Search Liberty County Criminal History

Criminal history records in Liberty County are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office in Hinesville. The county is home to Fort Stewart, one of the largest military bases in the country, and that brings a mix of civilian and military-connected cases through the local court system. If you need to search for a criminal record in Liberty County, the clerk's office on South Main Street handles court case files while the sheriff manages arrest and booking data. The presence of the military base means some cases fall under federal jurisdiction and would not be in the county system at all. For state-level charges, both the clerk and the GBI maintain records that cover Liberty County cases.

Liberty County Clerk of Superior Court

The Liberty County Clerk of Superior Court is at 201 South Main Street, Hinesville, GA 31313. Their phone number is (912) 876-3625. The clerk holds all case files from Liberty County Superior Court. Felony cases, certain misdemeanors, and appeals from Magistrate Court or State Court all end up here. Each case file has the charges, hearing dates, plea information, and the outcome.

You can visit the clerk's office in person during business hours. The staff can pull case files and provide copies. Certified copies come with a per-page fee. If you just need to check whether a case exists, the clerk's office can do a name search for you. Older records might take longer to pull since they could be stored in a different location. Calling ahead helps if you know the case is from several years back.

The clerk's office also handles document filings for new cases. When the District Attorney files criminal charges in Liberty County, the paperwork goes through the clerk. From that point on, every motion, hearing, and ruling gets added to the case file. The record builds over the life of the case until it is resolved.

One thing to note about Liberty County is the volume of cases tied to military personnel stationed at Fort Stewart. While offenses on base fall under federal jurisdiction, off-base incidents are handled by the county courts. So a service member arrested in Hinesville on a state charge would have a record in the Liberty County system just like anyone else.

Liberty County Sheriff and Arrest Records

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office is at 365 West Oglethorpe Highway, Hinesville, GA 31313. You can reach them at (912) 876-3383. The sheriff provides law enforcement for unincorporated areas of Liberty County and operates the county jail. Arrest records begin with the sheriff's office. Every booking goes into their system with the arrest date, charges, and bond amount.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, the Liberty County Sheriff reports arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. That means local arrests in Liberty County become part of the statewide criminal history database. The GCIC collects this data from every county in Georgia and makes it available through state search tools.

If you want to know whether someone is in the Liberty County Jail, call the sheriff's office. They can check the current inmate roster. Booking records tell you about the arrest, but they do not show what happened with the case after that. For court outcomes, you need to check with the clerk. These are two different systems that track two different parts of the process.

The GBI FAQ page explains how arrest data from counties like Liberty flows into the state system.

Criminal Record Restriction in Liberty County

Georgia calls it record restriction, not expungement. A restricted record gets sealed from public view. Law enforcement can still access it. The rules are set out in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. This statute covers who qualifies and how the process works.

If you were arrested in Liberty County and the charges were dismissed or dropped, you can apply for restriction. The same goes for people who completed a diversion or pre-trial intervention program in the county. Youthful offenders under 21 with certain misdemeanor convictions may also qualify. For arrests after July 1, 2013, you start by contacting the prosecuting attorney. For older arrests, you go to the arresting agency.

The First Offender Act in O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 provides another option. A first-time offender who finishes their sentence under this act gets discharged without a formal conviction on their record. The criminal history record is then restricted from public searches. This happens in Liberty County for cases in both Superior Court and State Court. If someone was sentenced in Liberty County and should have received First Offender treatment but did not, they can request a retroactive review.

Not every case qualifies for restriction. Serious violent crimes and certain sex offenses cannot be restricted under Georgia law. Talk to the clerk's office or an attorney if you are unsure about a specific case.

State-Level Criminal History Search for Liberty County

State databases give you another way to find criminal records from Liberty County. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and checks the GCIC database for felony convictions statewide. That includes any felony conviction from Liberty County. You enter the person's name, date of birth, and sex. The result comes back right away. The fee still applies if no match is found.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently housed in a state prison. If someone was convicted in Liberty County and sent to serve time at a GDC facility, they will appear in this search. The tool does not cover county jail inmates or people who have finished their sentence.

For general questions about the criminal history process in Georgia, the GBI FAQ page covers the basics. It explains what forms to use, where to send requests, and how long processing takes. The GBI handles the statewide criminal history database, so their guidance applies to records from Liberty County and every other county in Georgia.

How to Search Liberty County Criminal History

Multiple sources hold criminal history data for Liberty County. The best place to start depends on what you are trying to find.

• Visit the Liberty County Clerk of Superior Court at 201 South Main Street for court case records
• Call the clerk at (912) 876-3625 to check on a specific case
• Contact the Liberty County Sheriff at (912) 876-3383 for arrest and booking information
• Run a Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony convictions ($15 fee)
• Use the free GDC offender search for current state prison inmates

Court records tell you how a case was resolved. The charges, plea, and sentence are all in the clerk's files. Arrest records from the sheriff cover the booking side. State tools add felony conviction data and corrections information. To get a full picture, you might need to check more than one source. Someone arrested in Liberty County could have a booking record with the sheriff, a case file with the clerk, and a corrections record with the GDC if they were sent to state prison.

Keep in mind that cases on Fort Stewart are federal matters. Those records are not in the Liberty County system. Federal criminal records are held by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, not the county clerk. If the incident happened on base, the county will not have the file.

Criminal History in Liberty County Cities

Hinesville is the county seat and the largest city in Liberty County. The Hinesville Police Department handles law enforcement inside city limits, and their arrest records feed into the statewide system just like the sheriff's records. If you are looking for a criminal record tied to Hinesville, both the city police and the county sheriff may have relevant data.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Liberty County borders several other Georgia counties. Cases near the county line can end up in either jurisdiction depending on exactly where the incident occurred. If you cannot find a record in the Liberty County system, one of these neighbors might have it.