Search Bryan County Criminal History

Criminal history records in Bryan County are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court and the Sheriff's Office, both based in Pembroke. The county sits just west of Savannah and has grown a lot as people move out from Chatham County. That growth brings more court cases and arrest data each year. If you need to look up a criminal record here, the clerk's office on South College Street is the main place to go for case files. The sheriff's office on Sgt. Robert L. Hendricks Boulevard holds arrest and booking logs. Georgia state tools from the GBI give you a third path to search for records that touch Bryan County.

Bryan County Clerk of Superior Court

The Bryan County Clerk of Superior Court is at 151 South College Street, Pembroke, GA 31321. Call (912) 653-3870 for help. This office holds all case files from Bryan County Superior Court. That means felony cases, some misdemeanors that got bound over, and appeals from lower courts are all on file there. Each record shows the charges as filed, plea details, court dates, and how the case ended.

You can walk in during business hours to ask for case records. Certified copies cost a per-page fee. The clerk can tell you if a case is still open or if it has been closed. For older cases, records may be in storage. It helps to call first if you need something from years back. The staff at the front desk can point you to the right file and tell you what forms to fill out for a copy request.

The clerk's office page for Bryan County lists contact details and services for the public who need court records.

When you pull a case record from the Bryan County clerk, the file will show how the charges changed over time. If the DA added or dropped counts, that is in the docket. Motions from both sides are listed. So are the dates of each court hearing. The final entry shows the verdict and any sentence. Cases that went to trial have a longer paper trail than those that ended with a plea deal. Probation terms, fines, and jail time all show up in the sentencing section of the record. You can also see if the court placed any special conditions on the case like restitution or community service hours.

Bryan County Sheriff's Office and Arrest Records

The Bryan County Sheriff's Office is at 95 Sgt. Robert L. Hendricks Boulevard, Pembroke, GA 31321. Their phone number is (912) 653-3800. The sheriff handles law enforcement in the parts of Bryan County outside city limits and runs the county jail. Arrest records start here. Every time someone gets picked up on a criminal charge in Bryan County, the booking data goes into the sheriff's system right away.

Booking records show the arrest date, charges at the time of booking, and bond details. This data feeds into the state criminal history database. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, local law enforcement in Georgia must report arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GCIC then adds it to the statewide system. So an arrest in Bryan County shows up in state-level searches as well. This reporting rule means that even small counties like Bryan are part of the larger state database.

The Bryan County Sheriff's Office website shows contact info and details on the services they offer to the public.

If you want to check on a recent arrest or find out if someone is in the Bryan County Jail, call the sheriff's office. They can confirm if a person is being held and what the bond is set at. Keep in mind that jail records are not the same as court records. A booking means someone was arrested. It does not tell you the case outcome. For that, you need the clerk's files. Some people get arrested and the charges are dropped the next week. Others go to trial months later. The booking record only covers the arrest side of things.

Record Restriction in Bryan County

Georgia calls the process of sealing criminal records "record restriction." It is not the same as having a record erased. A restricted record still exists in the system. Law enforcement can see it. The public cannot. The rules come from O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. This statute lays out who can apply and what types of cases are eligible for restriction.

If you were arrested in Bryan County and the charges got dropped or dismissed, you can apply for restriction. The same goes for people who finished a diversion program or pre-trial intervention in the county. Youthful offenders under 21 with certain misdemeanor charges may also be able to get their record sealed. For Bryan County arrests before July 1, 2013, the process starts with the agency that made the arrest. After that date, you go through the prosecuting attorney's office. The waiting period depends on the charge type. Misdemeanors generally need two years. Most felonies need four. Serious violent felonies require seven years before you can ask for restriction.

The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 is another path to restriction. If a first-time offender in Bryan County finishes their sentence under this act, the judge discharges them without a formal conviction. The criminal history record then gets restricted from public view. This applies to cases in Superior Court and State Court. There is also a retroactive review for people who should have been sentenced under the act at the time but were not. Not all crimes qualify though. Serious violent felonies and sex offenses are usually not eligible for this treatment. The Bryan County clerk's office can tell you if a specific case qualifies.

State Tools for Bryan County Criminal History

Beyond the local offices in Pembroke, you can search for Bryan County criminal history through state-level databases. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It checks the GCIC database for felony convictions across all 159 Georgia counties. That includes Bryan County. You need the person's first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back fast. The fee applies even if no record turns up for the name you searched.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people who are in a GDC prison right now. Someone convicted in Bryan County and sent to a state facility will appear in the GDC tool. It does not cover people in the Bryan County Jail or those who already served their time and got released. The GDC search is narrow, but it works well if you know the person ended up in state prison.

The GBI FAQ page on criminal history records is worth reading before you submit a request. It covers who can ask for records, the forms you need, and how long it takes. The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which is the hub for all criminal history data in the state. Bryan County data flows into that hub, so the GBI is the central source for statewide searches.

How to Search Bryan County Criminal History

There are several ways to find criminal history records in Bryan County. The best option depends on what type of record you need and how fast you want it.

• Visit the Bryan County Clerk of Superior Court at 151 South College Street for case files and certified copies
• Call the clerk's office at (912) 653-3870 to ask about a specific case
• Contact the Bryan County Sheriff at (912) 653-3800 for arrest and booking records
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony conviction data
• Check the GDC offender search for people in state prisons

Court records from the clerk give you the full picture of how a case played out. Arrest records from the sheriff tell you about the booking side. State tools fill in gaps with felony convictions and corrections data. You may need to check more than one source to get a complete picture. A person could have been arrested by the Bryan County Sheriff, then prosecuted in Superior Court, and sent to a state prison. Each step sits in a different system. The clerk has the court file, the sheriff has the booking log, and the GDC has the prison record. Between all three, plus the state felon search, you can put together a solid view of what is on file for someone in Bryan County.

Fees vary. The clerk charges per page for copies. The state felon search is $15. The GDC tool is free. If you plan to pull records from more than one source, budget for the copy fees and know that processing times differ between offices.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Bryan County borders several other Georgia counties in the coastal region. Cases that happen near the county line may end up filed in a neighboring jurisdiction. If you cannot find a record in the Bryan County system, one of these nearby counties might have it.

Chatham County sits to the east and includes Savannah. People who live in Bryan County often work or spend time in Chatham, so criminal cases can cross that line. Effingham County is to the north. Bulloch County borders Bryan to the northwest. Liberty County is to the south, and Long County is to the southwest. Each county has its own clerk, sheriff, and criminal record system.