Union County Court
Union County Arrest Records

Union County, North Carolina Arrest Records

Union County arrest records comprise official paperwork created when an individual is taken into custody, booked, or otherwise processed for an alleged offense. These records typically report significant events, such as the date of arrest, charges, the arresting agency, and identifying information about the arrested person.

Under North Carolina’s Public Records Act (Chapter 132 of the North Carolina General Statutes), government records, including arrest-related information, are open to the public unless a statutory exemption applies.

Aside from the North Carolina Public Records Act, the state maintains separate statutory rules for certain criminal offender information and law enforcement media. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1.4, law enforcement agency recordings, such as body camera and dash camera footage, are not common public records. Access to such records may require a court order.

In Union County, arrest records may be maintained at the county level or by city or town police departments. Some of the leading municipal police departments in Union County include the Monroe Police Department and the Waxham Police Department.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Union, North Carolina?

Yes. Under the North Carolina Public Records Act, arrest records are generally public information. This law guarantees the right of the public to view, inspect, or copy arrest information unless otherwise stated by the Act or other laws.

Aside from the Public Records Act, North Carolina has a separate law that governs criminal investigation records and arrest disclosures. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1.4 mandates law enforcement agencies to make certain arrest and incident information accessible to the public. However, criminal investigative documents are generally not public records.

In North Carolina, requesters typically do not have to provide an ID or be a Union County resident to request disclosable arrest records. Nevertheless, record keepers may ask for identification or written requests for certified copies, sensitive information, records from secure detention facilities, or restricted records.

What Do Public Union County Arrest Records Contain?

Under North Carolina law, the public-facing elements of an arrest record typically comprise the following:

Full name of the arrested person
Date of birth or age
Gender and physical descriptors
Mugshot or booking photograph (when released)
Date and time of arrest

It is worth noting that requesters may also access related booking details, such as the arresting agency, booking date, custody status, bond or bail amount, case or charge identifiers, and court dates or hearing information, where the custodian law enforcement agency maintains such information as part of its arrest and booking records. This information is available to inquirers as long as no exemption applies.

Despite the general openness of arrest records, North Carolina allows custodian agencies to withhold certain information to protect privacy interests, maintain the fairness of active investigations, and comply with statutory confidentiality rules.

Itemized below are examples of information that may be withheld:

Pending criminal investigative materials
Witnesses and confidential informant identities
Surveillance footage or evidence photographs
Juvenile records
Medical or mental-health information
Social Security numbers and other sensitive identifiers
Information restricted by federal or state privacy laws
Court-sealed and expunged criminal records

Union County, North Carolina Arrest Search

Individuals seeking Union County arrest records may explore the following state and federal pathways:

North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Offender Search: This portal allows users to search by name or offender ID and obtain current custody details on state prison offenders, probationers, and parolees. However, this database does not include information on individuals incarcerated in the county jail.

North Carolina Judicial Branch’s portal: For arrests that resulted in court cases, requesters may use the NC Judicial Branch Portal to look up case information. Visitors may search criminal cases by record number or by name (last, first, middle, suffix format) to view charges, court dates, and case status.

North Carolina Statewide Criminal History Record Request: Individuals may review their criminal history record information for accuracy and completeness by submitting a Request for Access to Criminal History Record Information - Right to Review to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The State Bureau of Investigation also provides criminal background checks to certain public and authorized agencies (qualified organizations). However, this is a request process, not a free public instant lookup.

PACER: At the federal level, requesters may use the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) for federal court cases and docket information. This account and subscription-based service may help locate arrests that result in federal charges. If the case is in a federal court serving Union County, requesters may use the platform to search for arrests and prosecutions in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator: Those seeking arrest records for individuals incarcerated in federal facilities may use this search tool to find information on federal inmates held since 1982. The platform allows searches using criteria, such as name or BOP registry number. Searches typically yield information on inmates’ facility location, sentence details, and release date.

Union County Inmate Locator

Requesters may visit the Union County Sheriff’s website to access the county's official inmate inquiry tool. Users may search by last or first name to view an inmate’s full name, primary charges filed against them, arrest agency, and booking date. On the page, they may also generate reports that include an inmate’s identifying information (e.g., name, age, sex, race, booking photograph), the docket number, arrest and release dates, next court date, charges filed against the individual, and bond amount (if applicable).

Individuals seeking additional information may contact the Sheriff's Office at:

Union County Sheriff's Office

3344 Presson Road, Monroe, NC 28112

Phone: (704) 283-3789

Detention Center Phone: (704) 292-2600

Active Warrant Search in Union County

In Union County, an arrest warrant is a written court order issued by judges, clerks, or magistrates that authorizes law enforcement to take a specific individual into custody. Before issuing an arrest warrant, a complaint must be presented to a court, and the court must determine, based on the complaint and any affidavit, that there is a basis to issue it. In North Carolina, judicial officials may issue a warrant when they believe someone should be taken into custody for failing to appear, a risk of escape, possible harm to people or property, or the seriousness of the offense.

Under the North Carolina Public Records Act, some warrant-related information is open to the public. However, criminal investigation records and criminal intelligence records are not public records under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1.4.

In Union County, the Sheriff’s Office publishes an online Most Wanted List through its Police-to-Citizen system. Users may search the list by last name to view a wanted person’s full name, charges, paper type, and arrest agency information. To view a comprehensive list of all search warrants, click on “Show All Wanted List” on the Wanted List page.

Agency/Resource	Purpose	Search/Inquiry Method	Notes
Union County Sheriff’s Office	Maintains and serves warrants through its Warrant Squad	Online Wanted List, phone, in person	Sheriff’s Office: 3370 Presson Road, Monroe, NC 28112; Phone: 704-283-3789
Union County Sheriff P2C Wanted List	Public-facing list of wanted persons/warrant entries	Browse by last name or show the entire wanted list	Shows name, charge, paper type, and agency
Union County Clerk of Superior Court/Judicial Branch	Maintains criminal process and court records	Court record search, courthouse inquiry	The clerk maintains criminal process records under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-301.
North Carolina Judicial Branch	Court dates, court records, local rules, forms	Online court portal or courthouse contact	Union County court resources are available through the state Judicial Branch site.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Union County

Requesters seeking free arrest records may visit the Union County Sheriff’s Office Police-to-Citizen (P2C) portal to use the resources outlined below:

Inmate inquiry: The county’s official inmate inquiry tool represents the best option for finding free arrest records in Union County. Users may search the portal using an inmate’s first or last name to view an inmate’s full name, primary charges filed against them, arrest agency, and booking date. On the page, they may also generate free reports that comprise an inmate’s identifying information, docket number, arrest and release dates, next court date, charges filed against the individual, and bond amount (if applicable).

Arrest/Incident Search: This search engine allows users to locate arrest-related entries using several criteria, including name, date range, search radius (distance), case number, street number, or name, address, or city. Searches typically return details such as the arrest date, time, and location, as well as the arrestee’s name and the charges filed against them.

The Daily Bulletin: This page displays recent arrests, citations, summonses, incidents, and ordinance violations. It is worth noting that some events may not be reported on the same day they occurred and therefore may not appear immediately.

Wanted List: For warrant or wanted-person information connected to an arrest, users may browse the Sheriff’s Wanted List online. Requesters may search by last name or click on “Show All Wanted List” to view the full list. Searches typically display the wanted person’s name, charge, paper type, and agency.

Note: The official Union County pages do not state that requesters must be residents or provide an ID to use the free public tools above.

Union County Arrest Report

Arrest Record

Arrest records are the summary-level entries created when a person is taken into custody. This type of information is usually what the public sees in the county detention and booking system. It often contains details such as who was booked, the booking date, basic personal identifiers, filed charges, bail and bond information, and custody status.

In essence, an arrest record is a snapshot of who, when, where, and the charge, useful for verifying a booking and finding the relevant court case.

Arrest Report

Arrest reports are narrative reports prepared by the arresting officer. These reports usually describe the circumstances leading to the arrest, the officer’s observations, the witnesses' statements, the evidence collected, and the sequence of events during the incident. In North Carolina, law enforcement agencies create this kind of narrative document as part of the investigative process and include it in the broader law enforcement file.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Union County

Union County does not operate a separate expungement program. Instead, the county's expungement (referred to as expunction in North Carolina) follows the statewide expunction law.

The expunction options available to defendants usually depend on how their case ended. These record relief types are discussed as follows:

Dismissed charges or not-guilty findings: This record relief category allows individuals whose charges were dismissed or found not guilty to pursue expunction under G.S. 15A-146. Defendants are expected to file their petition in the county court where the charge was brought.
Nonviolent misdemeanor or felony convictions: Some older nonviolent convictions may be eligible for expunction under G.S. 15A-145.5, depending on the offense, waiting period, and prior record. It is worth noting that eligibility rules for nonviolent felony convictions are stricter than those for nonviolent misdemeanors.
Identity theft or mistaken identity cases: North Carolina provides separate expunction forms and procedures for cases in which someone’s name or identity was used in a criminal case without their permission.
Juvenile matters and special categories: The state also provides separate expunction rules for juvenile records, some drug-related matters, DNA records, and other specific case types.

In practice, an applicant seeking the expunction of eligible records in Union County is expected to file in the county where the arrest or charge took place. Potential petitioners may access relevant petition forms and instructions through the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s website. Please note that using the wrong form may delay or result in the application being rejected.

How Do You Remove Union County Arrest Records From the Internet?

In Union County, you may file for expunction under North Carolina law to remove your arrest records from official government sites. Union County does not provide an individual county-level takedown process.

County agencies and courts typically do not remove publicly accessible arrest information upon a simple request. Therefore, you must apply to the court for an expunction order to restrict or remove arrest-related records from government websites and databases.

The first step towards removing a record online is to apply for the relevant expunction option through the North Carolina courts if the record qualifies. This is the standard route for taking down records maintained by official public databases and agencies.

If a judge grants the expunction order, the clerk of the court sends the order to the relevant law enforcement agencies, which may include the arresting agency and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Those agencies then process the order, although updates to government databases may take time.