Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or place entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside company that operates that tool. The provider handles the query and supplies its result. We do not keep or record those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
We retain an email or other message sent directly to us long enough to review and answer it. It remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by law.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers automatically receive basic technical information when a visitor loads a page:
- The date and time of each page request
- Your device's assigned IP address
- The referring website, when one is reported
- Your operating system and general device type
- The browser name and version in use
- Pages viewed and the length of those visits
Cookies and Analytics
Small files called cookies help us understand site use, such as which pages draw traffic and where visits end. Analytics providers combine that activity into broader reports. You may block cookies through your browser, although doing so can change how some site functions behave.
What We Do With This Data
- Diagnosing errors and other technical faults
- Operating the site and improving page speed
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
- Routing a search query to the selected outside provider
- Measuring which guides are useful and which need revision
No Criminal-Record Data on File
We do not compile, maintain, or sell a database of personal criminal records. Essex County guidance identifies routes to the Sheriff's Office, local court clerks, the Virginia Department of State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange, and the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. Visitor information is not assembled into a report about another person or into a consumer report. This site is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Virginia Code § 19.2-389, rather than this policy, controls CCRE criminal-history dissemination by Virginia State Police.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies operate the search boxes shown on this website. Their privacy terms govern any information entered there. We do not set a partner's rules for retaining or sharing data, so review the applicable provider policy before using its search.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Essex County government, Virginia court portals, state agencies, legal-aid resources, or outside search services. Once you leave this website, the destination's policy applies. Check those terms before providing personal information.
Advertising providers may use their own systems to follow activity across websites for interest-based advertising.
Who Might See Your Data
Personal data is not sold by us. It may be disclosed to:
- Analytics providers that measure traffic and site performance
- Advertising networks that serve ads on these pages
- Outside search providers selected by a visitor
- A government body or law-enforcement agency acting under a valid legal order
How We Protect Your Data
Reasonable, commonly used security measures protect the information we hold. No internet service can guarantee absolute security, however, and 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 a person under 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such data, we will remove it promptly.
Your Data Rights
Rights depend on residence, the kind of data involved, and whether a law applies to us. The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, Virginia Code § 59.1-571 et seq., may provide eligible Virginia consumers with rights such as access, correction, deletion, data portability, and an opt out of certain processing. Virginia FOIA, Virginia Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., governs qualifying requests to public bodies; it does not turn this private website into a government records office. Subject to applicable limits, you may:
- Request deletion of covered personal data
- Ask for access to covered data we hold about you
- Opt out of processing when the governing law provides that choice
- Request correction of inaccurate covered information
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised as site practices or legal requirements change. A new version will appear here with its current effective date.
Effective date: August 10, 2026