Georgia Public Records, Arrest Records and Jail Roster

Georgia Public Records

The residents of the state of Georgia have the right to access, examine, obtain and preview public records. This is according to the Georgia public records law.

The state of Georgia has adopted public records law known as the Georgia Open Records Act. The Act compels the government to make its records available to the public. Therefore, the law gives every member of the public the right and the ability to access all government records, unless specified otherwise by the state statute or court.

Records subject to the Georgia Open Records Act include all records created, acquired, or maintained by public entities at all levels including executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Georgia Criminal Records

Criminal records checks in Georgia can be done on anyone by authorized individuals, employment agencies, and licensing agencies. Any employer who wishes to apply for a criminal background check may need to have signed consent from the applicant. You can also request for your own criminal history records without having to show any signed authorization.? Background checks are done through an online system. The background checks generally give arrest records, serious traffic violations, arrest warrants, misdemeanors, felonies, sex offender listing, juvenile records, parole information, and jail and inmate records.

Arrest records are considered public records and are therefore accessible to the public. You can also request for jail and inmate records. To gain any information regarding offenders in Georgia and to get more information regarding services for victims, you simply need to visit the Georgia Department of Corrections website. To locate an offender, you can search on the site by either an Offender Number or a First Name and Last Name.

Georgia Court Records

Any information about the courts in the state of Georgia and court cases can be found at the administrator of the courts’ website. The website also provides you with useful information and links to help you obtain court records in Georgia. You will be able to search for Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Inferior Courts. If you wish to obtain copies of the actual case files, you will have to make a request through the clerk of the court at the particular courthouse where the case was heard.

Georgia Vital Records

The Office of Vital Records has the responsibility to maintain all vital records in Georgia. These records include such documents as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses and certificates, and divorce records. If you wish to obtain any of the vital records in Georgia, you should send your request with the required documentation via mail at State Office of Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30349, 1-800-436-7442.

• Birth records: The state of Georgia started recording births in an organized way in 1919 even though records exist before this year. Birth records prior to 1919 are available at the Family History Library. You will be required to pay $25 to be provided with a copy of birth certificate. Birth records from 1919 to present are available at the Department of Public Health.
• Death records: Statewide registration of deaths in Georgia was introduced in 1919 but there was no full compliance until 1922. Death records are available from 1919. You can obtain death records by directing your request to the Georgia County Health Department or at the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
• Marriage records: Marriage records are available as early as before 1805, and you can request for these records by writing to the court of ordinary or local clerk if you wish to obtain any of these records. Marriage records before 1900 are currently available at the Georgia Department of Archives and History. The Family History Library keeps copies of some marriage records dating back to early 1900s.
• Divorce records: the state of Georgia organizes divorce catalog into two categories. The first category comprises of divorce records before 1952 while the second category comprises of divorce records after 1952.

Whatever you need government records for, the law allows you to request for it provided it is covered by the Georgia Open Records Act and it is not exempt by court order.

Georgia State Court System

Understanding how the system of Georgia state court works is very important as it helps you find court records easily.

Georgia Courts Overview

The trial court system of Georgia State consists of Recorder’s Courts, Municipal Courts, Civil Courts, Magistrate Courts, Probate Courts, Juvenile Courts, Sate Courts, and Superior Courts.

To make your work easier, start searching for court records in Georgia by simply going to courts by county.

Georgia Superior Courts

Georgia Superior Courts have general jurisdiction to handle all types of civil and criminal cases, but typically, they only handle cases that other courts have no jurisdiction over.

Civil cases handled by these courts include domestic relations, title to real property and equity. Criminal cases that Superior Courts hear include lesser-included offenses and felonies.

All Superior Courts have Family Court divisions with jurisdiction to handle divorce and related cases involving children, such as child abuse, child support, paternity, legitimacy, domestic violence, and custody. Family Court divisions can also handle other types of cases, including those cases that other courts have transferred to them.

Georgia State Courts

Georgia State Courts have exclusive jurisdiction to handle certain types of criminal and civil cases. Civil cases that these courts handle include all civil actions that do not fall under the exclusive jurisdiction limit of Supreme Courts. Criminal cases include traffic offenses and misdemeanor criminal cases.

Georgia Juvenile Courts

Georgia Juvenile Courts have limited original jurisdiction to handle cases that involve children who are alleged to be deprived, unruly, delinquent, or in need of treatment or rehabilitation due to mental retardation or mental illness.

These courts also handle cases that involve judicial consent for minors particularly when required for abortion, enlistment, employment, marriage, and other circumstances. They also handle juvenile traffic offenses.

They share jurisdiction over certain crimes committed by children with Superior Courts. However, Juvenile Courts have no jurisdiction to handle serious criminal cases that fall under the limited jurisdiction of Superior Courts, such as armed robbery, murder and rape.

Georgia Probate Courts

Georgia Probate Courts have limited jurisdiction over cases involving guardianships and conservatorship of incompetent person or minors, the probate of wills, involuntary mental health commitments, the administration of estates, and other types of all probate cases.

With authorization, a probate Court may also hear other cases including some criminal commitment hearings, some traffic cases, and some fish and game regulation violations.

Georgia Magistrate Courts

These courts have exclusive jurisdiction to handle certain types of criminal and civil cases. They don’t offer jury trials, and the case can be transferred to a State Court or Superior Court in case a proper request is made.

Criminal cases heard by these courts include county ordinance violations, some minor criminal offenses, and preliminary hearings. Magistrate Courts handle civil cases for claims below $15,000 in dispute. Typically, the cases handled by Georgia Magistrate Courts include deposit account fraud and landlord-tenant cases.

Georgia Civil Courts

Augusta-Richmond County and Macon-Bibb County have Civil Courts that hear civil cases involving claims less than $25,000 (Macon-Bibb) or $45,000 (Augusta-Richmond) in dispute. Georgia Civil Courts can offer jury trials to the eligible cases. Clerks and judges of these courts are also clerks and judges of Magistrate Courts.

Georgia Recorder’s Courts

These courts handle preliminary hearings for criminal cases, some criminal cases, county and city ordinance violations, and traffic infractions.

Georgia Municipal Courts

Municipal Courts have been established by some municipalities. These courts have exclusive jurisdiction over preliminary hearings for some criminal cases and municipal ordinance violations. Some of these courts may share jurisdiction for some minor criminal offenses with other courts.

Georgia Court Notes

There are some Georgia Courts that have special programs known as Accountability Courts, which are actually part of existing courts. The Accountability Court mainly focuses on personal responsibility and rehabilitation. Accountability Courts include Mental Health Courts, Veterans Courts, Child Support Problem Solving Courts, Juvenile Mental Health Courts, Family Dependency Treatment Courts, Juvenile Drug Courts, DUI Courts, and Adult/Felony Drug Courts.

The Official Website?of Georgia County

Atlanta Atlanta, GA
Columbus Columbus Consolidated Government
Augusta Augusta, GA – Official Website
Macon acon-Bibb County, Georgia | County Consolidated Government
Savannah Savannah, GA – Official Website
Athens Athens-Clarke County, GA – Official Website
Sandy Springs Sandy Springs, GA
Roswell Roswell, GA Official government website for the City of Roswell, Georgia. Your source for City news, meetings, events, services, and government employment.
Johns Creek Johns Creek
Albany City of Albany
Warner Robins Warner Robins, GA – Official Website
Smyrna City of Smyrna, GA
Valdosta City of Valdosta, GA
Dunwoody City Of Dunwoody
Rome Governments of Floyd County and City of Rome, GA
Fulton County Fulton County News Fulton County Online – Rapid and Complete Access for all
Gwinnett County Gwinnett County
Cobb County Cobb County Georgia
DeKalb County DeKalb County, GA
Chatham County Chatham County, Georgia Welcome to the new Chatham County website – your gateway to both a responsive, transparent and reform-minded government, and to one of the most diverse, historic, beautiful and economically-vibrant counties in America. Chatham County is the fifth largest county in Georgia, and proud to be the home of the Georgia Ports Authority better known as the Port of Savannah. The Port is one of the top three busiest ports in the United States. With just under 300,000 people living here in 632 square miles, the County is home to scores of major employers in manufacturing, paper products, chemicals, transportation and other heavy equipment, logistics, healthcare, food products and education with companies such as Gulfstream, Weyerhaeuser, International Paper, and Dane Trailers.
Clayton County Clayton County, GA
Cherokee County Cherokee County, Georgia | Official Site of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners
Henry County Henry County Board of Commissioners
Forsyth County Forsyth County, Georgia – Official Web Site
Hall County Hall County, GA – Official Website
Bibb County Macon-Bibb County, Georgia | County Consolidated Government
Houston County Houston County Houston County exists for civil and political purposes, and acts under powers given to it by the State of Georgia. The governing authority for Houston County is the Board of Commissioners. The County’s three incorporated cities are Centerville, Perry, and Warner Robins Georgia.
Paulding County Paulding County, GA | Official Website
Douglas County Douglas County, Georgia USA
Columbia County Columbia County, GA
Coweta County Coweta County, GA Website
Lowndes County Lowndes County, GA – Official Website
Carroll County Carroll County, GA – Official Website
Fayette County Official Website of Fayette County, Georgia
Whitfield County Whitfield County, Georgia
Newton County Newton County, GA | Official Website
Bartow County Welcome to Bartow County, Georgia
Rockdale County Welcome to Rockdale County, Georgia!
Walton County Walton County, GA | Official Website
Glynn County Glynn County, GA – Official Website
Bulloch County Bulloch County – First in Safety and Service
Barrow County Barrow County Georgia – Official Website
Troup County Troup County, Georgia | Government Services Online Troup County, Georgia Government Services Online
Walker County Walker County, GA | Official Government Site Walker County, Georgia is part of the thriving?Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA. Walker County offers various outdoor recreation options, attractions (Rock City, Chickamauga Battlefield) and?unique places to visit when you want to escape. Top employers include: Roper, Shaw, Nissin Brake & See Rock City.
Liberty County Liberty County, Georgia The official website of Liberty County, Georgia
Catoosa County Catoosa County, Georgia Located along the Tennessee border in Northwest Georgia, Catoosa County is 103 miles northwest of Atlanta and eight miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Georgia Jail Roster

Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Bookings – 72hrs Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Bookings
Arrests from the Last 7 Days | Athens-Clarke County, GA – Official Website Arrests from the past 7 days are posted by the county with a 24 hour delay.
Current List of Inmates (Clarke County Jail) | Athens-Clarke County, GA – Official Website The list of inmates at the Athens-Clarke County Jail is updated frequently, with postings made after a 24 delay from the time of intake.
Fulton County Georgia Inmate Records Fulton County Georgia Inmate Search
Inmate Information Henry County Inmate Search
Henry County Sheriff’s Office OffenderWatch? sex offender management, mapping and email alert program The Henry County Sheriff’s Office maintains a Sex Offender Registry as a public service tool to keep Henry County, GA residents up to date of near by individuals convicted of sexual offenses
Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office | Inmate Search The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office offers public information on felony offenders sentenced to the county jail. This information is made available to the public and law enforcement in the interest of public safety.
Crime / Arrest Data | Paulding County, GA Paulding County Crime and Arrest Data
Sheriff ?- Paulding County Sheriff’s Office Adult Detention Facility Inmate Lookup
Most Wanted – Putnam County GA Sheriff’s Office Putnam County Most Wanted
Sex Offender Information Putnam County Georgia Sex Offender Search
Inmate Information Ware County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Information Search
Obtaining Criminal History Record Information | Georgia Bureau of Investigation How to Get a Criminal History Check
Georgia Department of Corrections Inmate Search Welcome to The Georgia Department of Corrections official website including information on offenders, prison, probation, and incarceration facilities, resources for victims, and general public information about Georgia Corrections operations. ?GDC is one of the largest prison systems in the nation, with 15,000 employees who are all focused on one goal – our mission of protecting the public is non-negotiable. ?With nearly 60,000 incarcerated adults and 150,000 active probationers under our supervision, we we strive to remain a leader and partner in making Georgia a safer, healthier, better educated, growing and best managed state.
Georgia Sex Offender Registry | Georgia Bureau of Investigation In accordance with O.C.G.A. §?42-1-12, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is the central repository for Georgia’s Violent Sexual Offender Registry.
Georgia Judicial Gateway – Georgia Judicial Gateway Georgia Court Records Search