>Day County Arrest Records Online

Day County, South Dakota Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in Day County, South Dakota?

Arrest records are public documents in Day County, South Dakota, pursuant to the South Dakota Public Records Act (SDCL § 1-27-1). This legislation establishes that all government records, including those pertaining to arrests within the county, are accessible to the public unless specifically exempted by statute. The South Dakota Public Records Act operates under the presumption of openness, ensuring transparency in governmental operations and accountability in law enforcement activities.

Members of the public may request and review arrest records maintained by the Day County Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies. These records document official actions taken by peace officers during the course of their duties and constitute official government records subject to public disclosure requirements under state law.

Certain information within arrest records may be redacted or withheld in accordance with SDCL § 1-27-1.5, which provides exemptions for confidential information such as:

Social Security numbers
Medical information protected under HIPAA
Information related to ongoing investigations
Juvenile records (subject to restrictions under SDCL § 26-7A-27)
Information that would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy

The Day County Sheriff's Office maintains these records in compliance with South Dakota Codified Laws and makes them available through established procedures for public records requests.

Can Arrest Records be Found Online in Day County?

Day County arrest records are accessible through various online platforms maintained by state and county agencies. The South Dakota Unified Judicial System provides electronic access to court records, including those related to arrests and subsequent court proceedings. The digital availability of these records facilitates public access in accordance with the state's commitment to governmental transparency.

The Public Access Record Search portal allows members of the public to search for arrest-related court records using name-based queries. This system, maintained by the South Dakota Unified Judicial System, provides 24-hour access to public records that have been digitized and entered into the state's judicial database.

Online access to Day County arrest records is subject to the following conditions:

Users may be required to create accounts or pay nominal fees for certain detailed records
Some records may have restricted online access due to statutory limitations
Recent arrests may experience processing delays before appearing in online systems
Complete arrest record information may require supplemental requests to the originating agency

The Day County Sheriff's Office website provides additional information regarding locally maintained records and may offer direct access to recent booking information and arrest logs as permitted by South Dakota law.

How to Look Up Day County Arrest Records in 2025

Multiple methods exist for obtaining Day County arrest records in 2025, in accordance with South Dakota's public records statutes. Interested parties may utilize the following official channels to access these records:

In-person requests at the Day County Sheriff's Office:

Day County Sheriff's Office
711 W 1st Street, Suite #11
Webster, SD 57274
(605) 345-3222
Official Website
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Online access through the South Dakota Unified Judicial System portal, which maintains court records related to arrests and prosecutions.
Written requests submitted via mail to the Day County Clerk of Courts:

Day County Clerk of Courts
711 W 1st Street
Webster, SD 57274
(605) 345-3341
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Requests through the Public Access Record Search system for court cases resulting from arrests.
For specialized searches related to sex offenses, the South Dakota Sex Offender Registry maintains records of registered offenders.

Pursuant to SDCL § 1-27-35, agencies may charge reasonable fees for the reproduction of public records. Current fee schedules are available from each respective agency. Requests should include the full name of the subject, date of birth (if known), and approximate date of arrest to facilitate accurate record retrieval.

Contents of a Day County Arrest Record

Day County arrest records contain standardized information as prescribed by South Dakota law enforcement protocols and judicial requirements. These official documents typically include the following elements:

Subject identification information:
- Full legal name and any documented aliases
- Date of birth
- Physical descriptors (height, weight, identifying marks)
- Residence address at time of arrest
- State identification number and/or FBI number (if applicable)
Arrest details:
- Date, time, and specific location of the arrest
- Statutory violations cited (SDCL references)
- Classification of offenses (felony, misdemeanor, or petty offense)
- Name and badge number of the arresting officer(s)
- Agency responsible for the arrest
Processing information:
- Booking photographs (mugshots) taken from front and profile views
- Fingerprint impressions collected during booking
- Property inventory of items in possession at time of arrest
- Initial appearance date and bail determination
- Detention facility information if subject was incarcerated
Case disposition:
- Court docket number for associated criminal case
- Preliminary hearing outcomes
- Charging decisions by prosecuting authority
- Current status of the case within the judicial system

These records are maintained in accordance with South Dakota records retention schedules and are subject to disclosure under the South Dakota Public Records Act, with exceptions as provided by statute.

Expungement of Arrest Records in Day County

The expungement process in Day County operates under the authority of SDCL § 23A-3-26 through § 23A-3-33, which establishes procedures for the sealing or destruction of arrest records under qualifying circumstances. Expungement petitions must be filed in the circuit court that would have had jurisdiction over the offense for which the arrest was made.

Eligibility criteria for expungement of arrest records in Day County include:

Arrests that did not result in formal charges being filed within one year
Cases dismissed by the court or prosecuting attorney
Acquittals following trial proceedings
Arrests resulting from mistaken identity or factual error
Successful completion of a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS) pursuant to SDCL § 23A-27-14
Satisfaction of waiting periods for certain offenses as specified in SDCL § 23A-3-27

The expungement procedure requires petitioners to:

File a formal petition with the Day County Clerk of Courts
Provide notice to the prosecuting attorney who handled the original case
Submit to fingerprinting for verification purposes
Attend a hearing before a circuit court judge
Demonstrate that the requirements for expungement have been satisfied

Upon granting an expungement order, the court directs all agencies maintaining records of the arrest to seal or destroy such records. This includes the Day County Sheriff's Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Expunged records are removed from public access but may be retained for limited law enforcement and judicial purposes as permitted by statute.