Find Recent Bookings in Charlottesville

Charlottesville recent bookings are kept by the Charlottesville Police Department and the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. When a person is taken in by city officers, the booking is logged at the city station and then the inmate is moved to the regional jail. You can search Charlottesville recent bookings by name through the regional jail tool, the city open data portal, or a city FOIA request. This page shows you where to start, what is on a booking sheet, and how to find a name fast in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Charlottesville Police Recent Bookings

The Charlottesville Police Department keeps the city arrest records. Information Management Services Supervisor Ashley Moje runs the records desk. Call 434-970-3280 to ask about a recent booking by name. The desk is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Police report summaries can be picked up by the reporting party or a victim with a valid photo ID.

The image below shows the Charlottesville Police Reports page where you can read the arrest data and the records contact. Read more on the Charlottesville Police Reports page.

From this page you can pull the FOIA contact, the records hours, and the link to the city open data portal. Use it as the start point for any Charlottesville recent bookings search.

The city also runs an open data portal with arrest data. You can read more at the Charlottesville Open Data Portal. The portal has open arrest data on people taken into custody by city officers. You can filter by date and charge.

Albemarle Regional Jail Roster

People booked in Charlottesville are housed at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. The jail serves Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and Nelson County. ACRJ Records can be reached at 434-977-6981 during business hours. The online inmate search is on the ACRJ site.

Once a person is on the jail roster you will see the booking date, the charges, the bond, and the next court date if it has been set. Bond hearings happen in the magistrate office right after intake. A person held without bond should ask for a bond hearing right away.

Some Charlottesville bookings end up in state custody after sentencing. For state inmates use the Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator. The VADOC tool covers more than 30,000 state inmates and refreshes twice a day.

Charlottesville Court Records

After a recent booking the case moves to a Charlottesville court. Felonies and civil cases over $25,000 go to the Charlottesville Circuit Court. Misdemeanors, traffic, and small claims go to the Charlottesville General District Court. Juvenile cases go to the J&DR Court. New cases show up in the state court case search within a day or two of the booking. Search by name on OCIS 2.0 for circuit court cases or on the general district court system.

OCIS is free and works any time. Pick the court name from the dropdown. Enter the full last name and the first name. You will see the case number, the judge, the charges, and the next hearing date. Juvenile records are not online and need a court order to see them under Virginia Code § 16.1-301.

The city had about 87 total arrests in 2023 with 28 violent crime arrests and 59 property crime arrests. For older Charlottesville court files go in person to the clerk at the courthouse. The clerk can pull paper files going back many years. Bring a photo ID. Bring the case number if you have it.

Charlottesville FOIA Requests

Most Charlottesville recent bookings records are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 et seq. You do not need a reason. The city must reply within 5 working days. They can ask for 7 more if they need them.

Email FOIA@charlottesville.org or call 434-970-3827. The fax line is 434-970-3890. You can mail a request to PO Box 911, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Read more on the Charlottesville Types of Records page. The image below shows the city FOIA records page.

From this page you can read about which records the city can release and which are kept back. Use it before you file a request.

Some details are pulled before the record goes out. Personnel files, attorney work product, vendor info, criminal investigation files, and health records can all be held back under Virginia Code § 2.2-3706. The basic name, charge, and intake date stay open.

State and Federal Charlottesville Bookings

The Virginia State Police is the central keeper of criminal history. You can ask for your own record on Form SP-167 for a $15 fee. The form must be notarized and mailed to Richmond. See the Virginia State Police criminal records page for the form.

Some Charlottesville bookings end up in federal custody. Use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator to find a person held by the BOP. Results show the current site and the projected release date.

VINElink is a free national tool that lets you track a person in jail or prison. Sign up for a phone, email, or text alert when a person is moved or set free. Visit vinelink.com or call the Virginia VINE line at 800-467-4943. The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council has free sample request letters and a hotline at 866-448-4100.

For free legal help, the Virginia State Bar runs a lawyer referral line. See vsb.org for a referral. Free civil legal aid is at Virginia Legal Aid.

Charlottesville Booking Sheet Details

A Charlottesville recent booking sheet has the same core info no matter which office takes it. The top of the sheet has the full name, the date of birth, and the booking date and time. Next is the arresting officer name and badge. Then a list of the charges with the code section for each. The bond amount and the bond type sit near the bottom. The next court date is added once the magistrate sets it.

The mugshot is paired with the sheet at intake. Some Charlottesville bookings sheets also list the height, the weight, the eye color, and the hair color. A scar or tattoo note is added if it shows. The Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail keeps the sheet on file as long as state law allows. A copy can be pulled by FOIA after a case is closed.

The arresting agency is almost always the Charlottesville Police for a city booking. State Police bookings inside the city limits go through the same intake but list the trooper as the officer. Federal arrests use a different sheet and a federal magistrate sets bond at the U.S. District Court. Most Charlottesville recent bookings stay in the local system from start to finish.

Knowing what is on the sheet helps you ask the right question at the records desk. Have the full name and a date of birth ready before you call. The records clerk can find a booking faster with both.

Are Charlottesville Bookings Public

Yes. Charlottesville recent bookings, jail rosters, and arrest logs are public records. The Virginia FOIA backs this up. Anyone can ask the Charlottesville Police or the regional jail for a current roster or a copy of a booking sheet. Most of the data is online so you do not have to file a request.

Some details are kept back. Social security numbers, home addresses of victims, and any info about minors are not released. A judge can also seal a record in rare cases. But the basic name, charge, intake date, and bond status of an adult booking are open to anyone.

Nearby Recent Bookings Pages

Other nearby Virginia cities and counties also have recent bookings pages on this site.