Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside provider operating that feature. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. Montgomery County Criminal History does not keep or record those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When you email us, the message is retained so a response can be prepared. It is kept within the organization and is not disclosed beyond it unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the server receives routine technical information about that visit, which may include:
- The internet protocol address used by your device
- Your browser type and browser version
- The operating system and type of device in use
- Pages viewed and the time spent on them
- Any referring website that led to the visit
- The date and time associated with each page view
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files saved on a device. They and analytics services help measure site traffic, identify widely read pages, and show where visits end. Your browser can reject or remove cookies. Blocking them may cause some site features to work in a different way.
What We Do With This Data
- Operate the website and improve page speed
- Route a submitted search to the appropriate partner feature
- Measure which information visitors use most often
- Diagnose faults and correct technical problems
- Display advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Montgomery County Criminal History does not operate, compile, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general directions for finding records held by Montgomery County courts and the Sheriff's Office, the Virginia Department of State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange, and the Virginia State Police Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. Agency disclosure may be governed by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Code §2.2-3700 et seq., while §17.1-208 addresses court records. Access to CCRE information is limited by §19.2-389, with separate juvenile dissemination limits under §19.2-389.1. This website is not a consumer reporting agency, and visitor information is not assembled into consumer reports or third-party criminal files.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes that appear on the website. Information submitted to a search tool is governed by that provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each provider decides how it retains and shares data, and those choices are outside our control. Review the applicable policy before entering a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Montgomery County offices, Virginia courts and agencies, legal-aid resources, or outside search tools. Once you follow an external link, the destination's privacy rules apply. Read those rules before giving that website personal information.
Advertising providers may use technology on their own systems to follow activity across websites and select targeted ads. That tracking is not performed on our systems.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold. Information may, however, be available to:
- Outside search providers that process a query you submit
- Analytics vendors that measure visits and technical performance
- Advertising networks serving ads on the website
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal demand
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, commonly used safeguards are applied to information collected through the website. No internet service can guarantee perfect security. Measures are taken to reduce risk, but a breach or unauthorized access cannot be ruled out completely.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and personal information is not knowingly collected from anyone younger than 18. If a minor is believed to have provided information, contact us so it can be removed promptly.
Your Data Rights
Where its coverage and exemptions apply, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act provides rights under Virginia Code §59.1-577. Those rights may allow you to:
- Request access to personal data maintained about you
- Ask that inaccurate personal data be corrected
- Seek deletion of covered personal data
- Opt out of certain forms of covered processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as practices or legal requirements change. A revised version will be posted here, and its effective date will be updated so visitors can identify the current policy.
Effective date: August 10, 2026