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Privacy Policy

This policy describes the visitor information Orange County Criminal History receives, how that information supports the site, and when outside services process data. This privately run resource does not hold Orange County government records. Official records remain with the Clerk, Sheriff, police departments, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and other public custodians.

Data You Give Us Directly

Search Queries

A query entered into a search box is sent to the outside provider operating that tool. The provider processes the entry and supplies its response. We do not keep a separate log of the names or places entered in those boxes.

Messages and Contact Submissions

When you send an email, we retain the message as needed to answer it. It is kept within our organization unless disclosure is required by law.

Data We Gather Automatically

Normal server and analytics functions can collect technical details when a page loads.

  • Your device's IP address
  • Browser name, version, and operating system
  • Device category
  • Pages viewed and time spent
  • A referring website, when one is supplied
  • The date and time of each request

Cookies and Analytics

Cookies are small files that help measure traffic, popular pages, and navigation patterns. Analytics providers may combine those signals into site-use reports. Browser controls can block cookies, although doing so may change how some features work.

What We Do With This Data

Collected technical information is used for limited operational purposes.

  • Delivering pages and maintaining site speed
  • Routing a search to the provider selected by the user
  • Measuring which resources visitors use
  • Finding faults and resolving security issues
  • Supporting advertising that may reflect browsing interests

No Criminal-Record Data on File

We do not build, keep, or sell a database of personal criminal records. The site identifies official Orange County channels, including the Clerk of Superior Court, Sheriff's Office, State Bureau of Investigation, and North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. It is not a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA, and visitor data is not assembled into consumer reports. North Carolina's Public Records Law in Chapter 132 governs public custodians; G.S. 132-1.4 limits disclosure of criminal investigation records, while G.S. 15A-151 restricts access to expunged-case information.

Third-Party Search Partners

Outside companies power the search boxes. Their privacy notices govern anything entered into those tools, including retention and sharing choices. Review the provider's terms before submitting a query because we do not control its practices.

Links to Other Websites

Links may lead to Orange County offices, North Carolina court and agency pages, legal resources, or outside search services. Once a visitor follows one, the destination's policy applies. Advertising partners may also use their own systems to measure activity across websites.

Who Might See Your Data

We do not sell personal information. Limited data can be processed by the organizations needed to operate the service.

  • Search companies handling a query you choose to submit
  • Analytics services measuring traffic and performance
  • Advertising networks displaying ads
  • Government or law-enforcement bodies responding to valid legal process

How We Protect Your Data

Reasonable administrative and technical safeguards are used for the information we control. No internet service can guarantee perfect protection, so a security breach can never be ruled out completely.

Users Under 18

The service is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone younger than 18. Information identified as belonging to a minor will be removed when a valid request brings it to our attention.

Your Data Rights

Applicable privacy and consumer-protection law may provide additional rights based on where you live. North Carolina's Chapter 132 concerns records held by public agencies and does not make this private site's analytics a county record. Subject to lawful limits, you may:

  • Request a copy of personal data held about you
  • Ask that inaccurate personal information be corrected
  • Request deletion of eligible personal data
  • Object to or opt out of certain processing

Updates to This Policy

A revised policy will appear here with a new effective date. Continued use after publication is governed by the current version.

Effective date: August 2, 2026