Search Screven County Criminal History

Screven County criminal history records are held by the Superior Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office in Sylvania, the county seat in eastern Georgia. The county falls within the Middle Judicial Circuit. Records here cover arrests, charges, pleas, and final case outcomes from local courts. The clerk at the courthouse keeps felony case files and bound-over misdemeanors. The sheriff handles arrest logs and jail booking data. State-level databases from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also cover Screven County felony convictions. This page explains each source and how to use it to find what you need.

Screven County Sheriff and Criminal Records

The Screven County Sheriff's Office is in Sylvania, GA 30467. Call (912) 564-2013 to reach them. The sheriff runs the county jail and handles all bookings for people arrested in Screven County. Each booking creates a record that includes the person's name, arrest date, charges, bond amount, and release status. This is one side of the criminal history. Court outcomes are maintained by the clerk.

When someone is booked into the Screven County Jail, the sheriff sends arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center at the GBI. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, local law enforcement must report all arrest data to the GCIC. So an arrest in Screven County ends up in the statewide system. Fingerprints collected at booking tie the record to a specific person. This is more reliable than a name search alone, since names can overlap.

Screven County sits in a rural part of eastern Georgia. The sheriff's office handles patrol, jail operations, and civil process for the whole county. The jail serves as the main holding facility for local arrests. People facing longer sentences may get transferred to state facilities or regional jails. To check on someone in the Screven County Jail, call the number listed above. Staff can tell you if the person is there, what charges they face, and whether bond has been set. You can also visit the office in Sylvania during business hours. It is near the courthouse in the center of town.

Criminal Records at Screven County Clerk

The Screven County Superior Court Clerk is at the Screven County Courthouse in Sylvania, GA 30467. The phone number is (912) 564-2614. This office stores all criminal case files from the Screven County Superior Court. That includes felony cases, bound-over misdemeanors, and appeals. Each case file tracks the charges, court dates, plea entries, motions, and the final disposition. When you need to know how a case ended in Screven County, this is the office to visit.

In-person visits to the clerk's office are the most direct way to search. Copy fees apply per page. Certified copies cost more and include the court seal, which courts and other agencies may require. Screven County is part of the Middle Judicial Circuit, which covers several counties in eastern Georgia. Judges rotate through the circuit but each county clerk keeps its own records. The clerk also participates in the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority statewide system.

Having a case number makes a search much faster. Without one, the staff will search by the person's name. Screven County has a Magistrate Court as well. It handles some lower-level criminal cases. If you are not sure which court had jurisdiction over a particular case, check with both the superior court clerk and the magistrate court. A quick phone call to each can sort it out.

Screven County Criminal Record Restriction

Georgia uses record restriction. It is not expungement. A restricted record gets sealed from the public. It still exists in the system. Law enforcement keeps access. You do not.

Charges never sent to a prosecutor get restricted after a waiting period. Misdemeanors take two years from the arrest. Most felonies need four years. Serious violent felonies require seven years. If charges were dismissed or a not guilty verdict was entered, restriction happens sooner. The prosecutor has ten days to object after an acquittal. No objection means the Screven County record gets sealed.

The First Offender Act at O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 provides another path. A judge can sentence someone without entering a formal conviction. The person must complete all terms of the sentence. Once discharged, the case drops off public searches. A retroactive option exists as well. If someone should have been sentenced under First Offender but was not, they can petition the court in Sylvania to apply it after the fact.

The restriction rules follow O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, start with the Middle Judicial Circuit District Attorney. Older arrests need contact with the arresting agency first. The GBI FAQ page covers who qualifies and the full process.

State Tools for Screven County Criminal History

State-run tools can show criminal history from Screven County. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It checks the GCIC database for felony convictions statewide, including Screven County. You need a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back fast. The fee applies even if no record is found. Only felony convictions appear. Misdemeanors and pending cases are not included.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in state prison or on parole. Someone convicted in Screven County and sent to a GDC facility will appear here. It does not cover people in the Screven County Jail or those who have already finished their sentence. The scope is narrow but it helps when the person was sentenced to state prison.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person can request their own criminal history record. Get fingerprinted at a law enforcement agency, pay the fee, and the GBI sends a full GCIC report back. The Screven County Sheriff's Office can handle fingerprinting for this purpose. Call ahead to confirm availability. This is the most thorough way to check what is on file in the statewide system.

How to Search Screven County Criminal History

There are several options for searching criminal history in Screven County. The best choice depends on what kind of record you need.

• Call the Screven County Sheriff at (912) 564-2013 for jail bookings and arrest data
• Visit the Superior Court Clerk at the courthouse in Sylvania for case files and certified copies
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony conviction records ($15)
• Search the GDC offender database for people in state prison (free)
• File an open records request with the sheriff for specific arrest reports

Each source covers a different part of the picture. The clerk has court case results and dispositions. The sheriff has arrest and booking data. State tools give you felony conviction records and prison information. Screven County is rural, and the volume of criminal records is lower than in metro areas. But the same state rules apply. All arrest data goes to the GCIC regardless of county size. The Georgia Open Records Act gives you the right to request public documents from the sheriff and the clerk.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Screven County is in eastern Georgia between Savannah and Augusta. It borders several counties. If you do not find what you need in Screven County, check one of the neighbors.

Burke County is to the north. Jenkins County is to the west. Emanuel County sits further west. Bulloch County is to the south and has a larger court system based in Statesboro. Effingham County is to the southeast, closer to Savannah. Candler County is to the southwest. Each has its own court clerk, sheriff, and criminal record system. All report arrest data to the GCIC statewide database. Bulloch County is likely the closest option with a larger court and more digital access to records.