Lowndes County Criminal History

Lowndes County criminal history records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office, both based in Valdosta. The county is in south Georgia near the Florida state line and has a population of about 117,000. If you need to search for criminal records in Lowndes County, there are local and state options to consider. The clerk's office on North Ashley Street holds court case files while the sheriff's office on Prison Farm Road keeps arrest and booking data. This page walks through the main ways to find criminal history records tied to Lowndes County and what each source covers.

Lowndes County Sheriff Criminal History Access

The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas of the county. The office is at 120 Prison Farm Road, Valdosta, GA 31601. You can call them at (229) 671-3000. The sheriff handles patrol, investigations, and runs the Lowndes County Jail. Every person booked into the jail gets a record that shows the charges, bond amount, booking date, and release status. These booking records are part of the broader criminal history system in the county.

The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office website provides contact info and details on how to reach the records division for criminal history requests.

When someone is arrested by a Lowndes County deputy, the arrest goes into the system with the person's name, date of birth, charges, and the deputy who made the arrest. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, all law enforcement agencies in Georgia must report arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. That means a Lowndes County arrest becomes part of the state criminal history database. The sheriff's office can also help with fingerprint-based record checks. If you need a copy of your own criminal history, you can get fingerprinted at the sheriff's office and submit the request from there.

If you are trying to find someone currently held in the Lowndes County Jail, call the sheriff's office main line. Booking data gets updated as new arrests come in, but there can be a short lag before a new record appears.

Criminal Records at Lowndes County Clerk

The Lowndes County Superior Court Clerk holds criminal case files for matters that go through the county court system. The office is at 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31601. Call (229) 671-2400 for questions about records. The clerk keeps files on all criminal cases handled in Lowndes County Superior Court. That covers felony charges, some serious misdemeanor cases, and appeals from lower courts. Each case file includes the charges, court dates, plea info, verdict, and sentence.

The Lowndes County Clerk of Courts page shows how to request criminal history documents and reach the office in Valdosta.

You can visit the clerk's office in person to search the case index for Lowndes County criminal records. There is a per-page fee if you need copies. Certified copies cost more but they carry the clerk's seal and are usually needed for legal matters. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person has the right to request their own criminal history record by filing a written request. The fee is capped at $15, not counting the cost of fingerprints. The Lowndes County clerk works with the Georgia Crime Information Center to pull the full record when someone makes a self-request. Some Lowndes County court records are also accessible through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, which maintains a statewide database of court filings across the state.

Lowndes County Criminal Record Restriction

Georgia calls it record restriction, not expungement. A restricted record in Lowndes County is sealed from public view. It still exists. Law enforcement can access it. The public cannot.

There are several situations where a Lowndes County criminal history record can be restricted. Charges that were never sent to a prosecutor get restricted after a waiting period. For misdemeanors, the wait is two years from the arrest date. Most felonies take four years. Serious violent felonies require seven years. If charges were dismissed or the person was acquitted, the process can move faster. The prosecutor has ten days to object after an acquittal. If they do not file an objection, the record gets restricted automatically. People who went through a pre-trial diversion or intervention program in Lowndes County and completed it can also apply for restriction.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, the First Offender Act lets a judge sentence a first-time offender without entering a formal conviction. Once the person finishes their sentence with no problems, the Lowndes County criminal history record tied to that case gets restricted from public searches. This is one of the more common paths to restriction in the county. The decision to grant First Offender status happens at sentencing in the Lowndes County Superior Court, and it is up to the judge to approve it.

For Lowndes County arrests on or after July 1, 2013, you go through the Lowndes County District Attorney to start the restriction process. Older arrests need contact with the arresting agency first. The GBI FAQ page has details on which cases qualify and how the process works across all Georgia counties.

State Tools for Lowndes County Records

You do not have to go to Valdosta to check criminal history tied to Lowndes County. Georgia has state-level search tools that pull from all 159 counties. 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 the search shows no record. A Lowndes County felony conviction would show up through this tool.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in a GDC prison facility. Someone convicted in Lowndes County and sent to a state prison will appear here. People held in the Lowndes County Jail or those who have finished their sentence will not show up in this search. It only covers active state inmates.

The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which is the hub for criminal history data across the state. Every arrest made in Lowndes County gets reported to GCIC. You can mail a request for your own criminal history to the GCIC at P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808. Call (404) 244-2639 to set up an appointment at their office. Walk-ins are not taken. For questions about your own Lowndes County criminal history, email gacriminalhistory@gbi.state.ga.us.

Note: The Georgia Felon Search only covers felony convictions and will not show restricted records, juvenile cases, or misdemeanor charges from Lowndes County.

What Lowndes County Criminal Records Include

A criminal history record tied to Lowndes County contains several types of data. The person's name, date of birth, and physical description are part of it. Arrest data shows which agency made the arrest, the date it happened, and the charges filed at the time. Court outcomes are there too. You can see if a case ended in a conviction, a dismissal, a plea, or an acquittal. If the person went to a state prison, that shows up on the record as well.

Some records are not open to the public. Restricted records will not appear on public searches in Lowndes County. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases. Federal crimes processed through federal courts are not in the state GCIC system at all. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, the GCIC can share criminal history data with a defendant's attorney upon written request. In civil cases, criminal history records are only available with the person's written consent unless the record involves a felony conviction. These rules apply across the state, including Lowndes County.

How to Search Lowndes County Criminal History

There are multiple paths to find criminal history records in Lowndes County. The best option depends on what type of record you need.

• Visit the Lowndes County Superior Court Clerk at 327 North Ashley Street in Valdosta for court case files and certified copies
• Call the Lowndes County Sheriff at (229) 671-3000 for jail booking records and arrest data
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony conviction data
• Check the GDC offender search for people in state prisons
• Contact the GBI for questions about the criminal history request process

Each of these sources covers a different part of the criminal history system in Lowndes County. The clerk has court records with charges, pleas, and case outcomes. The sheriff has booking and arrest data. State tools cover felony convictions and corrections info statewide. You may need more than one source for a full picture. Valdosta is the county seat and where both the clerk and the sheriff are based, so a single trip can cover both offices if you go in person.

Criminal History in Lowndes County Cities

Lowndes County has one city. Valdosta is the county seat and by far the largest city in the county. The Valdosta Police Department handles arrests within city limits. Those arrest records feed into the state criminal history system run by the GBI. Felony cases from Valdosta go through the Lowndes County Superior Court in the county seat. If you need criminal records from an arrest in Valdosta, the Lowndes County clerk and sheriff are your main local contacts along with the city police department.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Lowndes County borders several other south Georgia counties. Criminal cases near the county line could end up in a neighboring jurisdiction. If you do not find what you need in the Lowndes County system, these nearby counties may have the records you are looking for.

Brooks County is to the west. Lanier and Clinch counties sit to the east of Lowndes. Echols County is to the south, right along the Florida border. Cook and Berrien counties are to the north. Colquitt County is to the northwest. Each one has its own court clerk, sheriff, and criminal record system separate from Lowndes County.