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 request and supplies its results. We do not retain or record those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
Messages sent by email are kept as needed to prepare and deliver a response. They remain within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal duty.
Data We Gather Automatically
When a visitor loads a page, the servers automatically receive basic technical information about that visit:
- Your device's assigned IP address
- The browser name and version in use
- The operating system and type of device
- Pages viewed and the time spent on them
- Any website that referred the visit
- The date and time of each view
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device to help measure how people use the website, such as which pages draw traffic and where visits end. Analytics providers combine that usage information into broader reports. You may block cookies through the browser settings, although doing so can change how some features work.
What We Do With This Data
Technical and submitted information is used only for the operational purposes listed here.
- Operating the website and maintaining page speed
- Routing a search request to the appropriate partner
- Measuring which material visitors use most
- Diagnosing errors and correcting technical problems
- Presenting advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
We do not keep, assemble, or sell a database of personal criminal records. The published material identifies the official routes for Ritchie County records, including the Ritchie County Sheriff, Magistrate and Circuit Courts, the West Virginia State Police Criminal Identification Bureau, and the West Virginia Sex Offender Registry. Court inspection is governed separately by West Virginia Code §51-4-2, agency requests by the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and CIB dissemination by §15-2-24. Visitor data is not compiled into a third-party record or consumer report, and we are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Information submitted through a tool is handled under that provider's privacy policy rather than this policy. Each provider controls its own retention and disclosure practices. Read those terms before entering a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to sheriff pages, court systems, West Virginia agencies, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once you follow an external link, the destination's privacy policy controls the visit. Review it before providing personal information.
Some advertising providers may observe activity across websites to select ads. That processing occurs through their systems and policies, not ours.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal information is not sold. It may be disclosed or transmitted only to categories such as:
- Search providers processing a query you submit
- Analytics vendors measuring traffic and site performance
- Advertising networks serving placements on the website
- Government or law-enforcement entities acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, commonly used safeguards protect the information we collect. No internet-connected system can guarantee absolute security, so we cannot promise that unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone younger than 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such data, we will remove it promptly.
Your Data Rights
Rights may vary with the privacy and consumer-protection law that applies where you live. West Virginia FOIA §29B-1-3 concerns records held by public bodies, court access follows §51-4-2, and CIB dissemination follows §15-2-24; those public-record laws do not turn this private resource into a government custodian. You may still ask us to:
- Provide a copy of personal information kept about you
- Correct information that is inaccurate
- Delete data where the request applies
- Stop certain forms of data processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as practices or legal requirements change. A new version will appear here with an updated effective date, so review the page periodically for changes.
Effective date: August 11, 2026