Valdosta Criminal History Records

Valdosta criminal history records are held by local law enforcement and the Lowndes County court system in south Georgia. The Valdosta Police Department handles arrests and reports within the city. Felony cases move to the Lowndes County Superior Court for prosecution. You can also tap into state-level tools like the Georgia Felon Search and the Department of Corrections database to check records tied to this area. This guide walks through where to go and what you can expect when looking up criminal history in Valdosta.

Valdosta Police Department Records

The Valdosta Police Department is the primary local source for criminal history in this city. The department is at 500 North Toombs Street, Valdosta, GA 31601. You can reach them at (229) 293-3090. Officers handle arrests, write incident reports, and respond to calls for service within the city limits. When someone gets arrested in Valdosta, that arrest goes on record with the department.

You can ask for a copy of a police report through an open records request. Georgia law gives the public the right to request documents from government agencies. Some records may be withheld if they are tied to an active case or ongoing investigation. Walk-in requests are accepted at the station during regular hours. Call ahead to find out what you need to bring.

Misdemeanor arrests by Valdosta police often go to the Valdosta Municipal Court. Felony cases get forwarded to the Lowndes County Superior Court in Valdosta for prosecution. So if you are looking for a felony record that started with a city arrest, the county court clerk is where that file ends up.

Lowndes County Court Records for Valdosta

Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County. All felony cases from the city go through the Lowndes County Superior Court. The courthouse sits right in Valdosta. The Superior Court Clerk keeps criminal case files that show charges, court dates, pleas, verdicts, and sentences. These are public records in most cases. You can go to the clerk's office in person to search the index and ask for copies.

There is a per-page fee for copies. The clerk can certify documents if you need them for legal purposes. Some Lowndes County court records can be found through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, which runs a statewide portal for court data from many counties.

The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office also keeps booking records for everyone who comes through the county jail. They can tell you if someone is currently in custody. The sheriff's office handles law enforcement for the parts of the county outside city limits, so their records may cover arrests that did not happen in Valdosta itself but still fall in Lowndes County.

Statewide Criminal History Tools

Georgia runs two state-level tools you can use to look for criminal history tied to Valdosta. The Georgia Felon Search is the main one. It costs $15 per search. You type in the person's name, date of birth, and sex. Results show up right away. Even if no record turns up, the fee still applies. This tool covers felony convictions only. Misdemeanors and restricted records are left out.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It pulls up people who are in state prison right now. You search by name, GDC ID, or case number. If someone from Valdosta ended up in state prison, they would show in this database. It does not cover county jail inmates or people who have already served their time. Both searches give a broader look at records beyond what the local police or court clerk have on file.

Record Restriction for Valdosta Cases

Georgia does not use the word expungement. The state calls it record restriction. When a record gets restricted, it is sealed from public view. Law enforcement can still see it. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, some records get restricted on their own after a set time. Charges that were never sent to a prosecutor are restricted after two years for misdemeanors. For most felonies, the wait is four years. Serious violent felonies take seven years.

Dismissed charges get restricted too. Acquittals lead to restriction unless the prosecutor objects within ten days. People who complete a First Offender Act sentence under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 can have their Valdosta criminal record restricted. This lets first-time offenders avoid a formal conviction on their record if they finish the sentence without issues.

How you apply depends on when the arrest took place. For arrests before July 1, 2013, you go through the arresting agency. For arrests on or after that date, contact the South Georgia Judicial Circuit District Attorney. The GBI FAQ page covers the details of this process.

What Valdosta Criminal Records Show

A criminal history record connected to Valdosta pulls data from local and state sources. It lists the person's name, date of birth, and physical traits. Arrest data shows which agency made the arrest, the date, and the charges. Court records show the final outcome of each charge. This could be a conviction, a plea, a dismissal, or an acquittal. State prison time shows up in the GDC database if the person was sent to a Georgia corrections facility.

Some records are not open to the public. Restricted records stay hidden from public searches. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases under Georgia law. Federal crimes handled in federal court are separate from the state's GCIC system. Those records sit with agencies like the FBI. If you need a full picture, you may have to check both state and federal sources.

Getting Your Own Criminal History in Valdosta

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person in Georgia can review their own criminal history record. You go to a local law enforcement agency, like the Valdosta Police Department or the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office. You get fingerprinted and pay a fee capped at $15. The prints go to the Georgia Crime Information Center. They send back a copy of your record.

If the record has wrong data, you can challenge it. File a written request with the GCIC. They have 60 days to look into it. You can reach the GCIC by mail at P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808. Call (404) 244-2639 if you have questions. Same-day appointments at the GCIC office are not available, so set one up in advance.

Valdosta Municipal Court

The Valdosta Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations, traffic cases, and some misdemeanor charges. It does not hear felony cases. Those go to Lowndes County Superior Court. If you are looking for a record from a minor criminal matter in Valdosta, the municipal court is the right place to check.

You can request records through the municipal court clerk. Not all records are available online, so you may need to visit in person. Call ahead to ask about fees and what information you need to bring. The municipal court sits in the Valdosta City Hall complex on Central Avenue.