Henry County Criminal History Search

Henry County criminal history records cover arrests, court cases, and jail bookings across one of the fast-growing parts of metro Atlanta. The county seat is McDonough. If you need to look up criminal records in Henry County, there are a few ways to get started. The sheriff's office, police department, and Superior Court Clerk each hold different parts of the record system. You can search some of these from home. Others need a trip to the courthouse or a phone call. This page lays out the main ways to find Henry County criminal history and what each source can tell you.

Henry County Police and Criminal Records

The Henry County Police Department is a primary source for criminal history data in the county. Their office is at 120 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253. You can call them at (770) 288-8100. The police department handles law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of Henry County. That means most arrests outside city limits go through this agency first. Each arrest gets logged into the system with the person's name, charges, date, and the officer who made the arrest. These records then feed into the state criminal history database run by the Georgia Crime Information Center.

If you need a copy of a police report or arrest record from the Henry County Police Department, you can file an open records request. Georgia's open records law lets you ask for most documents held by a public agency. Walk in during business hours or call ahead to find out the steps. Some records tied to open cases may be held back until the case is done. You should also know that the police department only covers unincorporated Henry County. Cities like McDonough and Stockbridge have their own police departments that keep separate arrest records.

The Henry County Police Department website shows contact details and services for residents who need help with criminal record requests in the county.

Use this site to find the right division for your request. The records unit handles most public document requests tied to Henry County criminal history.

Henry County Sheriff Criminal History Access

The Henry County Sheriff's Office is at 120 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253. Their main line is (770) 288-7100. The sheriff runs the county jail and handles court security for the Henry County courthouse. Jail booking records are part of the criminal history system here. Every person booked into the Henry County Jail gets a record that shows the charges, bond amount, booking date, and release date if they post bond or get released.

The Henry County Sheriff's Office website provides access to jail and inmate data for the county.

You can check the sheriff's site for details on people currently held in the Henry County Jail. Booking data gets updated as new arrests come in. If someone was arrested in Henry County and you want to find out their status, this is a good place to start. The sheriff's office can also help with fingerprint-based criminal history checks. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person has the right to request their own criminal history record by getting fingerprinted at a law enforcement agency and paying the required fee.

Note: Jail booking records at the Henry County Sheriff's Office may take a short time to update after a new arrest happens.

Criminal Records at Henry County Court Clerk

The Henry County Superior Court Clerk holds case files for criminal matters that go through the county court system. The office is at 1 Courthouse Square, McDonough, GA 30253. Call (770) 288-8025 for questions. This is where felony cases and some misdemeanor cases get filed, tracked, and stored. If you want to know how a criminal case ended in Henry County, the clerk's office has that data. Each case file includes the charges, court dates, plea information, verdict, and sentence.

You can visit the clerk's office in person to search the case index. There is a per-page fee if you need copies. Certified copies cost more. The clerk can also tell you the status of a pending case in Henry County. Some court records can be accessed through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, which runs a statewide database of court filings. Not all Henry County records are available online through that system, but many are. The cooperative authority pulls data from local clerks across the state and puts it in one place.

Criminal case data from the Henry County clerk also ties into the state system maintained by the GBI. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, local agencies like the Henry County court system report criminal history information to the Georgia Crime Information Center. This means a Henry County conviction should show up in a state-level search as well.

Henry County Criminal Record Restriction

Georgia uses the term record restriction instead of expungement. A restricted record in Henry County gets sealed from public view. It still exists. Law enforcement can see it. The public cannot. Several situations can trigger restriction for a Henry County criminal history record.

Charges that were never sent to a prosecutor get restricted after a set time. For misdemeanors, the wait is two years. Most felonies take four years. Serious violent felonies take seven years. If the charges were dismissed or the person was found not guilty, restriction can happen faster. The prosecutor has ten days to object after an acquittal. If they do not, the record gets restricted. People who complete a sentence under the First Offender Act, found at O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, can also get their Henry County record restricted. The First Offender Act lets a judge sentence someone without entering a formal conviction, so long as they finish their sentence without problems.

For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, you go through the Henry County District Attorney to start the restriction process. Older arrests require contact with the arresting agency first. Either way, the prosecutor in Henry County has to sign off on the restriction. There is also a process to challenge wrong information on your criminal history record under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. The agency has 60 days to look into it and respond.

State Tools for Henry County Records

You can also search for Henry County criminal history through state-level tools run by Georgia agencies. The Georgia Felon Search checks the GCIC database for felony convictions. It costs $15 per search. 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 is found. This tool only covers felony convictions. It will not show misdemeanors, pending charges, or restricted records.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people who are currently in a state prison. Someone convicted in Henry County and sent to a GDC facility would appear in this search. People held in the Henry County Jail or those who finished their sentence will not show up here. It is a narrow tool but useful if you know the person went to state prison.

The GBI FAQ page on getting criminal history records is worth reading. It answers common questions about the process, what records you can get, and how long it takes. The GBI is the main state agency that manages criminal history data across all Georgia counties, including Henry County.

Look Up Henry County Criminal History

There are several paths to get criminal history records in Henry County. Your best pick depends on what type of record you need and how fast you want it. Here is a breakdown of the main options.

• Call the Henry County Police at (770) 288-8100 for police reports and arrest records
• Check the Henry County Sheriff's Office at (770) 288-7100 for jail and booking data
• Visit the Superior Court Clerk at 1 Courthouse Square for case files and certified copies
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony records
• Search the GDC offender database for people in state prison

Each source covers a different slice of the criminal history picture in Henry County. Court records from the clerk show charges and case outcomes. Police records show arrest details. The sheriff's office tracks bookings and bond status. State tools add felony convictions and corrections data. You may need to check more than one source for a full view of someone's criminal history connected to Henry County.

Criminal History in Henry County Cities

Henry County has several cities where arrests and criminal cases happen. Each city with its own police force handles local arrests, but felony charges go through the Henry County Superior Court in McDonough. The two largest cities in the county both have populations above 25,000.

McDonough is the county seat with a population of about 32,803. Stockbridge has around 35,893 residents. Both cities have local police that handle their own arrests and reports. Those records still feed into the Henry County criminal history system for cases that move to Superior Court.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Henry County shares borders with several other Georgia counties. Criminal cases near the county line may end up in a neighboring jurisdiction. If you do not find what you need in Henry County, try one of these nearby counties.

Clayton County sits to the west and handles a high volume of criminal cases due to its proximity to Atlanta. DeKalb County is to the north. Rockdale and Newton counties border Henry County to the east. Spalding, Butts, and Fayette counties are to the south and southwest. Each has its own court clerk, sheriff, and criminal record system.