Search Heard County Criminal Records

Heard County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Franklin. This small west Georgia county borders Alabama and processes felony and misdemeanor criminal cases through its local court system. The clerk office on East Court Square is where all criminal case files are stored. You can search for criminal records by calling the clerk, visiting in person, or using statewide search tools that index Georgia court data. Tammie Teal serves as the Heard County Clerk and her staff can pull case files, verify court dates, and make copies of criminal court documents during regular business hours.

Heard County Court Clerk Office

Tammie Teal is the Clerk of Superior Court in Heard County. Her office handles all criminal court records that come through the county court system. The clerk office is at 215 East Court Sq. in Franklin. Call (706) 675-3301 to ask about a case or check on a filing. The fax number is (706) 675-6138. Staff can search by name or case number and give you copies while you wait. This is the only office in Heard County where you can get criminal case files, look up court dates, or file documents tied to a criminal matter.

Heard County is part of the Coweta Judicial Circuit. This circuit covers several counties in west-central Georgia. The DA for the Coweta circuit handles felony prosecutions from Heard County and the other counties in the circuit. Each county clerk keeps its own set of criminal court files.

The GSCCCA page for Heard County lists the clerk contact info and links to filing data for the county.

The GSCCCA site confirms the clerk address and provides links to the county filing system for Heard County criminal records.

Note: Call ahead before visiting to make sure the staff you need is available at the Heard County clerk office.

How to Search Heard County Criminal Records

The simplest way to get criminal court records from Heard County is to call the clerk at (706) 675-3301. Staff can search by name or case number and tell you what is on file. You can also visit the courthouse in Franklin during business hours to search in person. If you need copies, the standard fee in Georgia is $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first 15 minutes of staff search time are free. After that, the county can charge based on the hourly wage of the employee doing the work.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public records. Anyone can ask to see them without giving a reason. The Heard County clerk must respond within three business days. You can submit your request in person, by phone, by fax at (706) 675-6138, or by mail to the East Court Square address in Franklin.

For online searches, the E-Access to Court Records portal connects to courts across Georgia. You need an account. This tool can save you a trip to Franklin if you just need to check a case status in Heard County.

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

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

Criminal Cases in Heard County

Heard County Superior Court handles felony cases. Drug charges, violent crimes, armed robbery, and other serious offenses all go through this court in Franklin. Misdemeanor cases like DUI, simple assault, and minor drug charges are handled by State Court or Magistrate Court. Magistrate Court also deals with preliminary hearings and sets bonds for criminal defendants in Heard County. Every one of these courts creates records that the clerk keeps on file.

Each step in a criminal case generates documents that go into the Heard County court file. The arrest creates a booking record. Charges get filed. Hearings produce orders. A trial results in a verdict and sentencing records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from active criminal investigations may stay off limits until the case wraps up. Once a case is closed, most of the file opens up to public access. Basic docket info is usually available even for pending cases in Heard County.

Note: Active investigation files in Heard County may have limited public access until the case is resolved.

Heard County Record Restriction

Georgia allows some criminal records to be restricted from public view. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, this covers arrests that did not lead to a conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions after four years, and cases placed on a dead docket for more than 12 months. Heard County residents can start the process by contacting the District Attorney for the Coweta Judicial Circuit for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. For arrests before that date, reach out to the arresting law enforcement agency. Agencies can charge up to $50 for the request.

Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in their lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses cannot be restricted. Time-expired restrictions can happen automatically if GCIC does not get a final disposition within the right time frame. That is two years for misdemeanors, four years for felonies, and seven years for serious violent felonies. The GBI helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 can answer questions about restriction for Heard County cases.

Heard County Records Online

Heard County does not have its own online court records portal. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all 159 Georgia counties. GSCCCA mainly covers real estate and lien records, but it can point you to the right clerk for criminal case data in Heard County. A regular GSCCCA account is $14.95 per month, and premium access costs $29.95 per month.

For your own criminal history, visit the Heard County Sheriff's Office and ask for a Purpose Code U report. This is the standard way to get your Georgia criminal history for personal use. The GBI Criminal History page has more details. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, attorneys can request criminal history records from the Georgia Crime Information Center for trial preparation. Defense lawyers in the Coweta circuit use this often. The fee is waived for defendants who cannot pay. The GSCCCA runs a Filing Activity Notification System that is free and lets you track filings tied to your name across all Georgia counties.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit no longer takes email requests, so use their online portal or mail your request.

Cities in Heard County

All criminal cases from cities and towns in Heard County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Franklin. The courthouse on East Court Square handles all felony and misdemeanor filings from across the county.

Cities and towns in Heard County include Franklin, Centralhatchee, and Ephesus. Criminal cases from these areas are processed through the Heard County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Heard 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.