Find Daviess County Arrest Records
Daviess County arrest records are maintained by the Daviess County Sheriff's Office in Washington, Indiana (the county seat, not to be confused with Washington County). The county has roughly 33,000 residents and sits in southwestern Indiana. The sheriff handles jail operations and booking records, while criminal cases go through the Daviess Circuit Court and Daviess Superior Court.
Daviess County Quick Facts
Daviess County Sheriff and Jail Records
The Daviess County Sheriff's Office handles all county law enforcement and operates the Daviess County Security Center, which serves as the county jail. The jail processes bookings for people arrested by county deputies, the Washington Police Department, and other local agencies. Every booking creates a record that includes the person's name, date of birth, charges, bond information, and the date and time of arrest.
These booking records are public under Indiana Code 5-14-3, known as the Access to Public Records Act (APRA). Anyone can request them. You do not need to explain why you want the records. To submit a request, contact the sheriff's office by phone, in person, or through a written request sent to their office in Washington.
For current inmates, the state INjail portal allows you to search by county.
Pick Daviess County from the list on INjail to view people currently held in the county jail.
The Daviess County jail holds pre-trial inmates, people serving short sentences, and those awaiting transfer. The facility has been updated in recent years to improve conditions and increase capacity. If you cannot find someone on the current roster, they may have been released, transferred, or they could be held in a different facility under an agreement with another county.
Note: Daviess County has a significant Amish population. This does not affect how arrest records are handled, but it is worth knowing that the county's demographics are different from many other Indiana counties.
Daviess County Court Records
Criminal cases arising from arrests in Daviess County are filed in the Daviess Circuit Court or Daviess Superior Court. The prosecutor decides which cases to file based on the evidence from the arrest. Once a case is filed, the court record documents every step from arraignment through sentencing or dismissal.
You can search Daviess County court records for free using MyCase.
Enter a name or case number on MyCase to see charges, court dates, and outcomes for Daviess County cases.
Court records tell you what happened after the arrest. A booking log shows that someone was arrested and what the initial charges were. Court records show whether those charges stuck, whether a plea deal was reached, or whether the case went to trial. For anyone doing a thorough records search in Daviess County, checking both the booking record and the court case gives you the full picture.
The Daviess County Clerk's Office in the courthouse can provide copies of court documents for a small fee. You can call ahead to check if a specific record is available before making the trip to Washington.
Statewide Records Tools
The Indiana State Police criminal history service searches arrest records statewide, covering Daviess County and all 91 other Indiana counties. It costs $15 per name, with a small additional fee for credit card payment. Results include felony and Class A misdemeanor arrests that have been reported to the state central repository.
Below is the ISP Criminal History Services page.
Create an account, submit a name, pay the fee, and you get a report of arrests on file with the state.
Other state-level tools for Daviess County arrest record research:
- MyCase for court record searches
- INjail for current jail inmates
- Indiana DOC offender locator for people in state prison
Daviess County is in southwestern Indiana, not far from Knox County and Greene County. If someone lived or worked in this region, they could have records in multiple counties. The ISP statewide check is the easiest way to cover all of them at once.
Expungement in Daviess County
Indiana Code 35-38-9 allows eligible individuals to petition for expungement of certain arrest and conviction records. If you were arrested in Daviess County but never charged, the arrest record can be sealed after one year. Misdemeanor convictions may be sealed after five years, and some felony convictions qualify after longer waiting periods that depend on the offense class.
You file the petition in the Daviess County court where the original case was handled. The petition must include case details, your criminal history, and a statement about why you qualify. The prosecutor has a chance to respond, and the judge makes the final ruling. There is a filing fee, with waivers available for people who cannot afford it.
Once expunged, the records are sealed from public view on tools like MyCase and the ISP background check. This can be important for employment, housing, and other areas where a criminal record creates barriers. Legal aid services and private attorneys in the area can help with the petition process.
Note: You only get one expungement petition per lifetime under Indiana law. Make sure you include all eligible records in your petition.
Cities in Daviess County
Daviess County does not have any cities with a population over 25,000. Washington, the county seat, has about 12,000 residents. Other communities include Montgomery, Odon, and Elnora. All arrest records for these areas are handled through the Daviess County Sheriff's Office and the court system in Washington.