Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is sent to the outside company that operates that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. We do not keep or record those search terms on our own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When you email us, the message may be retained so a response can be prepared. It remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers may collect basic technical details when a page loads:
- Page-view dates, times, and time spent on a page
- Your device's IP address
- The referring website, when one is reported
- Browser name and version
- Device category and operating system
- The pages opened during the visit
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. They and analytics services help combine traffic information, such as which pages are frequently viewed and where visits end. You can block cookies through browser controls, although disabling them may change how parts of the website function.
What We Do With This Data
- Finding and correcting technical problems
- Operating the website and maintaining its performance
- Routing a query to the selected search provider
- Measuring which content visitors use
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Scotland County Criminal History does not compile, maintain, or sell a database of personal criminal records. It publishes general directions to records held by the Scotland County Sheriff's Office, the Clerk of Superior Court, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's Criminal Information and Identification Section, and the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. We are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not assembled into a consumer report or a criminal-history file about another person.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Information submitted there is handled under the provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each provider chooses its retention and sharing practices, which we do not control. Read those terms before entering a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Scotland County offices, North Carolina court and agency pages, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once you leave this website, the destination's privacy terms apply. Review them before providing personal information.
Some advertising providers may use activity across websites to select ads. Any such tracking occurs through the provider's systems.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Data may be disclosed to:
- Advertising networks that serve ads on these pages
- A search provider that receives a query you submit
- Analytics providers that measure traffic and performance
- A government or law-enforcement body acting under a valid legal requirement
How We Protect Your Data
Standard security measures are used to protect collected information. No internet-connected service can guarantee complete security, so we cannot promise that unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
This website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from a person under 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such information, we will delete it.
Your Data Rights
Your rights may vary with where you live. North Carolina's Public Records Law, G.S. Chapter 132, governs records held by public agencies, not the private visitor data addressed by this policy. G.S. 15A-151 separately restricts disclosure of specified expunged case information. Subject to applicable law and the information we actually retain, you may:
- Ask us to correct inaccurate information
- Request a copy of information kept about you
- Ask to opt out of certain processing
- Request deletion of retained personal information
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. Any updated version will appear on this page with a new effective date, so review it periodically for changes.
Effective date: August 2, 2026