Choctaw County Recent Bookings

Choctaw County recent bookings require special attention because the county jail is closed. The Choctaw County jail shut down in July 2019. Inmates from Choctaw County are now housed in neighboring counties. This guide explains how to find recent booking records for Choctaw County arrests.

Choctaw County Sheriff's Office

The Choctaw County Sheriff's Office still operates. Sheriff Scott Lolley leads the department. The main office is in Butler. Staff can help you find where inmates are being held.

Choctaw County is rural and has a small population. About 12,000 people live here. The county decided to close its jail in 2019. Cost was the main factor. Now the county pays other jails to hold inmates.

How to Search Choctaw County Bookings

Finding Choctaw County inmates is more complex now. The county jail is closed. Inmates go to other counties. You must know where they are held to search.

Call the sheriff's office first at (205) 459-2414. Ask where the person was taken. Staff can tell you which county jail holds them. Then search that county's roster.

Common holding locations include:

• Washington County Jail in Chatom
• Clarke County Jail in Grove Hill
• Sumter County Jail in Livingston
• Marengo County Jail in Linden

The sheriff website has a "Who's in Jail" page. However, since the jail closed, this may not show current inmates. Call for the most accurate info.

Choctaw County Booking Record Fees

Asking about inmates by phone is free. The sheriff's staff will help you find where someone is held. This basic info costs nothing.

Fees depend on which county holds the inmate. Here are typical costs:

• Phone inquiry to Choctaw Sheriff: Free
• Copy of booking record: $0.50 to $1.00 per page
• Background check via ALEA: $25.00
• Court record search: $9.99 via Alacourt

Call (205) 459-2414 for help finding the right jail.

How to Request Records in Choctaw County

Getting Choctaw County booking records takes extra steps. You need to find where the inmate is held first.

By phone is the best first step. Call (205) 459-2414. Ask about a specific arrest. Staff will tell you where the person was taken. Then contact that county's jail.

In person works if you visit Butler. Go to 117 S. Mulberry Avenue. Staff can search their records. They can help you contact the holding jail.

For booking records, contact the jail that actually holds the inmate. Choctaw County keeps arrest records. But the booking happens at the holding facility.

Check neighboring county rosters online. Washington, Clarke, Sumter, and Marengo are common choices.

Choctaw County Jail Closure

The Choctaw County Jail closed permanently on July 17, 2019. This was a big change for the county. The jail building still stands but is not used for inmates.

The county commission voted to close the jail. Cost was too high for the small population. Running a jail takes staff, food, medical care, and maintenance. The county could not afford it.

Now the sheriff contracts with other jails. When someone is arrested in Choctaw County, they get transported to a neighboring county. The sheriff pays that county to hold the inmate.

This arrangement is common in rural Alabama. Other small counties have done the same. It saves money but makes finding inmates harder. You must call to learn which jail holds someone.

Note: Choctaw County arrests still happen. The sheriff still makes arrests. Only the booking location changed. Records are kept, but inmates are held elsewhere.

Alabama Booking Records Laws

Alabama law makes jail records public. Code of Alabama Section 36-22-8 requires sheriffs to keep a record book of all prisoners. This book must be open for public inspection.

Section 36-22-13 says these records must be available free of charge. You do not need a reason to view them. Anyone can ask to see jail logs during office hours.

The Alabama Open Records Act also protects your right to access. You can request copies of booking records in writing. The sheriff must respond in a reasonable time.

Search Choctaw County Area Jails

Use the search tool below or check neighboring county rosters for Choctaw County inmates.

Cities in Choctaw County

Choctaw County has a few small towns. All arrests now go to neighboring county jails for booking.

Towns include Butler, Gilbertown, Lisman, Silas, and Toxey. Butler is the county seat. Arrests anywhere in the county go to a holding jail in another county.

Nearby Counties with Active Jails

These counties may hold Choctaw County inmates. Check their rosters if you cannot reach the sheriff.