Bibb County Criminal Court Records

Bibb County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Superior Court in Macon, Georgia. This is a consolidated city-county government, so Macon-Bibb County handles all criminal filings through one system. The Macon Judicial Circuit serves the area. You can search for criminal case records online through the statewide tools or visit the courthouse in person. Felony and misdemeanor cases both go through the Bibb County court system. Whether you need a case number, court date, or a copy of a criminal record, the clerk office in Macon is where you start. Staff can pull files and help you find what you need.

Bibb County Criminal Court Clerk Office

The Clerk of Superior Court in Bibb County is Erica L. Woodford, Esq. She runs the office that keeps all criminal court records for the Macon-Bibb consolidated government. The chief deputy is Stephanie Woods Miller, Esq. Criminal filings are handled by Indria Belgrave on the clerk staff. You can call the main office at (478) 746-8400 to ask about a criminal case or check on a court date. The office also takes walk-in requests during business hours on weekdays. Bring a valid ID if you plan to visit in person and ask for copies of criminal court records in Bibb County.

For criminal records in Bibb County, the clerk staff can search by name or case number. They can tell you the status of a case, pull filed documents, and give you copies. The fee for copies is $0.10 per page under Georgia law. The first 15 minutes of search time are free when you make an open records request. If the search takes longer than that, the clerk may charge a fee based on the hourly rate of the employee who does the work. This is set by O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, the Georgia Open Records Act.

Note: Bibb County merged with the City of Macon in 2014, so all government services run through the consolidated Macon-Bibb County system.

Searching Bibb County Criminal Records

There are a few ways to look up criminal court records in Bibb County. The fastest method is to use one of the statewide online tools. The GSCCCA page for Bibb County gives you info on the clerk office and links to county records through the cooperative authority system.

The GSCCCA site indexes filings from all 159 Georgia counties. You can use it to find real estate records, liens, and other filed documents. While it does not have a full criminal case search, it can point you to the right clerk office and give you contact info for Bibb County. A regular account costs $14.95 per month. Premium access runs $29.95 per month.

The statewide E-Access to Court Records portal is another way to search for criminal cases in Bibb County. This tool connects you to case data from courts across the state. You need an account to use the search. Once you are set up, you can look up cases by name, case number, or other details. Criminal court records from the Macon Judicial Circuit show up in this system.

If you want to search in person, go to the courthouse in Macon. The clerk staff can pull criminal case files while you wait. You will need the full name of the person you are looking for, and a date of birth helps speed things up. Case numbers make the search even faster if you have one.

Criminal Cases in Bibb County Courts

The Bibb County Superior Court handles felony cases. These include drug charges, violent crimes, theft over certain dollar amounts, and other serious offenses. Felony cases are filed in the Macon Judicial Circuit. The State Court in Bibb County takes misdemeanor cases. Traffic violations that go to court also land in the State Court system. Magistrate Court handles bond hearings and preliminary hearings for criminal cases. Each of these courts creates records that are stored by the Bibb County Clerk.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records in Georgia can be restricted from public view. This used to be called expungement. It applies to arrests that did not lead to a conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait, and cases placed on a dead docket for more than 12 months. The lifetime limit is two record restrictions for misdemeanor convictions. Bibb County residents who want to start this process should contact the District Attorney's office for arrests that happened on or after July 1, 2013. For arrests before that date, contact the arresting law enforcement agency.

Note: Agencies in Georgia may charge up to $50 to process a criminal record restriction request.

Bibb County Criminal History Checks

For your own criminal history in Bibb County, visit the local sheriff's office or police department. Ask for a "Purpose Code U" report. This is the standard way to get your Georgia criminal history for personal use. The report shows arrest data, charges, court dispositions, and any time served in state correctional facilities. Your name, date of birth, and fingerprints are used to pull the record from the Georgia Crime Information Center database.

The GBI Criminal History page explains the full process for getting your criminal record statewide, including cases that started in Bibb County.

From the GBI site, you can learn about record inspections, fingerprint services, and how to correct errors on your criminal history. The GCIC lobby is open by appointment only for record inspections. Call (404) 244-2639 option 1 to set up a time. The GBI Criminal History Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 can answer questions about your record statewide. As of December 2023, the GBI Open Records Unit no longer accepts requests by email. Use their online portal or mail your request to the GBI in Decatur.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, agencies must respond to open records requests within three business days. The first quarter hour of search and retrieval time is free. Copy fees are $0.10 per page for standard copies. These rules apply to the Bibb County Clerk and all other public offices in Georgia.

Bibb County Court Records Resources

Attorneys working on criminal cases in Bibb County can request records through the GCIC. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, defense counsel can get criminal history data by sending a written request with the case style, case number, and identifying info for the subject. Fees apply for this service but are waived for indigent defendants. Lawyers in the Macon Judicial Circuit use this path to prep for trial and check on prior convictions that may come up during proceedings.

The Bibb County Clerk office also handles several other services beyond criminal filings. Court ordered payments go through Rhona Roell-Taylor. Brenda Able serves as the court management clerk. Real estate processing is handled by Keshia Cummings. These staff members work in the same office, so when you call (478) 746-8400, the receptionist can route you to the right person for your request.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority also runs a free service called FANS (Filing Activity Notification System). You can sign up to monitor filings that relate to you or your property. It covers all 159 Georgia counties, including Bibb County.

For trafficking victims, the Survivors First Act under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-21 provides free record restriction for people convicted as a direct result of being trafficked. There is no fee for this type of request. Contact the GBI or a local attorney for help with this process in Bibb County.

Getting Criminal Records in Bibb County

When you search for criminal court records in Bibb County, you will need some basic info to get results. The more details you have, the faster the search goes. The clerk staff in Macon can help you narrow down results if you are not sure of the exact case number.

To search for criminal records in Bibb County, you will need:

• Full name of the person you are looking for
• Date of birth or approximate age
• Case number if you have it
• Type of case (felony or misdemeanor)
• Date range if you are not sure of the exact filing date

Walk-in requests at the Bibb County courthouse in Macon are the most direct way to get records. Call ahead at (478) 746-8400 to check hours and make sure the office is open before you go. Online tools like the E-Access portal let you search from home at any time. You will need to create an account first, but the setup is quick. Criminal court records in Bibb County are public under the Georgia Open Records Act, so anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to give a reason for your request.

Cities in Bibb County

Bibb County operates under a consolidated government with the City of Macon. All criminal cases filed in the area go through the Bibb County Superior Court or State Court system. The courthouse in Macon handles all felony and misdemeanor filings for the consolidated jurisdiction.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Bibb County. If you are not sure which county handles a criminal case, check the address where the arrest took place. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the alleged crime occurred.