Search Free Washington County Public Records & Obtain Information on Anyone

Free Washington County Public Records Search
Access Washington County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

Search Washington County public records for free using online tools, background check reports and local agencies outlined in this article. Efficiently search for criminal records, such as arrests, warrants, and probation or prisoner information.

These records and more are available under federal law (the Freedom of Information Act) and Florida’s Public Records Laws. Because of these statutes, citizens can access court cases, vital records (marriage, divorce, birth, and death), and real property data (including tax information).

However, the process for requesting and acquiring this information differs from one record custodian to the next. That’s why knowing the specific steps and agencies to use when performing your search is important. This streamlined resource will give instructions for obtaining various public records in Washington County, Florida, seamlessly and without cost.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

How To Find Recent Arrests in Washington County Florida for Free

A person looking for Washington County arrest records can do so through multiple resources. Most broadly, an individual can conduct a countywide search to look up inmate information and find records on when an individual was arrested, their charges, and where they are incarcerated. A county search can include online inmate search tools, rosters and other types of jail records.

However, if a person was recently arrested and you need the information immediately, you may need to request an arrest or police report with the local police department that made the arrest. To do so, a record seeker should at least know approximately when and where an offender was arrested.

You may also want to perform a search at the local level if you need a detailed arrest report to file a legal or insurance claim or to understand what happened that led to the arrest.

Below, you can learn more about how to search for arrest records and police reports with county custodians and local law enforcement.

See Who’s in a Washington County Jail Through the Inmate Roster

You can use the Sheriff’s Office Inmate Roster Search Tool to look up information on Washington County bookings.1 To find someone’s mugshot and basic inmate information, search by entering the arrestee’s name.

The search results will provide the arrestee’s mugshot, descriptive information about the offender, and basic information such as their inmate ID and address. You can also see various custody details, including the date and time the arrestee was booked, their current custody status and the holding facility where they are located (if applicable).

A screenshot of the inmate roster posted by the Washington County Sheriff's Office displaying the inmates' mugshots, names, record details, custody details, and more information.
Source: Washington County Sheriff’s Office1

The inmate roster also provides the reporting and arresting agency and their contact information. This information is helpful if you need an arrest report or other information, typically in the arresting agency’s custody.

For additional information regarding Washington County arrest records, you can contact the jail at 850-638-6110. You can also talk to someone at the jail directly by going to the below address:

Washington County Jail
1100 Brickyard Rd. 
Chipley, Florida 32428

In addition, you can contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for information, as they are responsible for maintaining the county jail and inmate roster. They can be reached at 850-638-6111 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. A citizen can also go to their office located at the below address:

Washington County Sheriff’s Office
711 Third St.
Chipley, Florida 32428

Review Arrest Details via Law Enforcement Agencies Within Washington County Florida

While general inmate information is helpful, there are various situations in which you will need access to the arrest details for a particular incident. Whether it is to satisfy your curiosity or to submit a legal claim, the arresting agency is responsible for providing arrest and incident reports.

You may also contact the arresting agency if the matter is urgent and the information is not yet available at the county level. Washington County’s primary law enforcement agency with jurisdiction to make arrests is the Sheriff’s Office.

To request a police report or other records, you can submit a request online with the Sheriff’s Office.2 To do so, select “Public Records Request” from the Form options and enter the requested information and a detailed description of any records you want.

A screenshot of the Washington County Sheriff's Office's Records Request form where anyone may file a request for a police report or other type of public records by providing the following information: form type, name or business name, email address, full name of the person being requested, and more.
Source: Washington County Sheriff’s Office2

If you have any questions about submitting a request, you can email the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Records Department at [email protected] or by phone at 850-638-6070. You can also go to their office at the below address:

Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Records Custodian
711 Third St.
Chipley, Florida 32428

The only other police department in Washington County is the Chipley Police Department. You can request public records with them for police reports and related information. Police reports are generally available after one day as long as there is no ongoing investigation regarding the arrest.

To obtain information on requesting a police report, you can call them at 850-638-6310. You can also go to the police department with any requests at the below address:

Chipley Police Department
1430 Jackson Ave.
Chipley, Florida 32428

How To Run a Washington County Criminal Record Search

Interested parties can look up someone’s criminal record to get a detailed history of an individual’s crimes and convictions. A citizen can search Washington County public records online and at the courthouse to get a defendant’s criminal history. 

Unlike arrest information, a criminal record will provide the searcher with the history and conclusion of a particular offense. A searcher can view details from when a subject was first arrested to how the case was decided. If a subject is convicted, you can also view a defendant’s sentencing information.

When an individual accesses criminal records, they can do so for various reasons. Some want to see what crimes a subject was convicted of, while others want to search for more specific information on arrest warrants and sentencing information.

Various custodians hold criminal records, which can be accessed in different ways. Below, you can find the steps and valuable resources for requesting a background check report or accessing this information for free with online search tools and courthouse document reviews.

Perform a Free Public Criminal Record Check in Washington County Florida

An individual can search Washington County criminal records using the Clerk’s Online Case Records Search Tool.3 This search tool is for various court records, so you must focus your search on criminal cases.

A screenshot of the Online Court Records Search tool where someone may do either a case search where an individual is required to enter a case number or a person search where the searcher is required to provide the last name or business name and other optional information such as the first name and middle initial, court type, date range, SSN, and date of birth.
Source: Washington County Clerk of the Court3

To use this tool to search for criminal records, you must select the appropriate court type(s). There are three options for criminal cases: Felony, Misdemeanor and Criminal Traffic. You can select one or all three for a more comprehensive review if you know the specific crime you are looking for.

You can search by case number if you have that information available. Otherwise, you will be performing a name-based search. In addition to entering a defendant’s name, you can include their Social Security Number (SSN) or date of birth if available. Lastly, you can narrow your results to a specific timeframe by setting a range for the date the case was filed.

After running your search, the results will provide you with a list of matching names of people with criminal records in Washington County. The results page will also provide the defendant’s gender, race, address and how many criminal cases they have in Washington County.

You can then check the box to the left of the individual’s name to view their full criminal record. If you want, multiple criminal records can be selected at once. In addition, when you pull up a subject’s criminal record, it will include all cases from Washington County.

When you open the person’s electronic criminal record, you can view the date the case was filed, case type (e.g., felony, misdemeanor) and its current status. Further down, you can get a summary of the charges.

The charges section includes the statute, summary description and the current phase of the adjudication (e.g., filed, disposed etc.). Here, you can also find the judge assigned to the case.

For more detailed information, click on the Unified Case Number (UCN) at the top left-hand side of the screen. Here, you can find the following additional information:

Dockets — This section will provide a comprehensive list of all court filings throughout the case. You can click on the image for many of these docket entries to view a PDF copy of the filing.

Court Events — Here, you can see a chronological listing of all activity in a particular case, including court dates, conferences and more.

Sentences — If a person is adjudicated guilty, this section will provide sentencing information, including type, status, date imposed and date effective.

Financial Summary — This section will list fines, court costs, restitution and their current payment status.

An individual can also perform a free criminal record check by looking up this information in person. Looking up the physical copy of case records may provide more information than was included in a defendant’s electronic criminal file.

To learn more about looking up criminal records at the courthouse, contact the Clerk of Court at 850-638-6289. The courthouse is located at the address below:

Washington County Courthouse
1293 Jackson Avenue
Chipley, Florida 32428

How To Search for Arrest Warrants in Washington County Florida

A citizen can use the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Wanted Person Search Tool to find individuals with outstanding arrest warrants.4 To view Washington County warrants, scroll through the list or enter an offender’s name in the search bar.

A screenshot of the Wanted list posted by the Washington County Sheriff's Office showing these individuals' mugshots, names, personal information, warrant information, charges, and other details.
Source: Washington County Sheriff’s Office4

The search results will provide the offender’s mugshot and warrant number. In addition, you can see the specific charges that led to the issuance of a warrant. This search tool will also provide the subject’s name and personal information (age, gender and race) and the date the warrant was issued.

Another way to search for arrest warrants in Washington County is by using the Wanted Persons Search Tool provided by the FDLE.5 While this is a statewide tool, it is another way to search for arrest warrants of individuals from Washington County.

A screenshot of the Wanted Persons Search tool of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), which can be searched by providing the following information: last name, first name, middle name, nickname, race, sex, and DOB or age.
Source: Public Access System (PAS) by Florida Department of Law Enforcement5

To use this tool, enter the individual’s name (or nickname). You can then narrow the results by the offender’s race, sex or birthday.

Search results will provide any warrants a subject has in Florida, along with when it was issued and the arresting agency. You can review this information to see if the arrest warrant is from Washington County. Additional information this tool provides includes their last known address, job, and physical description.

One last option for searching arrest warrant information is to find it through criminal case records. A criminal history search can be accomplished using the Online Case Records Search Tool the Washington County Clerk of Courts provides.

After you perform your criminal record search and find the record you want to review, click on the Unified Case Number (UCN). Once on this page, you can open the “Court Events” section where you will find a list of all events that have happened for a particular case. If an arrest warrant was issued for the individual in that criminal matter, it should be listed here.

How To Obtain Probation Information in Washington County Florida

Individuals looking to view probation information can access it through the Washington County Clerk of Court’s Online Case Search Tool. To use this tool to access probation information, you can conduct a criminal record search, as was outlined earlier in this article.

For searching probation data, you should narrow your court-type selection to misdemeanor cases, as these cases most often involve this type of sentence. Once you find the criminal record, you can click on the UCN to view the complete history of the case.

In the “Sentences” section, you will find any probation information. If a defendant was sentenced to probation, you can view that here, along with the total length, when it was imposed and the effective date.

You can contact the Washington County Probation Department at 850-638-6150 for additional information. The local office for State probation and parole can be reached by phone at 850-638-6234 or the below address:

Washington County Probation & Parole Office
713 3rd St.
Chipley, Florida 32428

How To Acquire a Washington County Background Check & Report

To obtain a background check report in Washington County, first, it is important to understand what type you need. If you want to learn more about someone, then a personal background check using the self-help search tools provided in this article is all you need.

However, if you need the information for business or legal reasons, you will need a professional background check report. A professional background check report may be needed if you apply for a job or request to rent a property. Several state and federal laws also trigger background checks.

If you know you need a professional background check, then you need to determine the type and scope. Background check reports can be conducted at the county, city, state and federal levels. In addition, a professional background check can be name-based (more subjective) or fingerprint-based.

To obtain a professional background check in Washington County, you can do so with the Sheriff’s Office online background check request option.

To submit a request, select “Background Check” from the list of Forms. After you make this selection, you can enter your personal information and any data needed for the background check. There is no additional information on what to submit or the cost.

For more information, you can contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Records Department by email at [email protected] or by phone at 850-638-6070.

To obtain a state background check report, you can make a request with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).6 The FDLE offers various background checks depending on your need and the citizen or entity making the request.

The first type of background check is known as an instant search. This option is the quickest since you can submit an online request for all information in the FDLE’s public index of criminal records. The results of this type of background check will be sent via email.

Another option is to submit a request for a certified or non-certified search. This type of request can be made at the FDLE’s office and by mail. If you need to submit these records to a third party, you will want to request a certified search. If not, a non-certified search will likely suffice.

When submitting a request in person or by mail, you must provide your identifying information and that of the subject on which you are requesting these Washing County public records. For mailed requests, send your information to the below address:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Criminal History Services
ATTN: VECHS
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, Florida 32302

If you plan to make your request in person, you will have to go to the below address:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement
2331 Phillips Road
Tallahassee, Florida 32308

The final option the FDLE provides is an ORI search; however, this search is not open to the general public and is limited to a set of entities authorized by statute.

Background checks through the FDLE cost $24.00. If you have any questions about Florida background checks and what type you may need, you can contact the Criminal History Services Section of the FDLE by email at [email protected] or by phone at 850-410-8161. This section’s hours of availability are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

If you require a comprehensive fingerprint-based background check, you can obtain one with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). To complete the fingerprinting for this background check, you can do so with any authorized Florida Livescan Service Provider. You can request fingerprinting services with the Washington County Jail if you want a local option.

How To Find Out if Someone Has a Criminal Record Throughout Florida via State & Federal Agencies

After thoroughly searching public records in Washington County for criminal information, you may need to expand the area you are reviewing. To do so, a record seeker can use criminal record search tools that include Florida public records or federal data.

These tools can be great resources to confirm information from previous searches or determine if an individual has any criminal records outside Washington County. Whether you want to search a public records repository for sex offenders or access someone’s complete Florida criminal record, you can use the tools provided below:

Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Offender Search Tool — This tool can be used to search for people convicted of criminal offenses in Florida that have resulted in their incarceration in state prison.

A screenshot of the Supervised Population Information List from the Corrections Offender Network maintained by the Florida Department of Corrections displaying these individuals' names, DC number, race, sex, scheduled termination date, current location, birth date, and a hyperlink routing to a page with more information.
Source: Florida Department of Corrections (DOC)7

Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Career Offender Search Tool — This search tool can find convicted felons imprisoned for certain serious or repetitive offenses.

A screenshot of a sample Florida Career Offender flier made available by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) showing the offender's mugshot, name, aliases, adjudication charges, last known address, offender type, personal information, physical characteristics, and more details.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Career Offender Search Tool8

Florida Online Case Information — Here, you can find an online directory of search tools for criminal cases that have been appealed.

Note: Each Clerk of Court has their own independent search tool for county criminal cases. 

A screenshot of sample results from the search done through the Online Court Records Search tool listing the names in the cases, their gender, race, addresses, and the number of cases they have.
Source: Washington County Clerk of the Court9

FDLE Criminal Records Search Tool — A record seeker can use this tool to conduct an online criminal background check in Florida. Here, you can find criminal record information throughout the state.

Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators Search Tool — An individual can use this search tool to find people convicted as sex offenders in Florida. Searches can be conducted by an offender’s name or general neighborhood.

A screenshot of the Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators Search sample results through the tool provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement displaying a map view showing the proximity of sexual offenders, illustrated through a blue house, from the point of the address that the searcher entered in the search criteria; there is a table below the map showing more information about these offenders such as their picture, name, status, address, and the address source information.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement10

United States Sex Offender Registry Search Tool — This is a more expansive search tool that allows a searcher to look up individuals throughout the United States who are required to register as sex offenders. A searcher can use this tool to find an offender by their name or within a particular radius of an address.

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Search Tool — This is a search tool that allows you to look up people who are or were incarcerated in the federal prison system.

How To Look Up Court Records by Name in Washington County Florida

You can perform a search of Washington County public records to access a variety of civil, criminal and family law cases. A searcher can access these Washington County court records by using the Clerk of Court’s Online Case Finder.

This online case tool can be used to access the following types of Washington County judicial records:

  • Appeals cases from Washington County Court
  • Civil Cases — These include any cases from both the Washington County and Circuit Court regarding disputes involving various kinds of damages (e.g., breach of contract, personal injury, malpractice, product liability)
  • County and Municipal Ordinances
  • Criminal — This includes criminal traffic violations, felonies and misdemeanors
  • Domestic Relations — This includes divorce cases and matters related to it, such as child support, custody and alimony
  • Small Claims
  • Traffic Infractions
  • Non-criminal infractions
  • Probate – estate cases
  • Guardianships

A citizen can also choose to conduct a Washington County case search at the courthouse. The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit and Washington County Court are both located at the same courthouse. You can go to search records at the address below:

Washington County Courthouse
1293 Jackson Avenue
Chipley, Florida 32428

Tip: Before going in person, call the Clerk of Court at 850-638-6289 to gather any information you can on how records can be searched at the courthouse. They are available from Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. 

How To Access Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death) in Washington County

Vital records include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage and divorce records. Vital records are a popular category of documents that people often want access to, whether they curiously want to find out if someone is married or they are in the process of performing a genealogy search on their family roots.

In certain situations, a certified copy of one of these vital records may be necessary for legal or business reasons. These situations often involve needing to prove your identity or current marital status. Some examples of when you may encounter this request include the following:

  • Passport application
  • Name change
  • Update to your Social Security Card
  • Beneficiary of a life insurance policy
  • Adding someone to your health insurance policy

Unlike other types of records, vital records are available to varying degrees depending on your relationship to the individual whose record you are trying to access, the specific type of vital record and when the document was issued. Below is information on accessing and requesting vital records, as well as any applicable restrictions.

Check Marital Records (Divorced or Married) Through the Washington County Clerk of Court

If you want to check if someone is married in Washington County, you can do so by performing an official record search with the online tool provided by the Clerk of Court.11

To use this official record search tool, make sure to first select “marriage record” from the document type option. Next, you can select Washington County for the location and enter the subject’s name.

Before you search, you can also enter a date range for the marriage to limit your results. Search results will provide you with information on the parties to the marriage, the date and instrument number. For certain records, you can click on a link to view an image of the marriage certificate in the Description section.

If you would like to request a marriage record, you can check the order box on the far left-hand side of the search results and click Continue. Certified copies cost $3.00, and uncertified copies can be purchased for $1.00 (plus any service fees and shipping costs). For additional questions about marriage records, you can contact the Clerk of Courts at 850-638-6289.

Washington County marriage records can also be requested through the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics for any licenses issued from June 6, 1927, to the present.12 Requests can be made in person or by mail for $5.00 (additional costs if you need to expand your search or need additional copies.

To make a request, complete an Application for Marriage Certificate and provide it to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, along with the applicable fee, at the address below:

Florida Department of Health
Bureau of Vital Statistics
1217 North Pearl St.
Jacksonville, Florida 32202

If you want to search Washington County divorce records, you can use the Clerk of Court’s Online Case Search Tool. A searcher must select “Domestic Relations/Family” for the case type and enter the case number or individual’s name you are looking for.

From the search results, select the divorce record you want to view. The divorce record will contain general information about the parties and their current status. When you click on the UCN link, you can see whether the divorce was contested and the date the divorce was issued, along with related case information.

Marriage and divorce records may also be obtained through VitalChek, an approved third-party vendor that provides the ability to make online requests.

View Births & Deaths in Washington County Through the Florida Department of Health

A citizen can make a request with the Florida Department of Health in Washington County for either a Washington County certificate of birth or a certificate of death.

Birth records are available from 1917 to the present, and death records are available from 2009 to the present. Unlike other types of vital records, birth and death certificates have some restrictions on public access.

Birth certificates are not available to the public until 125 years after they are issued.

For records less than 125 years, they can only be issued to the person listed on the application, parents, and legal guardian or representative. The only other exception is if there is a court order or the person has passed away. If they have passed away, a deceased birth certificate can be provided to a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling (if of legal age).

Death certificates without the cause of death or at least 50 years old can be requested by any adult. For death certificates less than 50 years old, a record with the cause of death listed can only be provided to the decedent’s parent, spouse, child, grandchild or sibling (of legal age). A death certificate can also be provided by court order or to a beneficiary listed in a will, insurance policy or document indicating other beneficial interest in the decedent’s estate.

To request a vital record, complete either an Application for Florida Birth Record or death certificate application. The application, along with a copy of government-issued identification, can be provided to the address below:

Florida Department of Health Washington County
P.O. Box 648
1338 South Blvd.
Chipley, Florida 32428

Birth certificates cost $15.00, and death certificates cost $10.00. If you have any questions about birth or death records, you can contact the Florida Department of Health in Washington County by phone at 850-638-6240 or by emailing them at [email protected].

VitalChek can also be used to order either birth or death records online; calculate fees using VitalChek’s timing and pricing tool.

How To Discover Information on Property Ownership & Property Taxes in Washington County for Free

Washington County public records include property ownership and property tax information; you can check public records for these details using the search tools provided by the Washington County Property Appraiser’s Office.13 They provide two separate search tools that can assist you in accessing a variety of property information.

The first tool is a Property Record Search Tool. This tool allows you to search property information by the owner’s name, parcel number, property address or township range. There is also an option for searching by using their interactive map.

A screenshot of a sample parcel map view results from the search done through the Property Search tool of the Washington County Property Appraiser's Office displaying the map highlighting a specific address with more information about the property such as the mailing address of the property, owner's name, parcel number, and more information pasted on the right side and below the map.
Source: Washington County Property Appraiser’s Office14

When searching by name or address, you have the option of only seeing exact matches or allowing similar results if you are not sure of the individual’s name or location. The search tool will also provide you with suggested options for known property records as you are entering your information.

Once a requester enters their search criteria, they will get a list of results with basic property and owner identification information provided. From the results page, you can select the “Map” hyperlink to view that particular data. Otherwise, you will want to click on the Parcel ID to get additional property information.

The complete record will contain a parcel summary that will provide basic property information, including tax district, acreage and a brief legal description. The owner information section will provide their names with hyperlinks to search for all property records they have in Washington County.

You can also use this tool to get property valuation, land information and sales data. This will include the sale date and price. In addition to providing some other informational tools (Generate Owner List by Radius and Area Sales Report), you can click on a link to the Tax Collector site to get detailed property tax information.

The Washington County Appraiser’s Office also provides a separate Sales Search Tool.15 This tool can perform a sales search by setting ranges for various figures such as the sales date, price, year built and other options. You can also limit your sales search to land only or land with a building.

A screenshot of the Washington County Property Appraiser's Office's Sales Search tool that is searchable by providing the following criteria: sale price, sale date, square footage, acreage, year built, sale type, section, township, range, and neighborhood.
Source: Washington County Property Appraiser’s Office15

Once you perform a search, you can view the sales history that matches your criteria with the sale date and price. You can then click on the parcel ID to get the information provided with the Property Record Search Tool.

If you need additional information, you can contact the Washington County Appraiser’s Office any time on Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. A citizen can contact them by phone at 850-638-6205 or visit them at their office located at the address below:

Washington County Property Appraiser
1331 S. Boulevard
Suite 300
Chipley, Florida 32428

An individual can also search for property tax information using the Washington County Tax Collector’s Search Tool.16 This can be used to check your own taxes or those of someone else. You may want this information if you are purchasing a particular home or just want to assess the cost of living in a particular area.

You can use this tool to search by owner name, address, property number or tax bill number. Once you find the property you are searching for, you can view tax information, including how much taxes are due for the current year and any unpaid balance. You can also look at a summary of the past several years of tax information.

For additional property tax questions, you can contact their office from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. You can either call them at 850-638-6275 or go to the address listed below:

Washington County Tax Collector
1331 South Boulevard
Suite 101
Chipley, Florida 32428

Citizens’ Rights & Responsibilities Pertaining to Washington County Public Records

The ability to perform a free public records search for various kinds of information is a great tool. Access to public records in Washington County can help you learn more about a person, take care of business or legal matters and provide various other benefits.

With the many uses of public records, it’s important to have a good grasp of the rights and responsibilities that come with this privilege.

Rights and responsibilities for public records vary greatly depending on whether you are using them for professional or personal use. Personal use is merely searching records to learn more about a neighbor, colleague or any individual you want to learn more information about. It’s an informal search and cannot be used for any business or legal reasons.

When you perform a search for personal use, you have the right to search records without the consent of the subject you are inquiring about. All of the records discussed earlier in this article can be viewed about anyone, for any reason, without them even knowing.

Your one restriction (assuming your search is purely for personal use) is to avoid using the records for any type of criminal activity. This could be anything from stalking someone at their address or harassing them with information you found.

When searching for public information, you may find that the record you are looking for does not have an online search tool or clear way to access it. There may be no direct access to the record at all.

In these situations, you can submit a FOIA request with the government custodian of the record you want. If it meets the requirements of federal and state information laws, and there are no exceptions, they must provide the document to you within a reasonable timeframe.

Professional use of public records has a specific purpose, whether it be for business or legal reasons. Professional use can come in many forms; however, it is most often triggered by a law (state or federal) or a business that is conducting its due diligence before making a decision on a matter.

Some examples of professional use triggered by laws include mandatory background checks for employees or volunteers working with children or the elderly. Another example is when requesting a firearm’s license or security clearance. Business reasons for professional use include verifying information for a potential employee or renter.

When public records are being used professionally, your first responsibility is to request consent from the person you are searching. If you review an individual’s records and take adverse action against them (e.g., decline to rent to a citizen), you also must provide the required notices of this adverse action. Failure to follow these requirements may be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

When checking public records for a person’s creditworthiness, the individual being searched is provided several rights set forth in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Some of those rights include the right to see what is in your file and dispute any information one believes to be false or incomplete. Another right is to seek damages if any portion of the FCRA was violated.

An additional major responsibility during the professional use of public records is to avoid discriminating against a person due to their being part of a protected class or because of the individual having a criminal or arrest record. Discrimination can lead to someone filing a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).17 Any individual discriminated against can file this claim through their online portal.

You now have many tools to search criminal, family, property records and more. Whether you plan to search online or in person, you are now equipped with all the tools you need to access Washington County public records.


References

1Washington County Sheriff’s Office. (2023). Inmate Roster. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.wcso.us/inmateRoster>

2Washington County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). Submit Records Request. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.wcso.us/submitRecordsRequest>

3Washington County Clerk of the Court. (n.d.). Online Court Records Search (OCRS). Person Search. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.civitekflorida.com/ocrs/app/search.xhtml>

4Washington County Sheriff’s Office. (2021, March 11). Wanted. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.wcso.us/wanted>

5Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Wanted Persons Search. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/restricted/PAS/person/WantedPersons.jsf>

6Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Current Registered LiveScan Submitters. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records/Registered-LiveScan-Submitters>

7Florida Department of Corrections. (n.d.) Corrections Offender Network. Supervised Population Information List. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://fdc.myflorida.com/OffenderSearch/list.aspx?Page=List&TypeSearch=AO&DataAction=Filter&dcnumber=&LastName=smith&FirstName=&SearchAliases=1&OffenseCategory=&photosonly=0&nophotos=1&matches=20>

8Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d.). Career Offender Search. Flier. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/coflyer/Poster.asp?Keys=3595>

9Washington County Clerk of the Court.(n.d.) Online Court Records Search (OCRS) Results. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.civitekflorida.com/ocrs/app/partySearchResults.xhtml>

10Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d.). Sexual Offenders and Predators Search. Neighborhood Search Results – List/Map. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/neighborhoodSearch.jsf>

11Washington County Clerk of Court. (n.d.). Search Statewide Official Records. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www3.myfloridacounty.com/ori/index.do>

12Florida Department of Health. (n.d.). Marriage. How to order a Florida Marriage Certificate. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/marriage/index.html>

13Washington County Property Appraiser’s Office. (n.d.). Contact. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.qpublic.net/fl/washington/contact.html>

14Washington County Property Appraiser’s Office. (n.d.). Property Search. Map View. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://qpublic.schneidercorp.com/Application.aspx?AppID=896&LayerID=16944&PageTypeID=1&PageID=7612&Q=2036559379&KeyValue=00000000-01-0125-0019>

15Washington County Property Appraiser’s Office. (n.d.). Sales Search. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://qpublic.schneidercorp.com/Application.aspx?AppID=896&LayerID=16944&PageTypeID=2&PageID=7959>

16Washington County Tax Collector’s Office. (n.d.). Search Selection. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.washingtoncountytaxcollector.com/Property/SearchSelect?Accept=true&ClearData=True>

17Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination. Retrieved October 24, 2023, from <https://www.eeoc.gov/how-file-charge-employment-discrimination>