Rutherford County Arrest Records Search
Rutherford County arrest records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Murfreesboro. With a population of over 332,000, Rutherford County is one of the largest and fastest-growing counties in Tennessee. Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh leads the department from 940 New Salem Road. The county has a crime rate of 382 and processes a high volume of arrests each year. Arrest records here contain detailed information including names, dates of birth, physical descriptions, addresses, fingerprints, mugshots, charges, bond amounts, and court dates. Rutherford County keeps felony records permanently.
Rutherford County Quick Facts
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office Arrest Data
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is a large agency that handles patrol, investigations, court security, and jail operations. Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh runs the department from 940 New Salem Road in Murfreesboro. The main number is 615-898-7770. The jail has its own line at 615-898-7720.
Rutherford County is big. Over 332,000 people live here, and the county keeps growing. That means a high arrest volume. Law enforcement in the county includes the Sheriff's Office, Murfreesboro Police Department, Smyrna Police Department, La Vergne Police Department, and Eagleville Police Department. All bookings go through the county jail.
Arrest records in Rutherford County contain a lot of detail. Each record includes the person's full name, date of birth, physical description, home address, fingerprints, mugshot, arrest narrative, charges, bond amount, and court information. This is more comprehensive than what many smaller counties keep. Under TCA Section 10-7-504, most of this information is public, though certain details tied to ongoing investigations or victims may be restricted.
Rutherford County has specific retention policies for arrest records. Felony arrest records are kept permanently. Misdemeanor records are retained for 10 years. Arrests that did not result in charges are kept for 5 years before being purged. These retention rules affect what you can find depending on how old the case is.
| Agency |
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office 940 New Salem Road Murfreesboro, TN 37129 Phone: (615) 898-7770 |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Mike Fitzhugh |
| Jail | (615) 898-7720 |
Search Rutherford County Arrest Records Online
Rutherford County has a dedicated arrest records website at rutherfordrecords.us/arrest-records. This site lets you search for arrest records by name and view booking details, charges, and bond information. It is one of the more comprehensive online tools available for any Tennessee county.
The site is free to use. No account is needed. Enter a name and the system returns matching arrest records from Rutherford County. Results show the charges, booking dates, and case status. This tool covers both current and past arrests, depending on how long ago they happened and the retention policy.
The Tennessee Jail Roster at tennesseejailroster.com also has a Rutherford County page. This shows current inmates in the county jail with their charges and basic booking data. Given the size of Rutherford County, the roster can be long.
For the most current information, call the jail at 615-898-7720. Staff can confirm if someone is in custody and tell you about their charges and bond. The online tools are good but may not reflect changes that happened in the last few hours.
What Rutherford County Arrest Records Contain
Rutherford County arrest records are among the most detailed in the state. A typical record includes the full legal name of the person arrested, their date of birth, and a physical description covering height, weight, hair color, eye color, and distinguishing marks. The home address at the time of arrest is also listed.
Fingerprints and a mugshot are taken at booking and become part of the permanent record. The arrest details section covers when and where the arrest took place, which officer made the arrest, and the circumstances. Charges are listed individually with their statute numbers. Bond amounts appear next to each charge, and court dates show when the person is due before a judge.
Remember the retention rules. Felony records stay on file forever. Misdemeanor records are held for 10 years. If someone was arrested but never charged, that record is kept for 5 years. After those periods, records may be purged from the system. If you are looking for an old record, it may or may not still exist depending on these timelines.
Rutherford County Clerk Public Records
The Rutherford County Clerk's Office also handles public records requests. Their office is at 319 N Maple Street, Suite 121, Murfreesboro, TN 37130. The phone number is 615-898-7800. While the Sheriff's Office manages arrest and jail records, the County Clerk handles a wide range of other public documents that may relate to criminal cases, such as court filings and case disposition records.
Under TCA Section 10-7-503, Tennessee residents can request records from either office. Bring a valid Tennessee ID. Fees are $0.15 per page for standard copies. Complex requests that need more than an hour of staff time can carry extra charges. Given Rutherford County's size, it can take the full seven business days to get a response on larger requests.
State Resources for Rutherford County Arrests
TORIS from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation covers statewide criminal history. A search costs $29 and includes Rutherford County. TORIS uses fingerprint records from all 95 counties. Start at the TORIS portal. Given the high volume of arrests in Rutherford County, TORIS is especially useful here because it captures records that may have dropped off the county jail roster.
FOIL at foil.app.tn.gov is free and covers felony offenders in state custody. It includes inmates, parolees, and probationers. FOIL does not show people held in the Rutherford County jail or misdemeanor-only cases.
VINELink at vinelink.com provides custody tracking for Rutherford County. Given the large jail population, this tool sees heavy use from victims and families. Set up free alerts for releases, transfers, and escapes. The service runs 24/7.
The Tennessee Courts website at tncourts.gov has forms and court calendars. Rutherford County is part of the 16th Judicial District. Court records from this district connect to arrest records and show how cases were resolved.
Clearing Arrest Records in Rutherford County
Tennessee allows expungement of certain records under TCA Section 40-32-101. The Clean Slate Act of 2022 expanded the list. Some non-violent misdemeanors and Class E felonies now qualify. You need to have completed all parts of your sentence, including probation, fines, and restitution.
File a petition in the Rutherford County court that handled the case. Forms are at tncourts.gov. Processing takes 6 to 12 weeks. A filing fee is required, but waivers are available. In Rutherford County, an expungement removes the record from the county system and from statewide databases like TORIS. Given the county's retention policies, getting an expungement may be especially important for people with misdemeanor records that would otherwise stay on file for a full decade.
Cities in Rutherford County
Rutherford County is home to several cities, including the county seat of Murfreesboro. All arrests go through the Rutherford County jail for booking.
Murfreesboro is the largest city in Rutherford County and the county seat. Smyrna and La Vergne are also within the county. Each city has its own police department, but all bookings are handled by the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.
Nearby Counties
Rutherford County borders several counties in middle Tennessee. Verify which county made the arrest before you start a search. Records stay in the county where the booking happened.