Legal Definitions - bench blotter

A bench blotter is a record of all the instances when a person has been arrested. It is created by a police officer when a person is arrested and is also known as an arrest record or police blotter.

• John's bench blotter showed that he had been arrested three times in the past for theft.
• The police officer filled out a bench blotter when he arrested Sarah for driving under the influence.

These examples illustrate how a bench blotter is a record of a person's past arrests. It is important for law enforcement to keep track of a person's criminal history to help with future investigations and legal proceedings.