Dawson County Criminal Records

Dawson County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse complex in Dawsonville. This fast-growing North Georgia county sits just north of the Atlanta metro area and handles a mix of felony and misdemeanor criminal cases each year. You can search for criminal case files by visiting the clerk office on Justice Way or by using statewide online tools. Dawson County is part of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit, and all criminal filings from across the county come through the courthouse in Dawsonville. The clerk staff can look up cases, check court dates, and provide copies of records during regular office hours.

Dawson County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court in Dawson County handles all criminal court records filed in the county. The office is at 25 Justice Way, Suite 1202, in Dawsonville. Call (706) 344-3510 to check on a case or ask about a criminal record filing. This is the only office in Dawson County where you can get copies of criminal case files, pull court dates, and file documents tied to a criminal matter. Staff are available during regular business hours and can help with most requests the same day you come in.

The GSCCCA page for Dawson County shows the clerk contact info and links to the county filing system through the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority.

From the GSCCCA site, you can confirm the clerk office address and phone number, plus find links to statewide search tools that cover Dawson County criminal records.

Searching Dawson County Criminal Records

You can search for criminal court records in Dawson County several ways. The most direct way is to visit the clerk office in Dawsonville. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and print copies for you. Copy fees in Georgia run $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the office can charge based on the hourly rate of the lowest paid employee who can do the work. Most basic Dawson County lookups take just a few minutes.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The agency must respond within three business days. This law covers Dawson County and all other counties in the state. You can also send a written request by mail to the clerk at the Justice Way address if you cannot make the trip to Dawsonville.

To search criminal records in Dawson County, you will need:

• Full name of the person you are searching for
• Date of birth or approximate age
• Case number if available
• Whether the case is a felony or misdemeanor

Criminal Case Types in Dawson County

Dawson County Superior Court handles all felony cases. These include drug trafficking, armed robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and other serious charges. The State Court takes misdemeanor cases like minor drug possession, simple battery, shoplifting, and DUI charges. Both courts operate out of the courthouse complex in Dawsonville. Magistrate Court handles preliminary hearings and sets bond for criminal defendants. Each of these courts generates records that the Dawson County Clerk of Superior Court keeps on file and makes available to the public.

Dawson County has grown a lot in recent years. More people means more cases moving through the court system. The county still uses one main courthouse for all criminal matters. If you are looking for a specific case, the clerk can tell you which court it was filed in and where to find the records. Basic docket info and court dates are usually available even for open cases. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from active investigations may be exempt from public view until the investigation wraps up, but most court records become fully public once a case is closed.

Note: Juvenile criminal cases in Dawson County follow different access rules and are generally not open to public view.

Dawson County Records Online

For online access to Dawson County criminal records, statewide tools are your best bet. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all 159 Georgia counties. While GSCCCA focuses mainly on real estate and lien records, it can point you to the right clerk for criminal case data. A regular GSCCCA account runs $14.95 per month. Premium access is $29.95 per month.

The E-Access to Court Records portal connects to case data from courts across Georgia. You need an account to search. For Dawson County criminal records, this is a good way to check case status from home. The system pulls data from participating courts and shows basic case info, court dates, and party names.

For your own criminal history, visit the Dawson County Sheriff's Office and ask for a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History page explains how to get your statewide record. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records can be restricted from public view. This covers arrests that did not lead to a conviction and certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait. Dawson County residents can start the restriction process through the District Attorney's office for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. Agencies may charge up to $50 to process the request, and the whole thing can take between two weeks and 90 days.

Criminal Record Restriction in Dawson County

Record restriction is Georgia's process for limiting public access to certain criminal history records. People used to call this expungement. The records do not get deleted. They just stop showing up in public searches. Law enforcement and judges can still see them. In Dawson County, you contact the District Attorney for arrests that happened after July 1, 2013. For older arrests, you go through the arresting agency. Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in a lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are not eligible at all.

Time-expired restrictions can happen automatically. If the Georgia Crime Information Center does not get a final disposition within two years for a misdemeanor, four years for a felony, or seven years for a serious violent felony, the record may be restricted on its own. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the GCIC can also share criminal history data with defense attorneys who submit a written request with case details. This is a tool Dawson County lawyers use when they prep for trial. The fee for this is waived for defendants who cannot pay. Call the GBI at (404) 244-2639 option 3 to check on your record status.

Cities in Dawson County

All criminal cases from cities and towns in Dawson County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Dawsonville. The courthouse on Justice Way is the main location for felony and misdemeanor filings from across the county.

Dawsonville is the primary city in Dawson County. Criminal cases from all areas of the county are processed through the Dawson County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Dawson 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.