Find Criminal History in LaGrange

Criminal history records in LaGrange come from the LaGrange Police Department and the Troup County court system. LaGrange is the seat of Troup County in west Georgia, and local law enforcement keeps arrest and incident data for crimes inside city limits. Court records for felony and misdemeanor cases go through the Troup County Superior Court Clerk. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also holds state-level criminal history data that covers LaGrange cases. If you need to look up a criminal record tied to this city, you will likely check more than one source to get a full view of what is on file.

LaGrange Police Department Records

The LaGrange Police Department is at 100 West Haralson Street, LaGrange, GA 30240. Call them at (706) 883-2603. The department handles all law enforcement for the city. When someone gets arrested in LaGrange, the police department creates the arrest report and incident record. These reports include the charges, the date and time, and the name of the person who was picked up. That data also feeds into the state system through the Georgia Crime Information Center.

You can ask for a copy of a police report by going to the department in person or calling during business hours. Georgia's Open Records Act gives the public the right to request copies of most law enforcement records. There may be a small fee for copies. The city does not run its own online criminal records search portal, so most requests are handled on site or by phone.

Not all records are open to the public. Active cases or records tied to ongoing investigations may be held back until the case wraps up. Juvenile records are sealed under state law and will not be released through a standard open records request.

Troup County Court System

LaGrange sits in Troup County. Criminal cases from the city go through the Troup County courts. The Superior Court handles felonies and serious offenses. The State Court deals with misdemeanors and traffic violations. The Troup County Superior Court Clerk keeps all case files, and you can reach them at the Troup County courthouse in downtown LaGrange.

Court records show charges, plea deals, trial results, and sentences. These are public records in Georgia. You can look up case info at the clerk's office. Ask for the case number or the name of the person involved. The clerk may charge a fee for certified copies of court documents. That fee varies but is usually a few dollars per page.

The Troup County Magistrate Court handles warrants, preliminary hearings, and small claims. If someone was arrested in LaGrange on a warrant, the magistrate court is where that warrant was issued. This court also holds first appearance hearings where a judge sets bail.

LaGrange also has a Municipal Court that handles city code violations and some minor offenses. Cases heard there may not show up in the same system as Superior Court records. Check both if you need a full picture of someone's criminal history in the city.

State Criminal History Tools

The Georgia Felon Search is a state database that checks for felony convictions. It costs $15 per name. You need a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex to run a search. Results come back right away. The fee applies even when the search turns up no record. This tool covers all of Georgia, so any felony conviction from LaGrange or Troup County will show up here.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people who are serving time in state prison right now. If someone was convicted in Troup County and sent to a GDC facility, they will appear in this search. It does not cover people held in the local county jail or people who have finished their sentence.

The GBI FAQ page explains how criminal history records work in Georgia. It covers the process for getting your own record and how third parties can request information. The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which is the main state repository for arrest and conviction data from every law enforcement agency in the state.

Record Restriction in Georgia

Georgia uses the term record restriction instead of expungement. A restricted record is hidden from public view. Law enforcement can still see it. But standard searches will not turn it up.

Some LaGrange cases may qualify for restriction. If charges were dropped or the case was dismissed, the arrest record can often be restricted. People who went through a pretrial diversion program may also qualify once they finish the program. First Offender cases are another path. Under Georgia's First Offender Act, a first-time offender can serve their sentence and then have the conviction removed from their public record once the court discharges them.

The rules for record restriction are in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests that happened after July 1, 2013, contact the prosecuting attorney in Troup County to start the process. For older arrests, you go through the LaGrange Police Department or the agency that made the arrest. There is paperwork to fill out, and the process can take some time depending on the case.

How to Look Up Criminal History in LaGrange

There are several ways to search for criminal history tied to LaGrange. The right approach depends on the kind of record you need and how old the case is.

• Call the LaGrange Police Department at (706) 883-2603 for police reports and arrest records
• Visit the Troup County Superior Court Clerk for court case records, pleas, and sentences
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for a statewide felony conviction check
• Check the GDC offender search for people in state prison
• Contact the Troup County Sheriff for jail and booking data

Police records give you arrest details. Court records from Troup County show the full case outcome. State tools fill in the gaps with felony conviction and corrections data. For a thorough search, check more than one source. The LaGrange Municipal Court handles minor city offenses, so check there as well if the case might involve a code violation or low-level misdemeanor.

Fees and Processing Times

The state charges $15 for the Georgia Felon Search. The GDC offender lookup is free. At the local level, fees for copies of police reports and court documents depend on the agency. The Troup County clerk sets its own fee schedule for certified copies. Expect to pay a few dollars per page for court documents.

Response times vary. The Georgia Felon Search gives results right away. Open records requests through the LaGrange PD can take three business days for an initial response. The agency may need more time to pull together the documents. Court record lookups at the clerk's office are usually same-day if you go in person.

If you need a fingerprint-based criminal history check, the GBI handles those. This is the most complete type of background check available in Georgia. It pulls data from both state and federal databases. The GBI charges a fee for this service, and you have to submit fingerprints at an approved location. Results take longer than a name-based search.