Missoula County Montana Inmate Jail Records

Jail Records Expunged From Public Records

If you are in need of jail records in Missoula County, there are a few options available to you. In previous times, the local sheriff would maintain all jail records, which meant that the entire state was required to turn over information on individuals who were behind bars. However, in 2021 the states supreme court ruled that state law enforcement agencies could not indefinitely hold information about a person’s arrest or conviction because they did not want to keep it accessible to the public. The ruling was called Cherry Robinson v. Roark.

Today, most of the criminal activity and convictions in Montana can be accessed by any individual through the courts, without the individual ever having to give up any rights. This means that although people may no longer have to go before the media, their criminal records are still viewable online. In addition, they can search for these documents using an Internet provider in an effort to find out more information.

The courts have also decided that certain categories of information are more private than others. Jail records fall under this category, as do marriage and divorce records. If the person in question has had any prior arrests, the court will not disclose this information. Marriage and divorce information is held confidential, meaning that only the parties involved are entitled to see it. If the person in question has a criminal record, the courts will withhold this information.

For those who have criminal past, there are a number of different ways to access jail records. The most popular method is to contact the local sheriff’s department, and request the records of the individual in question. Because there is some likelihood that the person in question may have a prior criminal record, the sheriff will often hold onto the information until the conclusion of the case. It is then made available to the general public.

There are also online services that will provide the needed information. These websites require the person to register and pay a nominal fee before accessing their database. The databases are pulled directly from the local courthouse, so if there is an error, the information will be incomplete. They will also charge a fee for each report they generate.

If you are interested in accessing the local jail records, these are your best options. If they are unable to help, you can try contacting the clerk of court in the county where the person was convicted. They will usually be able to direct you to the appropriate unit. In many cases, the charges will have been expunged (removed), but you should double check. Jail records are not automatically expunged, and you may still have access to them.