Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent to the third-party company that operates that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. Lincoln County Criminal History does not log or retain those search terms on its own systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
An email may be retained long enough to respond and manage the exchange. Messages remain within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a page loads, the server can collect routine technical and usage details:
- Page-view timestamps
- The referring website, when one is supplied
- Visited pages and time spent on them
- Device type and operating system
- Browser name and version
- The device's assigned IP address
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files saved on a device. They and analytics services help produce aggregate traffic measures, such as popular pages and exit points. A browser can block cookies, although some website functions may then work differently.
What We Do With This Data
- Diagnosing and correcting technical faults
- Maintaining site speed and availability
- Routing a search request to the selected partner
- Measuring which pages are useful or need improvement
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Lincoln County Criminal History does not keep, compile, or sell a personal criminal-record database. It publishes general directions to the sheriff, the Lincoln County courts, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation repository, and the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. Visitor information is not assembled into consumer reports or third-party criminal records, and this website is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. North Carolina General Statutes Section 15A-151 restricts access to confidential expunction files; this private website does not receive those protected government files.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Their privacy policies, retention rules, and sharing practices apply to information submitted through those tools. Review the selected provider's terms before entering a query because this policy does not control the provider.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the sheriff, court portals, North Carolina agencies, legal-aid resources, and outside search services. The destination's privacy policy governs after a visitor leaves this website. Read it before providing personal information.
Some advertising partners may use their own systems to measure activity across websites and select ads.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Limited data can be available to:
- Analytics providers measuring traffic and performance
- Search partners processing a query
- Advertising networks serving page ads
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable security practices are used to protect collected information. No internet-connected service can guarantee perfect security, so a breach or unauthorized access cannot be ruled out.
Users Under 18
This website is intended for adults and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If such information is identified, it can be requested for deletion.
Your Data Rights
Rights may vary by residence. In North Carolina, consumer-protection claims may fall under Chapter 75 of the General Statutes. The North Carolina Public Records Law, Chapter 132, governs government records and does not convert this private website into a public agency. Visitors may:
- Request correction of inaccurate personal information
- Ask for a copy of personal data held about them
- Seek deletion where applicable
- Opt out of certain processing where the law provides that choice
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as practices or legal duties change. A revised version becomes available here with an updated effective date.
Effective date: August 2, 2026