Find Paulding County Criminal History

Paulding County criminal history records are held by the Superior Court Clerk and the sheriff's office in Dallas, Georgia. The county has grown fast in recent years and now has close to 169,000 people. That growth has led to more cases moving through the court system. You can search for criminal records in Paulding County by visiting the clerk's office on Constitution Boulevard, calling the sheriff at their main line, or using Georgia's statewide search tools. The clerk keeps court case files while the sheriff keeps arrest and booking data. Both are part of the broader criminal history system that feeds into the state GCIC database.

Paulding County Sheriff Criminal Records

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office is at 180 Constitution Boulevard in Dallas, GA 30132. You can call them at (770) 443-3010. The sheriff runs the county jail and keeps booking records for everyone brought in on criminal charges. These records show the person's name, the arrest date, the charges at booking, bond status, and the arresting officer. If you need to check on someone in the Paulding County Jail, call the sheriff's office for current information.

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office website shows details about law enforcement operations in the Dallas area, including jail services and how to reach the records division.

That page covers contact details and links to different parts of the sheriff's department. Arrest records from the Paulding County Sheriff go into the statewide criminal history system. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, every law enforcement agency in Georgia must report arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. So when the sheriff's office books someone in Paulding County, that data ends up in the GCIC database.

Paulding County Clerk Criminal Records

The Paulding County Clerk of Superior Court is at 280 Constitution Boulevard in Dallas, GA 30132. The phone number is (770) 443-7570. The clerk handles all criminal case files from Paulding County Superior Court. This covers felony charges, certain appeals, and other criminal matters that move through the court system. Each case file has the charges, plea details, court dates, and the outcome.

You can visit the clerk's office in person to look up criminal case records. Staff can search by name or case number. Copies cost a per-page fee. Certified copies carry the court seal and cost more but are needed for most legal purposes. The office is open on weekdays during business hours. Calling ahead can save time if you want to confirm a case is on file before making the trip to Dallas.

The Paulding County Clerk of Courts website gives details about the office, hours, and how to request criminal case records from the county court system.

That page has the clerk's contact information and links to court services available in Paulding County.

Note: The Paulding County State Court handles some misdemeanor cases separately from Superior Court, so check both if you are not sure where a case was filed.

Criminal Record Restriction in Paulding County

Georgia does not use the word expungement for most cases. The state calls it record restriction. When a Paulding County criminal history record gets restricted, it is sealed from public searches. Law enforcement can still see it. The record stays in the system but is hidden from the general public. This is a key distinction for people in the Dallas area who want to clean up their criminal record after charges were dropped or resolved.

Paulding County has specific steps for record restriction that depend on when the arrest happened. For arrests before July 1, 2013, you apply through the arresting agency. In most cases in Paulding County, that is the sheriff's office. They forward the request to the prosecutor, and the DA has 90 days to respond. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, you go straight to the prosecuting attorney. The Paulding County District Attorney's Office can be reached at (770) 443-7561. No application to the arresting agency is needed for these newer cases.

The GBI has a page that lays out the full process and the types of records that qualify for restriction in Georgia, including cases from Paulding County.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, charges that were never sent to a prosecutor get restricted on a set timeline. Misdemeanor charges take two years. Most felonies take four years. Serious violent felonies take seven. Dismissed charges and acquittals also qualify. The GBI record restriction page has the full list of situations that apply.

Paulding County First Offender Records

The First Offender Act is one of the most used paths to criminal record restriction in Paulding County. O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 allows first-time offenders to avoid a formal conviction if the court grants First Offender status at sentencing. The person goes through their sentence, whether it is probation, jail time, or a combination. When they finish, the court enters a discharge order. That discharge triggers the restriction of the criminal history record from public view.

In Paulding County, First Offender cases go through Superior Court or State Court depending on the charge level. Once the discharge happens, the record drops from public searches in the county system and in the statewide GCIC database. There is also a retroactive review option. People who should have gotten First Offender status at the time of their sentencing but did not may be able to go back and get it applied. This requires a petition to the court that handled the original case in Paulding County.

Note: First Offender status is not available for certain serious crimes, so check with the Paulding County DA or a local attorney about eligibility.

State Criminal History Tools for Paulding County

Two state tools cover criminal history that includes Paulding County data. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search and checks the GCIC database for felony convictions across the entire state. You need a name, date of birth, and sex to run it. Results come back fast. The fee applies even if no record shows up. This tool only lists felony convictions, so misdemeanors and arrests that did not lead to a conviction in Paulding County will not appear.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in a state prison. If someone convicted in Paulding County got sent to a GDC facility, they would show up here. The GDC search does not list people in the Paulding County Jail or people who have already served their time and been released.

For broader questions about the criminal history process in Georgia, the GBI FAQ page covers common topics. It explains how to request your own record, what the fees are, and how to challenge errors. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, every person in Georgia has the right to review their own criminal history. The fee is capped at $15 plus the cost of fingerprinting. This applies to Paulding County residents and everyone else in the state.

Nearby Counties for Criminal Records

Paulding County sits northwest of Atlanta in the outer metro area. If you are searching for criminal records and cannot find what you need in the Paulding County system, check these neighboring counties. Cases near the county line sometimes land in a different jurisdiction.

Cobb County is the closest major county to the east and has one of the largest court systems in the state. Bartow County sits to the north. Polk and Haralson counties are to the west. Carroll County is to the southwest, and Douglas County borders Paulding to the south. Each has its own sheriff, clerk, and criminal record system.