Find Criminal History in Martinez

Criminal history records for Martinez come from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office and the Columbia County court system. Martinez is a census-designated place, not an incorporated city, so it does not have its own police department. Law enforcement for the area is handled by the Columbia County Sheriff. Criminal court cases from Martinez go through the Columbia County Superior Court. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also runs statewide databases that include criminal history data from this area. Searching for records in Martinez means working through county and state systems rather than a city police department.

Columbia County Sheriff's Office Records

Since Martinez is an unincorporated area, the Columbia County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement. Their office is at 640 Ronald Reagan Drive, Evans, GA 30809. You can call them at (706) 541-2800. The sheriff's office manages arrest reports, incident reports, and jail bookings for the Martinez area. When someone gets arrested in Martinez, the sheriff's deputies handle it and the records go into the county system.

All arrest data from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office gets reported to the Georgia Crime Information Center. That is a state requirement. So arrests in Martinez show up in the GCIC database as well as in the county's local files. To get a copy of an arrest report or incident report from a Martinez case, contact the sheriff's office records division at the Evans location.

The sheriff's office also runs the Columbia County Detention Center. That is where people arrested in Martinez are booked and held before their court date. Booking records show the arrest date, charges, and bond information. The detention center has an online inmate lookup that shows current inmates. It is free to use but only covers people in custody right now, not past bookings.

Because Martinez does not have a city police force, there is no separate municipal records office to check. Everything runs through the county. That actually simplifies the search in some ways. You deal with one law enforcement agency instead of two.

Columbia County Court Records for Martinez

Martinez is in Columbia County. All criminal cases from the area go through the Columbia County court system. The Superior Court Clerk keeps case files for felonies and serious misdemeanors. These records include charges, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentencing data. The Columbia County Courthouse is in Appling, the county seat.

The clerk charges fees for copies of court documents. Certified copies cost more. Walk-in requests are accepted at the courthouse during business hours. You can call ahead to check on a specific case. Columbia County is one of the faster-growing counties in Georgia, and the court handles a steady flow of cases.

The Magistrate Court in Columbia County also plays a role in criminal cases. It handles warrants, bond hearings, and some preliminary matters. A case that starts in magistrate court can move up to superior court if the charges are serious enough. The Columbia County criminal history page covers the clerk's office, sheriff, and other county resources in more detail.

State Criminal History Tools

The Georgia Felon Search checks the GCIC database for felony convictions across the state. It costs $15 per search. You need a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back right away. The fee applies whether or not any record is found. Martinez cases are included in this statewide tool. It only shows felony convictions, not misdemeanors or restricted records.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free to use. It shows people who are currently in a state prison. Someone convicted in the Columbia County courts and serving time at a GDC facility will show up. The search does not include people in the Columbia County Detention Center or people who have completed their sentence.

The GBI FAQ page answers common questions about how criminal history works in Georgia. It covers both personal record requests and third-party searches. The GBI provides fingerprint-based checks too. Those are the most thorough option for getting a complete official record because they catch things name-based searches can miss.

Record Restriction for Martinez Cases

Georgia uses the term record restriction. It is not the same as expungement. When a record is restricted, it is sealed from public view. Law enforcement can still access it. But the general public will not see it in a standard search.

Charges that were dismissed or dropped can qualify for restriction. People who completed a pretrial diversion program may apply. The First Offender Act, under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, lets first-time offenders complete their sentence without a formal conviction. After the sentence ends, the court discharges the person and the record gets restricted from the public.

The details are in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests after July 1, 2013, you start the process with the prosecuting attorney. For older arrests, contact the arresting agency. In Martinez, that means the Columbia County Sheriff's Office or the Columbia County district attorney, depending on the situation.

There is a retroactive First Offender option as well. If a person should have been sentenced under that act but was not, they can petition the court to apply it after the fact. The Columbia County Superior Court handles those petitions for Martinez-area cases.

What Martinez Criminal Records Include

Criminal history records from Martinez pull data from county and state sources. They show the person's name, date of birth, and physical traits. Arrest data lists the arresting agency, the date, and charges filed. Court records from Columbia County show whether the case ended in a conviction, dismissal, or plea. If someone served time in state prison, that shows up in the GDC system.

Not everything is open to the public. Restricted records stay hidden from public searches. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases. Federal crimes handled in federal court are separate from the state's GCIC system and sit with federal agencies. Some records may also be withheld if tied to an ongoing investigation under the Open Records Act.

Martinez criminal records are essentially Columbia County records. Because the area is unincorporated, there is no separate city-level criminal history system. All records flow through the county sheriff and the county courts.

Getting Your Own Criminal History in Martinez

Any person can get a copy of their own Georgia criminal history record. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, you file a written request, go in for fingerprinting, and pay a fee. The Columbia County Sheriff's Office can handle the fingerprinting. Your prints get sent to the GBI's Georgia Crime Information Center, and they send back what they have on file. The fee is $15, not counting the fingerprinting cost.

If your record has errors or misleading information, you can challenge it. The agency has 60 days to respond to your challenge. The GCIC can be reached at P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808, or by phone at (404) 244-2639. Plan ahead if you need to visit in person because same-day walk-in appointments are not offered at the GCIC office.

Court Options in the Martinez Area

Martinez does not have a municipal court since it is not an incorporated city. Minor offenses and local violations in the area are handled through the Columbia County court system. The Magistrate Court takes care of lower-level criminal matters, bond hearings, and warrant applications. More serious charges move to the Superior Court.

This is different from incorporated cities in Georgia where a municipal court handles city ordinance cases. In Martinez, everything goes through the county from the start. If you are looking for records from a minor offense in the Martinez area, check with the Columbia County Magistrate Court. For felony and serious misdemeanor records, the Superior Court Clerk is where to look.

Nearby Cities With Criminal Records

Martinez is near other communities in the Augusta metro area. Each has its own law enforcement setup and local records. Arrest data from all of these agencies feeds into the state GCIC system.

Evans is also in Columbia County and uses the same sheriff and court system. Augusta is the major city in the area and has its own police department and court structure through Richmond County.