Fulton County Criminal History

Fulton County is the most populous county in Georgia, and its criminal history records are managed across several offices in Atlanta. The Superior Court Clerk, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, and the Fulton County Police Department each hold parts of the criminal record system. If you need to search for criminal history in Fulton County, you can start online through the county's court services portal or visit the clerk's office on Pryor Street. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also keeps state-level records that include Fulton County arrest data and case outcomes. Getting the right record depends on what type of case you are looking for and which agency handled it.

Fulton County Criminal Records at the Clerk's Office

The Fulton County Superior Court Clerk is the main place to find criminal case records in this county. Their office sits at 136 Pryor Street SW in Atlanta, GA 30303. You can call them at (404) 612-0500 for help with record requests. The clerk keeps files on all criminal cases that go through Fulton County Superior Court. This includes felony charges, some misdemeanor cases, and appeals from lower courts. Each case file holds the charges, court dates, plea details, and the final outcome.

Fulton County also runs an online court services portal that lets you look up case information from a computer or phone. The site gives access to docket data and case status for criminal matters filed in the county. You do not need to pay a fee to search the basic case index. If you need certified copies of criminal history documents from Fulton County, the clerk's office charges a per-page fee. Walk-in requests are taken during normal business hours at the Pryor Street location.

The Fulton County court services page shows how to find criminal case records and other court filings in the county system.

After you pull up a case on the portal, you can see the charges listed, any motions filed, and the judge assigned to the case. The system does not show restricted records or cases that have been sealed under Georgia law. If a record has been restricted under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, it will not appear in a public search on the Fulton County system. Only law enforcement and certain agencies can still see those files.

Fulton County Sheriff and Criminal History Access

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office is at 901 Rice Street in Atlanta, GA 30318. Their main phone line is (404) 612-5100. The sheriff handles jail operations and inmate records for the county. If you need to check on someone held in the Fulton County Jail, call the inmate information line at (404) 613-5000. Jail booking records are part of the criminal history system in Fulton County, and they show the date of arrest, the charges at booking, and bond information.

The Fulton County Police Department has a records division at 130 Peachtree Street SW, Suite 100 in Atlanta. You can reach them at (404) 612-5106. Police records cover incident reports, arrest reports, and calls for service in unincorporated parts of Fulton County. These records feed into the state criminal history database maintained by the Georgia Crime Information Center. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, criminal history data collected by local agencies like the Fulton County Police Department gets reported to the GCIC for inclusion in the statewide system.

Note: Inmate records at the Fulton County Jail are updated as bookings happen, but there can be a short delay before new arrests show up in the system.

Criminal History Restriction in Fulton County

Georgia does not use the word "expungement" for most cases. The state calls it record restriction. When a criminal history record gets restricted in Fulton County, it is sealed from public view but still exists in the system for law enforcement to see. The Fulton County government has a page that explains who can apply for record restrictions in the county.

The Fulton County record restrictions page shows eligibility rules and the steps to apply for criminal history restriction in the county.

Several groups can get their Fulton County criminal history restricted. People who were arrested in the Fulton County jurisdiction and had charges dismissed or dropped may qualify. Certain misdemeanor offenders under 21, also called youthful offenders, can apply too. If you went through a pre-trial intervention or diversion program in Fulton County and finished it, you are eligible. First Offender cases that are sealed under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37 also qualify for restriction. There is also a retroactive First Offender review for those who should have gotten First Offender status at the time of sentencing but did not.

The First Offender Act itself, found in O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, is a key part of how criminal history records work in Georgia. If a first-time offender in Fulton County completes their sentence under this act, the court discharges them without a formal conviction. That means the criminal history record gets restricted from public searches. This applies to cases handled in Fulton County Superior Court as well as cases in the Fulton County State Court.

State Criminal History Tools for Fulton County

Beyond the local offices, you can search for Fulton County criminal history through state-level tools. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It checks the GCIC database for felony convictions across the whole state, including Fulton County. You need the person's first name, last name, date of birth, and sex to run a search. Results come back right away. Even if there is no record found, the $15 fee still applies.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people who are currently in a GDC prison. This can include people convicted in Fulton County who are serving time at a state facility. The GDC search does not cover people in the Fulton County Jail or those who have already finished their sentence. For more detail on how to get criminal history records in Georgia, the GBI FAQ page answers common questions about the process.

Fulton County District Attorney and Criminal Cases

The Fulton County District Attorney's Office is at 136 Pryor Street SW in Atlanta, GA 30303. The DA handles the prosecution of criminal cases in the county. When someone gets arrested in Fulton County, the case goes to the DA for review. They decide whether to file charges, offer a plea deal, or take the case to trial. All of these steps become part of the criminal history record for that person in Fulton County.

The DA's office also plays a role in record restriction. For arrests that happened on or after July 1, 2013, you contact the prosecuting attorney to start the restriction process. The DA has the authority to approve or deny restriction requests for cases they handled. If you were arrested before that date, the process starts with the arresting agency instead. The Fulton County DA handles a very high volume of cases each year given the size of the county and the city of Atlanta. Wait times for responses on restriction requests can be longer here than in smaller Georgia counties.

How to Search Fulton County Criminal History

There are a few paths to find criminal history records in Fulton County. Your best option depends on what you are after and how fast you need it.

• Visit the Fulton County court services portal for case lookups
• Go to the Superior Court Clerk at 136 Pryor Street SW for certified copies
• Call the Fulton County Police records division at (404) 612-5106 for police reports
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony records
• Check the GDC offender search for people in state prisons
• Contact the Fulton County Sheriff at (404) 612-5100 for jail and booking records

Each source covers a different piece of the criminal history picture in Fulton County. Court records from the clerk show charges, pleas, and case outcomes. Police records show arrest details and incident reports. The sheriff's office tracks jail bookings and bond status. State tools add felony convictions and corrections data to the mix. You may need to check more than one source to get a complete view of criminal history tied to Fulton County.

Criminal History in Fulton County Cities

Fulton County stretches a long way from north to south through the Atlanta metro area. Several cities within the county have their own police departments that handle arrests. Those arrest records become part of the criminal history system in Georgia. The major cities in Fulton County each have local resources for people who need criminal record information.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Fulton County shares borders with several other Georgia counties. Criminal cases that happen near the county line sometimes end up in a neighboring jurisdiction. If you cannot find what you need in the Fulton County system, try checking these nearby counties.