to these records, and you do not need to give a reason to request them.

Union County Sheriff's Office Bookings

The Union County Sheriff's Office is at 55 SW 3rd St, Lake Butler, FL 32054. Call (386) 496-2501 for questions about inmates or bookings. All arrests in Union County go through this facility. The jail is small, fitting the size of the county. During booking, staff record the charges, take fingerprints and a photo, and enter the person's data into the system. This arrest record gets sent to FDLE as part of statewide reporting.

Union County has an online inmate search. You can use it to see who is currently in jail. Enter a name and check the results for charges and bond status. For records on people who have already been released from the Union County jail, call the office or send in a written public records request. The sheriff's office has to respond under Florida law.

Something worth knowing about Union County: it is home to several state prison facilities. The Union Correctional Institution and the Reception and Medical Center are both in Raiford. These are state-run facilities, not county. Their inmates are not in the county jail system. If you are looking for someone at a state prison, that is a different search.

Searching Union County Arrest Records

The FDLE criminal history check is a good tool for pulling up Union County arrest records. It costs $25 and returns results from all 67 Florida counties. The search is instant and shows any arrest tied to the name you enter. For a county as small as Union, the statewide search is sometimes more useful than the local one because it captures records from across the state.

FDLE's Public Access System also covers Union County. It connects to the Florida Crime Information Center and shows criminal history and warrant data. Under Section 943.053 of the Florida Statutes, criminal history records are public unless sealed or expunged. That means Union County arrest records are open for anyone to look at.

FDLE maintains a wanted persons database that includes active warrants from Union County and all other Florida counties.

Court records from Union County cases show up in the CCIS statewide database. It has over 150 million cases and updates in real time. Union County is part of the 8th Judicial Circuit.

Public Access to Union County Records

Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes is the Sunshine Law. It makes arrest records from Union County public. You can ask for them without giving a reason. The sheriff's office has to comply.

A Union County arrest record includes the person's name, the charges, the arrest date, and the arresting agency. A mugshot may be part of it. Remember that an arrest is not a conviction. People get arrested and have charges dropped. Cases end in acquittals. The record stays in the system unless a judge orders it sealed or expunged. Juvenile records are restricted across all of Florida, including Union County. Victim data and personal identifiers are removed before release.

Note: Union County is home to major state prison facilities, but those are separate from the county jail and sheriff's arrest records.

Expunging Union County Arrest Records

To clear a Union County arrest record, you apply to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility. Visit the seal and expunge page for forms. The fee is $75 and processing takes about 12 weeks. Pick up the application at the Union County Clerk of Courts in Lake Butler. After you receive the certificate, petition the court for an order to seal or expunge.

Section 943.0585 covers expungement. All agencies destroy the record except FDLE, which keeps one confidential copy. Section 943.059 covers sealing. The record stays on file but the public cannot see it. Once the Union County court grants the order, the arrest record disappears from public databases. The certificate is valid for 12 months. File before it expires.

For people who were arrested in Union County and then sent to state prison, the FDC Offender Search can show their current status. The FDC public records page explains how to request detailed documents about state inmates.

Section 943.0585 of the Florida Statutes outlines the expungement process that applies to Union County arrest records.

Nearby Counties

Union County is surrounded by other rural north Florida counties. If the arrest happened outside the county line, check with the right sheriff's office.