Search Maryland Arrest Records
Searching for arrest records in the state of Maryland
An arrest record is a document that is created whenever someone is arrested or detained by the police for a felony or criminal offense. There are many reasons why you might think it is a good idea to search through the arrest records that are maintained by the police and courts in the state of Maryland, but you should also check what kind of information is available to the public before you spend time, effort and perhaps even money checking through these documents. Carrying out a simple search on the rules that apply to arrest records in the state of Maryland can help you decide if an arrest record is really the best kind of document you can search on in order to find out information about a prospective employee, a new partner or even as part of your research into your family history.
Often older records have fewer restrictions, so if you are using arrest records to search for ancestors who lived in the state of Maryland, then you might find that you can access more information than those who are looking for a similar document that is only one week old! Searching for older arrest records in Maryland might prove more fruitful, but it can also be more difficult as not all regions have managed to computerize their older documents. This is where the staff at police archives and county and state courts can come in handy; these people are experts at searching for all kinds of public and court documents in Maryland and will be able to give you advice and point you in the right direction. It is this staff that can also carry out searches for you if you don’t live in the state of Maryland. After all, if you live a long way from Maryland then it will be more convenient for you to submit a search request to the courts by mail, telephone or email.
Some of the information on the arrest records might be restricted, depending on various circumstances in that particular case. Potential employers often want to search arrest records in the state of Maryland, but they may also need the potential employee’s permission to do this. Some positions, however, such as those where the employee will be working with children or sensitive information allow employers to carry out more thorough searches, sometimes without the applicant’s permission. If you are an employer in the state of Maryland wanting to check people’s arrest records, check with experts what information you are allowed to access and also what information you can use in making your decision to employ them or not.
Most states, such as Maryland also have their own online records systems, which are likely to have some details of court documents including arrest records and arrest warrants. You would need to have certain details available before carrying out an online search, such as the person’s full name and date of birth, and may also need to prove that you have a valid reason for accessing these sensitive documents. Searching the local newspapers in the state of Maryland can also often turn up new stories about the person you are searching for being arrested or appearing in court. Most of these newspapers, even the smallest publications, now have their own websites which can make searching for recent stories much easier – although you may still need to wade through piles of microfiche to find older records!
There are also commercial search sites that cover the state of Maryland, allowing you to search their computerized records for a fee. Often this fee is returned if you get no “hits” on the name, while you can also decide whether or not you want to pay more for more detailed information, if it is available in Maryland. These kinds of sites are also very useful if you don’t live in Maryland and want to carry out a quick search on a name, rather than waiting for the staff at the archives to get around to your particular request. Similarly, if you are not totally sure that the arrest happened in the state of Maryland, then the national records can help you widen your search from the comfort of your own home.
