Find Gainesville Criminal History

Criminal history records in Gainesville are maintained by the Gainesville Police Department and the Hall County court system. Gainesville is the county seat of Hall County, located about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta in the foothills of north Georgia. The police department handles arrests and incident reports for crimes inside city limits. Felony cases from Gainesville move to the Hall County Superior Court. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also keeps state-level criminal history data that includes Gainesville arrests and convictions. There are several ways to look up criminal history from this city, depending on what type of record you need.

Gainesville Police Department Records

The Gainesville Police Department is at 1055 Jesse Jewell Pkwy SE, Gainesville, GA 30501. The phone number is (770) 534-5252. This department handles law enforcement within the Gainesville city limits. Officers respond to calls, make arrests, and write the reports that create the first layer of criminal history data for the city.

When someone gets arrested in Gainesville, the police create a report with the charges, date, and the arresting officer's name. That data gets sent to the Georgia Crime Information Center at the GBI. A Gainesville arrest shows up in the statewide GCIC database. To get a copy of a police report, you file an open records request with the department.

Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to request police records. The department has three business days to respond. Walk-in requests are taken at the Jesse Jewell Parkway office. You can also mail a request. Be specific about what records you need. Include names, dates, and case numbers. Fees may apply for search time and copies. Records from active investigations might be withheld until the case is closed.

Gainesville PD records cover only incidents inside city limits. Areas outside the city but still in Hall County are under the Hall County Sheriff's Office. The two agencies have overlapping service areas in some spots, so check with both if you are not sure who handled a particular incident.

Hall County Court Records for Gainesville

Gainesville is the county seat of Hall County. Criminal court cases from the city go through the Hall County court system. The Superior Court Clerk keeps criminal case files for felonies and serious misdemeanors. These records include charges, plea details, trial outcomes, and sentencing data. The Hall County Courthouse is in downtown Gainesville.

The Hall County criminal history page has more detail on the clerk's office, the sheriff, and other county resources. You can visit the courthouse during business hours to search case records. The clerk charges for copies. Certified copies cost more. Bring the person's name and any case numbers to help with the search.

Hall County is part of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. That circuit also covers Dawson County. The county runs a State Court for misdemeanor cases in addition to the Superior Court. Some misdemeanor arrests in Gainesville end up in Hall County State Court rather than Superior Court. Check with the right court based on the charge level. The Magistrate Court handles preliminary hearings and arrest warrants. Its records are separate as well.

The Hall County Sheriff's Office maintains booking and jail records. If someone was booked into the Hall County Jail after a Gainesville arrest, the sheriff has those records. You can check whether someone is currently in custody through the sheriff's office too.

State Criminal History Tools

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It checks the GCIC database for felony convictions across Georgia. That includes Hall County cases. Enter a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back right away. You pay the fee even if the search finds nothing. Only felony convictions appear. Misdemeanors and restricted records are left out.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in a GDC state prison. Someone convicted in Hall County who is serving time at a state facility shows up here. The search does not cover people in the Hall County Jail or those who have already served their sentence.

The GBI FAQ page explains how the criminal history process works in Georgia. It covers personal record requests, third-party searches, and how to correct errors. The GBI also runs a fingerprint-based criminal history check for a more complete result.

Record Restriction for Gainesville Cases

Georgia does not use expungement. The state calls it record restriction. A restricted record is sealed from public view. Law enforcement can still access it. But it will not show up in a public criminal history search.

Dropped or dismissed charges from Gainesville may qualify for restriction. People who finish a pretrial diversion program can apply too. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 is another route. First-time offenders who complete their sentence under this act get discharged by the court without a formal conviction. The record then gets restricted from public view.

The process is laid out in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, start by contacting the prosecuting attorney who handled the case. For older arrests, go through the arresting agency. Charges that never went to a prosecutor get restricted on their own. Two years for misdemeanors. Four years for most felonies. Seven for serious violent felonies.

There is a retroactive First Offender option as well. If someone was eligible at the time of sentencing but did not get First Offender treatment, they can petition the court later. If the court agrees, the conviction comes off the public criminal history record.

What Gainesville Criminal Records Show

A criminal history record from Gainesville pulls data from local and state sources. It shows the person's name, date of birth, and physical traits. Arrest entries list the agency that made the arrest, the date, and the charges. Court records add the case outcome: a conviction, plea, dismissal, or acquittal. State prison time shows in the GDC database.

Some records are not open to the public. Restricted records are hidden from standard searches. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases under Georgia law. Federal crimes processed through federal court do not appear in the state's GCIC data. Those records sit with the FBI and other federal agencies. For a complete picture, check both state and federal sources.

Getting Your Own Criminal History in Gainesville

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, anyone in Georgia can see their own criminal history. Go to the Gainesville Police Department or the Hall County Sheriff's Office. Get fingerprinted and pay a fee capped at $15. The prints go to the GCIC, and they send back a copy of your record.

If there are errors, file a written challenge with the GCIC. They have 60 days to look into it. Send your request to P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808. Call (404) 244-2639 for questions. An appointment is needed if you plan to visit the GCIC office in Decatur.

Gainesville Municipal Court

The Gainesville Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and some misdemeanor charges. Felonies do not go through this court. They move to Hall County Superior Court. If you need a record from a minor criminal matter or traffic case in Gainesville, the municipal court is the place to look.

Contact the municipal court clerk for records. You may need to visit in person since not all records are online. Call ahead to ask about fees and what to bring. The municipal court is at the Gainesville city government complex. Wait times for copies vary depending on the volume of requests the clerk's office is handling.