Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside company that operates that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its result. We do not keep or log those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
An email sent to us may be retained long enough to answer and manage the message. It remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
Loading a page can automatically produce basic technical and usage details:
- Page-view dates and times
- The referring website, when one is supplied
- Pages opened 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 placed on a device. They help measure traffic patterns, such as popular pages and points where visits end. Analytics providers combine that activity into reports. A browser can block cookies, though doing so may change how some site functions behave.
What We Do With This Data
- Diagnosing faults and maintaining site security
- Measuring which pages are useful
- Routing a submitted search to the selected provider
- Operating and improving site performance
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
Pocahontas County Criminal History does not maintain, compile, or sell a database of personal criminal records. The content identifies how records may be requested from Pocahontas County clerks, investigating agencies, WVDCR, the West Virginia State Police Criminal Identification Bureau, and the West Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry. Visitor data is not assembled into a consumer report or a criminal record about another person. This website is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Their privacy policies, rather than this policy, govern information entered into those tools. They choose their own retention and disclosure practices. Review the provider's terms before submitting a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to Pocahontas County offices, West Virginia agencies, courts, legal resources, or outside search services. Once a visitor follows a link, the destination's privacy terms control. Read those terms before sharing personal information.
An advertising provider may use its own systems to measure activity across websites and select ads. We do not operate that tracking infrastructure.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal data. Limited information may be available to:
- Government or law-enforcement bodies acting under valid legal process
- Advertising networks that deliver ads
- Analytics vendors that measure traffic and performance
- Search providers that receive a query submitted to their tool
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
The website is intended for adults, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from a person under 18. If such information is identified, it may be requested for deletion.
Your Data Rights
Applicable law may provide additional rights. West Virginia's Freedom of Information Act, W. Va. Code §29B-1-1 et seq., governs public records held by government bodies, while W. Va. Code §15-2-24 separately limits dissemination of Criminal Identification Bureau information. Those laws do not turn this private site into a government records custodian. For information held by us, a user may:
- Request access to personal data we retain
- Ask that inaccurate retained data be corrected
- Seek deletion where applicable
- Object to eligible forms of processing
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised. A new version becomes available here with an updated effective date, so visitors should review it periodically.
Effective date: August 11, 2026