Long County Criminal History Search

Criminal history records in Long County are held by the Superior Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office in Ludowici, Georgia. Long County is part of the Atlantic Judicial Circuit and has a population around 16,200. The clerk at the courthouse keeps files on criminal cases from Superior Court, while the sheriff manages arrest data and jail bookings. You can search these records at the courthouse in Ludowici or use statewide tools that pull from the GCIC database. This page explains the main sources for criminal history in Long County and how each one works.

Long County Superior Court Clerk

The Long County Superior Court Clerk is in Ludowici. Call (912) 545-2123 for record requests. The clerk keeps files on all criminal cases heard in Long County Superior Court. That covers felony charges, appeals from lower courts, and misdemeanor cases bound over from Magistrate Court. Each file tracks the charges, court dates, plea details, and the final result.

Certified copies cost a per-page fee and carry the official seal. Plain copies are cheaper but not always accepted. Bring a valid ID when you visit. The staff can look up cases by name or case number. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person can check their own criminal history by filing a written request. The fee is set at $15 by state law, not counting fingerprint costs.

The Atlantic Judicial Circuit covers Long County along with Bryan, Evans, Liberty, McIntosh, and Tattnall counties. This is one of the larger circuits in southeast Georgia. Judges rotate through these counties on a schedule. The district attorney for the Atlantic Circuit handles felony cases in Ludowici and processes record restriction requests for arrests after July 1, 2013.

Long County Sheriff's Office

The Long County Sheriff's Office is in Ludowici. The main phone number is (912) 545-2118. The sheriff runs the county jail and keeps booking records for people brought in on criminal charges. Booking records show the arrest date, the charges, and bond info. Call the office to check on someone in the Long County jail.

The sheriff also handles warrant service. When a judge signs a warrant, the sheriff carries out the arrest. That data feeds into the criminal history system. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, all law enforcement in Georgia must report arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. An arrest in Long County goes to the GCIC. The data includes who made the arrest, the date, the charges, and the court result once the case finishes. Long County criminal data shows up in state-level searches because of this, not just at the local office.

Long County's location near Fort Stewart means the sheriff's office deals with cases that sometimes involve military personnel. Those cases still go through the same county court system unless they fall under federal jurisdiction. Criminal history from Long County gets reported to the GCIC the same way regardless of who was arrested.

Record Restriction in Long County

Georgia does not have expungement. The state uses record restriction. A restricted record in Long County is sealed from public view. Law enforcement can still see it. The general public cannot find it in a standard search.

Dismissed charges qualify for restriction. So do cases where the DA chose not to file. Pretrial diversion completions are also eligible. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 is a common path. It lets a first-time offender avoid a formal conviction if the court agrees. Once the sentence ends, the record gets restricted from public access. Offenders under 21 with certain misdemeanor convictions can apply for restriction of their Long County records too.

For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, you start with the Atlantic Circuit DA. For older arrests, go through the arresting agency in Long County. How long it takes depends on the case and the DA's workload. There is no firm deadline under state law for processing these requests.

State Tools for Long County Criminal Records

You do not need to visit Ludowici to check criminal history from Long County. Georgia has statewide search tools that cover all 159 counties. The Georgia Felon Search checks the GCIC database for felony convictions. It costs $15. You enter the person's name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back fast. The fee applies even when there is no match.

The GDC offender search is free. It shows people in state prison right now. If someone from Long County was convicted and sent to a GDC facility, they appear here. The tool does not list people in the Long County jail or those who already served their sentence. The GBI FAQ page answers common questions about how the criminal history process works in Georgia.

GCIC and Long County Records

The Georgia Crime Information Center is the state clearinghouse for criminal history. Every arrest in Long County gets reported to the GCIC by local law enforcement. The center builds a file for each person that ties together arrests, charges, court results, and corrections data from any county in Georgia.

For the most thorough check, a fingerprint-based search through the GBI is best. You submit prints and the GBI matches them against the GCIC database. This catches records from all counties and picks up cases filed under aliases or different names. The cost is $15. People in Long County who need a certified copy of their own record use this route. Start the process through the GBI or at a local law enforcement office in Ludowici.

How to Search Long County Criminal History

There are several ways to look up criminal history in Long County. The best path depends on the record type and how soon you need it.

• Visit the Long County Superior Court Clerk in Ludowici for court case records and certified copies
• Call the Long County Sheriff at (912) 545-2118 for booking and arrest data
• Run a Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony records covering Long County
• Check the GDC offender search for people in state prisons
• Contact the GBI for a fingerprint-based criminal history report

The clerk's office has the best detail on how a case played out in court. The sheriff holds arrest and jail records. State tools give you a broader search across Georgia. Starting with the clerk in Ludowici and then running a state search is a solid approach. For your own record, the GBI fingerprint check is the most complete option.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Long County sits in southeast Georgia and borders several other counties. Criminal cases near the line may end up in a different jurisdiction. If you cannot find what you need in Long County, try these nearby counties.