Access Towns County Criminal History

Towns County criminal history records are managed by the Superior Court Clerk and the Sheriff's Office in Hiawassee, Georgia. Tucked into the far northeast corner of the state, Towns County has a population of about 12,400. Criminal records here include arrest data, booking logs, and court case files. The sheriff's office in Hiawassee keeps arrest and booking records. The clerk holds court files with charges, pleas, and case outcomes. You can search these records at the courthouse in Hiawassee or use statewide tools run by the GBI. This page covers each way to look up criminal history in Towns County.

Towns County Sheriff Criminal Records

The Towns County Sheriff's Office is in Hiawassee, GA 30546. Call (706) 896-4444. The sheriff handles law enforcement for the county and operates the county detention center. Every person booked in gets a record that lists their name, arrest date, charges, bond amount, and release status. These booking logs are a key part of criminal history records in Towns County.

The sheriff's office also handles fingerprint-based criminal history checks. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person can request their own criminal history record. You bring a valid ID, get fingerprinted, and the request goes to the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GCIC runs a check tied to your prints and sends the results back. This is the most complete way to check your own record in Towns County. Results come by mail in a few weeks.

The sheriff's office takes walk-in requests during normal business hours on weekdays. Call ahead to confirm hours, especially during holidays. For recent arrest info, they can check the current jail roster for you over the phone.

Towns County Court Clerk Records

The Towns County Superior Court Clerk is at 48 River Street, Suite E, Hiawassee, GA 30546. Call (706) 896-2130. This office holds court case files for criminal matters heard in Towns County. Felonies, misdemeanors that reach Superior Court, and probation violations are filed here. Each case record has charges, court dates, pleas, verdicts, and sentences.

Towns County is part of the Enotah Judicial Circuit, which also covers Lumpkin, Union, and White counties. Cases in Towns County go through this circuit. The clerk has a case index you can search in person. Copies cost a standard fee. Certified copies carry the clerk's seal and cost more.

The Towns County clerk works with the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. That group runs a statewide court database. Most Towns County records make it into the system over time. Under Georgia law, local agencies must report criminal history data to the GCIC. A Towns County conviction should show up in a state-level search once the data gets processed. There may be a short lag between the local filing and when it appears in the statewide system.

Record Restriction in Towns County

Georgia does not do full expungement. The state uses record restriction. A restricted record in Towns County gets sealed from public view. It still exists. Law enforcement can see it. The general public cannot.

Charges that were never prosecuted can be restricted after a wait. Misdemeanors need two years from the arrest date. Most felonies need four years. Serious violent felonies require seven years. If charges were dropped or the person was acquitted, restriction comes sooner. The prosecutor gets ten days to object after a not-guilty finding. No objection means the record is sealed.

The First Offender Act at O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 offers another route. It lets a judge hand down a sentence without a formal conviction. The person must complete all sentence terms. Once done, the Towns County record can be restricted from public view. First-time offenders who finish their probation without trouble can use this path. It is used fairly often in rural counties like Towns.

For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, the District Attorney handles the restriction petition. Older arrests may need you to contact the arresting agency first. The clerk's office in Hiawassee can tell you which path to follow.

State Search Tools for Towns County

Georgia has statewide search tools that cover all 159 counties. Towns County records are in the system. The Georgia Felon Search checks the GCIC database for felony convictions. It costs $15 per search. 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 will not show. A Towns County felony conviction would be in this system once the data reaches the state database.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people who are in state prison right now. Someone convicted in Towns County and sent to a GDC facility would appear here. People in the county detention center or those who already served their time will not. It is a narrow tool, but it helps when you know someone is in state prison.

The GBI FAQ page on criminal history is a good starting point for any search. It explains what records are available, how to request them, and how the GCIC database works. This applies to all counties in the state, including Towns.

How to Search Towns County Criminal History

Several paths exist for finding criminal history in Towns County. The best choice depends on what record you need and how soon you need it.

• Call the Towns County Sheriff at (706) 896-4444 for jail bookings and arrest info
• Visit the Superior Court Clerk at 48 River Street in Hiawassee for case files
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony conviction data
• Search the GDC offender database for people in state prison
• File an open records request with the sheriff for specific arrest reports

Each source covers a different part of the system. The clerk has court case outcomes. The sheriff holds arrest and jail data. State tools add felony convictions and corrections records. You may need to check more than one source to get the full picture. Between the two local offices and the state databases, you can get a good look at what is on file for Towns County criminal history.

GCIC and Towns County Records

The Georgia Crime Information Center is the main database for criminal history in the state. All 159 counties, including Towns, report records to the GCIC. Arrests, bookings, and court outcomes from Towns County eventually make it into this central system. The Felon Search tool pulls from the GCIC database when you run a statewide check.

You can get your own GCIC record through the fingerprint process at the sheriff's office in Hiawassee. The state fee goes to the GBI. Results come back by mail in a few weeks. Your GCIC record shows arrests and convictions from all over Georgia, not just Towns County. It is the most thorough personal check available through the state system.

Nearby Counties With Criminal Records

Towns County is in the far northeast corner of Georgia and only borders a few other counties. If a record is not in Towns County, check the neighbors. Cases near the county line can sometimes end up in a different jurisdiction.

Union County borders Towns to the west and shares the Enotah Judicial Circuit. Rabun County is to the east and stretches along the state line with the Carolinas. Habersham County sits to the south. Each county has its own court clerk and sheriff. Towns County's mountain location means that North Carolina is also just across the state border, so records related to incidents near that line may be in a different state entirely.