Where to get a certified copy of arrest record

[ezfaq]

I was ever arrested for a DV case in 1999 in Northern California but the case was dismissed by the court. Now I live in Southern California and need to provide "certified copies of all arrest records" to USCIS for my citizenship interview. Where to get "certified copies of all arrest records"? Is "arrest record" the same as 'criminal record/history' or 'police report'?

Many thanks!

 

[milk]

I was ever arrested for a DV case in 1999 in Northern California but the case was dismissed by the court. Now I live in Southern California and need to provide "certified copies of all arrest records" to USCIS for my citizenship interview. Where to get "certified copies of all arrest records"? Is "arrest record" the same as 'criminal record/history' or 'police report'?

Many thanks!

Google it for the county/court where you think you got a record. Call them up (usually the person to talk to is County Clerk), provide your case # and ask for the "Certified" copies of all of the report and pay for it (<$20). make sure you ask specifically for certified otherwise they would send the photocopies without court seal on it. Certified means nothing but photocopies with a court seal on it. They don't do it if you don't ask for it. Simple. You will have it in less than a week.
Don't pay for the criminal record or history report by a third party. They usually tell whether you have a record or not and where. What u get from the county clerk is the official copies. The third party reports won't be accepted by USCIS.

 

[ezfaq]

Thank you very much, milk!

I forgot to mention that I do have a certified copy of the court docket showing the deposition is dismissal. But the USCIS asks for "originals or certified copies of all arrest records and court disposition showing how each incident was resolved."

I called the sheriff department of the county where the incidence happened and they told me to get a fingerprint Live Scan (URL: ag.ca.gov/fingerprints) so that the DOJ of California can send me a summery of my "criminal history record" in California. Is this what USCIS asks for? I bet not. They also told me that I can get Live Scan done locally in Southern California but when I called the local sheriff department they told me the "arrest record" is "releasable to 'interested parties' (as defined by applicable State codes) only, or by subpoena or court order." meaning "arrest record" is not available for me/individual.

I also called the police department of the city where the incidence happened and they stated they can provide a copy of the police report (a narrative report by the officer).

I called USCIS and one officer in the California Service Center told me the court docket is good enough and it's better to get a police clearance letter from local police department.

So, four terms here: arrest record, criminal record, police report, and police clearance letter. What USCIS truly wants? I got confused.

 

[ganjik]

My experience:

1. You need to provide Certified Court Docket for each of arrest incidents you have (as I understood you have 1)
2. You need to provide Ceritified Police Arrest Report from sheriff department for each arrest you had.

Thats all.

In your case you already have a docket.

Now you need a police report. In my case sheriff department refused to give me Ceritifed Police Arrest Report since my case was dismissed (non-conviction data is not Public Inofrmation) So they gave me a an official letter stating that they can not release the report to me. I plan to submit that letter along with the docket.

 

[ezfaq]

ganjik, thank you so much for the info and clarification!

Yes, I only have this one arrest and my case was dismissed by the municipal court of California. It sounds like the same case as you have. However, unlike yours in my case the police department of the city where the arrest was made agrees to provide me a certified copy of the police report. I think that will satisfies the requirement of "Arrest Report" (instead "arrest record") as described in the "Good Moral Character" in "A Guide to Naturalization" published by USCIS (page. 25, version M-476 (rev. 02/08)N).

I guess what "arrest record" by USCIS (listed in the Interview File Checklist) is the same as "arrest report".

For criminal record (URL: expungecriminalrecordcalifornia.com/what-is-a-criminal-record.htm):
If a person has ever been arrested in California and fingerprinted, that person has a California criminal record, which is a record of arrest, conviction, and disposition history. This criminal record is commonly referred to as a “RAP SHEET”

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) in Sacramento is responsible for maintaining all criminal records or “RAP SHEETS” in California. The DOJ keeps track of arrests (anytime a person is fingerprinted by law enforcement) in California only; State and local juvenile and criminal courts also send information to the DOJ. After a case is adjudicated (decided), the court contacts the DOJ to report the outcome, or "disposition." Some common dispositions include "NOT CONVICTED," "DISMISSED," "ACQUITTED," and "CONVICTED."'

For arrest record (URL: expungecriminalrecordcalifornia.com/seal-arrest-records/index.htm):
On your “rap sheet” an arrest record is different from a conviction record. An arrest is where you are booked in jail but no charges were filed. A conviction is when you plead guilty or no contest. It also occurs if r were found guilty by a jury.

So it seems that the arrest record is part of the criminal record.

 

[MORAA ORINA]

certified copy

I was ever arrested for a DV case in 1999 in Northern California but the cse was dismissed by the court. Now I live in Southern California and need to provide "certified copies of all arrest records" to USCIS for my citizenship interview. Where to get "certified copies of all arrest records"? Is "arrest record" the same as 'criminal record/history' or 'police report'?

Many thanks!

i'm in the same predicament, did you ever get your citizenship? how did you get your certified copies?
thanks

 

[needhelp11]

Same here

Same situation...My case was rejected so no court disposition. What does the IO need. Arrest report or record. Do they wanna know why was I arrested?? Will they ask me? Thx.

 

[BigJoe5]

Same situation...My case was rejected so no court disposition. What does the IO need. Arrest report or record. Do they wanna know why was I arrested?? Will they ask me? Thx.

They need the final court disposition. A criminal case can be continued by a court for a good deal of time. There may be probation, fines (on a payment schedule), classes, community service, therapy, rehab, AA meetings, whatever. The FINAL Disposition will show how all those things got completed or in the alternative, screw-ups, bench warrants, missed and late payments, revocations, an added weekend in county jail for probation violations, re-offenses, failed drug tests, again, whatever. USCIS will not only asses that something was completed but also HOW it was completed. If the record show that you got off probation last month BUT should have been discharged three years prior, that would be bad. On the other hand, if you got off probation last month and it was on time with no problems, that's better. And then, perhaps you got off probation last month but it was six months early for making excellent progress on all aspects, counseling and community service and good reports from a probation officer.

That is all part of why they need the FINAL Court Disposition.