Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered into a search tool is sent directly to the outside company operating that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. We do not keep or log those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When you email us, we retain the message as needed to answer it. It remains within our organization unless the law requires disclosure to someone else.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers automatically receive basic technical details when a visitor loads a page:
- Page-view dates and times
- The referring website, when one is provided
- Pages opened and the length of each visit
- Device category and operating system
- Browser type and version
- The device's IP address
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files placed on a device. We use them with analytics services to combine traffic information and see which pages draw visits or where sessions end. You may block cookies through your browser, although doing so can change how parts of the website function.
What We Do With This Data
- Sending a search request to the selected partner
- Maintaining reliable and prompt page delivery
- Finding and correcting technical faults
- Assessing which pages visitors use
- Displaying 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. Franklin County material is described only to help visitors locate the sheriff, Circuit Court or General District Court, the Virginia Department of State Police, and the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. We are not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not turned into a consumer report or a record about another person.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes. Their privacy policies, rather than this policy, govern information submitted through those tools. They decide how long they retain data and when they disclose it. Read the relevant partner policy before running a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Franklin County offices, Virginia courts, state agencies, legal resources, or outside search services. Once you follow a link, the destination's privacy policy applies. Review it before providing personal information.
Some advertising companies may observe activity across websites to choose targeted ads. That process occurs through their systems.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold. Limited information may be available to:
- Government bodies or law enforcement acting under a valid legal order
- Advertising networks serving material on the pages
- Analytics providers measuring traffic and performance
- Search partners processing a query you submit
How We Protect Your Data
Standard security measures are used to protect collected information. No internet-connected system is completely secure, however, so we cannot guarantee that unauthorized access will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone younger than 18. If we learn that a minor supplied information, we will remove it promptly.
Your Data Rights
Rights may differ by residence and applicable law. Virginia's Freedom of Information Act, Va. Code §§ 2.2-3700 et seq., governs access to public-body records, while Va. Code § 19.2-389 limits dissemination from the state criminal-history repository. Those laws do not convert this private website into a government custodian. Subject to the law that applies, you may:
- Opt out of some forms of processing
- Request deletion of your data
- Ask that inaccurate information be corrected
- Request a copy of information held about you
Updates to This Policy
This privacy policy may be revised. A new version will appear here with its current effective date, so review the page from time to time for changes.
Effective date: August 10, 2026