Find Clarke County Recent Arrest Records

Recent arrests in Clarke County are managed by the Clarke County Sheriff's Office in Athens. This county operates under a consolidated government with the city of Athens, so one sheriff's office serves the full area. Around 130,000 people live here, and the county sees a steady flow of arrests each year. Sheriff John Williams leads the office. You can look up recent arrest records through state search tools, court databases, and by calling the sheriff directly. This guide explains the main options for finding booking and arrest data in Clarke County.

Clarke County Sheriff's Office Recent Arrests

Sheriff John Williams runs the Clarke County Sheriff's Office. The office sits at 325 E Washington Street, Suite 100, Athens, GA 30601. This is the central place for all arrest records in the county. Staff here handle bookings, jail operations, and records requests. The phone number is 706-613-3250. Since Athens and Clarke County share a consolidated government, this one office covers everything. There is no separate city police jail for Athens. All arrests in the area go through the Clarke County system.

The sheriff's office processes thousands of bookings each year. Most come from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, but other agencies in the area may also bring in people for booking at the county jail. The office can help you search for a person in custody, check on a recent arrest, or get copies of booking files. Walk-in requests are accepted during business hours. Calling ahead saves time if you need a specific record pulled from the system in Clarke County.

How to Look Up Clarke County Recent Arrests

Start with the sheriff's office. Call 706-613-3250 and give them the person's name and date of birth. Staff will check the jail system and tell you if someone is in custody, what the charges are, and the booking date. This is the fastest way to get info on a recent arrest in Clarke County. For a written copy of the record, ask about their open records request process. You may need to fill out a short form and pay a small copy fee.

State-level tools also pull arrest data from Clarke County. The Georgia Crime Information Center keeps criminal history files from every county. A formal check through GCIC can show arrest records from Clarke County and the rest of the state. There is a fee for a full background check, and it is often used for legal or professional needs. For quick searches, the Georgia Felon Search tool is free and covers all felony convictions in the state.

The GCIC FAQ page has details on how to submit a request for criminal history records tied to Clarke County arrests.

This page walks through the steps for getting a background check that may include arrest records from Clarke County.

Note: Formal background checks through GCIC take longer than a phone call to the sheriff's office but cover more ground.

What Clarke County Recent Arrest Records Include

An arrest record from Clarke County holds the core facts of the booking. The file has the person's name, date of birth, and physical traits like height and weight. The booking date and time are logged. Each arrest gets a booking number. Charges at the time of the arrest are listed. The record shows which agency made the arrest, whether that was the Athens-Clarke County Police, the sheriff's office, or another law enforcement body.

Under O.C.G.A. § 17-4-27, arrest records in Georgia are public. Anyone can request them. You do not have to be involved in the case or give a reason for asking. The Clarke County Sheriff's Office must turn over these files when someone makes a proper request. Bond amounts, court dates, and release data are also in the file when they apply. The record grows as the case moves through the system, so checking back later may show more info than the first booking entry.

A Clarke County arrest record will typically list:

• Full name, date of birth, and physical description
• Booking date, time, and booking number
• Charges filed at the time of arrest
• Arresting agency
• Bond amount, court date, and release info if set

Georgia Law and Clarke County Arrests Recent Arrests

Georgia's open records act covers arrest data in Clarke County. Most booking details are public from the time of arrest. The law says agencies must hand over these records when asked. You do not need to be a lawyer or show a reason. The system is set up so that anyone can check on a recent arrest in Clarke County.

There are some limits. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists the types of info that can be kept out of public view. Active investigation details, some witness info, and certain personal data fall under these rules. The Clarke County Sheriff's Office applies these exceptions when they come up. For most recent arrests, the basic booking data is fully open to the public.

Booking photos are handled with extra rules. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 limits how mugshots get shared and used. The law targets websites that post arrest photos and then charge people to take them down. The Clarke County Sheriff's Office can still release booking photos through a records request, but the rules control how those images are used after they are given out. If you need a booking photo from a Clarke County arrest, contact the sheriff's office at 706-613-3250.

People whose charges were dropped or cases dismissed in Clarke County may ask for record restriction. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows this. A restricted record stops showing up in public searches, but law enforcement can still see it. The request goes through the arresting agency or the court that handled the case in Clarke County.

Court Records for Clarke County Arrests

After an arrest in Clarke County leads to charges, a court case file opens. Court records add detail to the booking data. They show what happened after the person was brought in. Two state tools let you search court records tied to Clarke County arrests without leaving home.

Georgia E-Access covers court records from Superior Court, State Court, and Magistrate Court in Clarke County. Search by name or case number. The system shows case type, filing dates, hearings, and outcomes. re:SearchGA is another tool that covers Georgia courts. You can filter by Clarke County and search for specific dates or parties. Both are useful when a recent arrest has moved into the court phase.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers people serving time in state prisons. If a Clarke County arrest ended with a felony conviction and a state sentence, this tool will show the person's current status. It is free to use. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association site has contact info for every sheriff in the state. Use it if you need to check with a nearby county about a related arrest or case transfer.

Note: Court records from Clarke County may take a few business days to show up in the state systems after the arrest happens.

Cities in Clarke County

Clarke County operates under a consolidated government with Athens. This means Athens and the county function as one unit. All arrests in the area go through the Clarke County Sheriff's Office. There is no separate city jail. The entire county is treated as one jurisdiction for law enforcement and booking purposes.

Small communities like Winterville and Bogart are partly in Clarke County. Arrests there may go through Clarke County or an adjacent county depending on the exact location.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clarke County. If you are trying to track down an arrest record and are not sure which county handled the booking, check the arresting agency on the file. Each county runs its own jail and arrest record system.