Access Newnan Criminal History

Criminal history records in Newnan come from the Newnan Police Department, the Coweta County court system, and state databases run by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Newnan is the county seat of Coweta County, southwest of Atlanta. The police department keeps arrest reports and incident data for crimes inside the city. Court records for criminal cases flow through the Coweta County Superior Court. Because Newnan is the county seat, the courthouse that handles all of Coweta County's felony cases is right in the city. State tools add another layer by pulling criminal data from across Georgia into one place.

Newnan Police Department Records

The Newnan Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. They are located at 1 LaGrange Street, Newnan, GA 30263. You can reach them at (770) 254-2355. The department handles all arrests, incident reports, and crime data for events that happen within Newnan city limits. An arrest by Newnan police creates a record that includes the date, charges, location, and arresting officer.

Newnan PD sends arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center as required by state law. So a Newnan arrest shows up in the GCIC database as well as the department's own files. To get a copy of a police report from a Newnan case, contact the records unit at the LaGrange Street office. Walk-in requests are taken during business hours. Calling ahead is a good idea if you want to know what to bring.

Newnan PD records only cover crimes within city limits. The Coweta County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement for the rest of the county. If the incident you are looking into happened outside city limits but still in Coweta County, the sheriff's office would have those records instead. Both agencies report to the same state system, but their local records are kept in separate offices.

Under Georgia's Open Records Act, you can file a request for police documents. This includes arrest reports, incident reports, and other police files. The city may charge for search time and copies. Response times vary. The law says agencies must respond within three business days, but that first response may just confirm they got the request.

Coweta County Court Records for Newnan

Newnan is the county seat of Coweta County. The Coweta County Courthouse is in the city. All felony cases from Newnan and every other part of the county go through the Coweta County Superior Court. The clerk of courts keeps case files that include charges, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentences. You can visit the clerk's office in person to look up records.

There are fees for copies. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. The clerk's office takes walk-in requests during regular hours. You can also call ahead to check on a specific case. The Coweta Judicial Circuit serves Coweta County, so the circuit's district attorney handles prosecution for criminal cases from Newnan.

The Coweta County Sheriff runs the county jail and keeps booking records. People arrested in Newnan by city police are typically booked at the county jail. Booking records show the arrest date, charges, and bond amount. The sheriff may offer an online inmate search for current inmates. The Coweta County criminal history page covers the clerk, sheriff, and other resources in more detail.

State Criminal History Tools

The Georgia Felon Search checks the GCIC database for felony convictions. It costs $15 per search. You need a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results show up right away. The fee is charged even if nothing comes back. This tool covers the whole state, including Newnan. It only shows felony convictions, not misdemeanors or restricted records.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people in a state prison right now. Someone convicted in Coweta County courts and serving time at a GDC facility will appear here. The tool does not cover people in the Coweta County Jail or those who finished their sentence already.

The GBI FAQ page answers common questions about criminal history in Georgia. It walks through the process for personal record requests and third-party searches. The GBI also runs fingerprint-based criminal history checks. These are the most complete option because they catch records that a name-based search sometimes misses.

Record Restriction for Newnan Cases

Georgia does not call it expungement. The state term is record restriction. A restricted record is sealed from public access. Law enforcement can still see it. But it drops out of standard public searches.

Dismissed or dropped charges can qualify for restriction. People who completed a pretrial diversion program may apply as well. The First Offender Act, under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, allows eligible first-time offenders to complete their sentence without a formal conviction. After the sentence is served, the court discharges the person and the record can be restricted from public view.

The rules are in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests after July 1, 2013, you go through the prosecuting attorney. For arrests before that date, contact the arresting agency. In Newnan, that means the Newnan Police Department or the Coweta County district attorney, depending on which agency was involved.

A retroactive First Offender petition is possible too. If someone was not sentenced under the act but should have been, they can petition the Coweta County Superior Court to apply it after the fact. If the court agrees, the conviction comes off the public record.

What Newnan Criminal Records Include

A criminal history record from Newnan draws data from local police and state sources. It shows the person's name, date of birth, and a physical description. Arrest records list the arresting agency, the date, and what charges were filed. Court records from Coweta County show case outcomes. Did it end with a conviction? A dismissal? A plea? If the person served time in state prison, that shows up in the state system too.

Some records are not available to the public. Restricted records stay hidden from public view. Juvenile records are sealed in most situations. Federal crimes go through federal court and are not part of the state GCIC system. If you are looking for a federal case from the Newnan area, you would need to check with the federal court system, not the state or county.

Getting Your Own Criminal History in Newnan

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, get fingerprinted, and pay a fee. The Newnan Police Department or the Coweta County Sheriff's Office can handle the fingerprinting. The prints go to the GBI's Georgia Crime Information Center. They send back a copy of everything on file. The fee is capped at $15, not counting the fingerprint cost.

If your record has errors or misleading information, you can challenge it. The agency has 60 days to respond. Contact the GCIC at P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808. You can call (404) 244-2639 for questions. The GCIC does not take same-day walk-in appointments, so plan ahead if you need to visit in person.

Newnan Municipal Court

The Newnan Municipal Court deals with city ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and some misdemeanor charges. Felonies do not go through this court. Those move to the Coweta County Superior Court. If you are looking for a record from a minor criminal case or a traffic violation in Newnan, start with the municipal court.

You can request municipal court records through the court clerk. Some records require an in-person visit. Not everything is online. Certified copies typically need to be picked up at the court. The Newnan Municipal Court handles a fair amount of traffic cases because of the city's position along several state routes and highways in the area.

Nearby Cities With Criminal Records

Newnan is near other cities in the southwest Atlanta metro area. Each has its own police department and local records. All arrest data feeds into the state GCIC system.

Peachtree City is in neighboring Fayette County and has its own police force and court system. LaGrange is south of Newnan in Troup County. Both cities handle criminal records through their respective county courts.