Seminole County Criminal History Lookup

Seminole County criminal history records are kept by the Superior Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office in Donalsonville, the county seat in the far southwest corner of Georgia near the Florida and Alabama borders. The county is part of the Pataula Judicial Circuit. Records here include arrest data, charges, court dates, pleas, and case outcomes. The clerk's office at the courthouse holds felony case files and bound-over misdemeanors. The sheriff maintains arrest logs and booking records from the county jail. State tools from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation cover Seminole County felony convictions as well. This page covers each source and how to access criminal history here.

Seminole County Sheriff and Criminal Records

The Seminole County Sheriff's Office is in Donalsonville, GA 39845. Call (229) 524-2114 to reach them. The sheriff runs the county jail and processes all bookings for arrests made in Seminole County. Each booking creates a record with the person's name, arrest date, charges, bond amount, and release status. This is one part of the criminal history picture. Court results sit with the clerk.

When someone gets booked into the Seminole County Jail, the sheriff sends arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GBI runs the GCIC. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-34, local law enforcement must report all arrest data to the GCIC. An arrest anywhere in Seminole County goes into the statewide system. Fingerprints taken at booking tie the record to a specific person, making it more accurate than a name-only search.

Seminole County is a small, rural county. The sheriff's office handles patrol, jail operations, civil process, and court security across the entire county. The jail has limited capacity. People held for extended periods may get moved to a neighboring county facility or a regional jail. To check on someone in the Seminole County Jail, call the phone number above. Staff can tell you if the person is held, list their charges, and let you know about bond. You can visit the office in Donalsonville during regular hours too. It sits near the courthouse in the center of town. Calling ahead is a good idea with a small staff.

Criminal Records at Seminole County Clerk

The Seminole County Superior Court Clerk is at the Seminole County Courthouse in Donalsonville, GA 39845. The phone number is (229) 524-2525. This office holds all criminal case files from the Seminole County Superior Court. Felony cases, bound-over misdemeanors, and appeals end up here. Each case file tracks charges, court dates, plea details, motions, and the final outcome. If you want to know how a case turned out in Seminole County, this is the right place to check.

You can visit the clerk in person to search through records. Copy fees apply per page. Certified copies cost more and carry the court seal. Those are needed for legal proceedings. The clerk works with the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority statewide database, so some Seminole County records may appear there. Seminole County is part of the Pataula Judicial Circuit, which also includes Clay, Early, Miller, and Quitman counties. Judges rotate through the circuit, but each county clerk keeps its own files.

A case number makes a search faster. Without one, staff will search by name. Seminole County also has a Magistrate Court for lower-level criminal matters. If you are not sure which court handled a case, check with both. The volume of cases in Seminole County is lower than in larger areas, so staff at the clerk's office may have more time to help with your request.

Seminole County Criminal Record Restriction

Georgia uses record restriction, not expungement. A restricted record gets sealed from public view. It still exists in the system. Law enforcement can see it. The public cannot.

Charges never sent to a prosecutor get restricted after a wait period. Misdemeanors need two years from the arrest date. Most felonies take four years. Serious violent felonies require seven. If charges were dismissed or a not guilty verdict was reached, the process moves faster. The prosecutor has ten days to object after an acquittal. If no objection is filed, the Seminole County record gets sealed.

The First Offender Act at O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 offers another route. A judge can sentence someone without a formal conviction if the person completes all terms. Once discharged, the case comes off public record searches. There is a retroactive path too. If someone should have been sentenced under First Offender but was not, they can petition the court in Donalsonville to apply it after the fact. In a small county like Seminole, these petitions may get heard sooner because the court docket is lighter.

Restriction rules are set out in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, start with the Pataula Judicial Circuit District Attorney. Older arrests need contact with the arresting agency first. The GBI FAQ page has more information on who qualifies and how to start the process.

State Tools for Seminole County Criminal History

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

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in state prison or on parole. Someone convicted in Seminole County and sent to a GDC facility would appear here. It does not cover people held in the Seminole County Jail or those who have completed their sentence. The tool is narrow but useful when the person went 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 back a full GCIC report. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office can handle the fingerprinting. Call ahead to confirm someone is available. This is the most complete way to check what is on file in the state system.

How to Search Seminole County Criminal History

There are several ways to search criminal history in Seminole County. Which one to use depends on what you are looking for.

• Call the Seminole County Sheriff at (229) 524-2114 for jail bookings and arrest data
• Visit the Superior Court Clerk at the courthouse in Donalsonville 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 handles a different part of the record. The clerk has court case results. The sheriff has arrest and booking data. State tools provide felony conviction records and prison info. Seminole County is small and rural, so the total volume of criminal records is lower than in metro areas. But the same state reporting 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 records from the sheriff and the clerk.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Seminole County sits at the far southwest corner of Georgia. It borders both Florida and Alabama. It also borders a few other Georgia counties. If you do not find what you need in Seminole County, try a neighbor.

Decatur County is to the east and has a larger court system based in Bainbridge. Miller County is to the north. Early County is to the northeast. Clay County sits to the northwest. Each has its own court clerk, sheriff, and criminal record system. All report arrest data to the GCIC statewide database. Decatur County is the nearest option with a larger population and more court activity. Because Seminole County is on the state border, some people may also have records in Florida or Alabama.