Lee County Criminal Court Records

Lee County criminal court records are held at the Clerk of Superior Court office in Leesburg. This southwest Georgia county is part of the Southwestern Judicial Circuit and sits just east of Albany. You can search for criminal case files at the courthouse on Leslie Highway or use statewide online tools to find case data from home. The Lee County clerk staff handles all felony and misdemeanor case filings that move through the Superior Court and State Court systems. Walk-in visits are welcome during business hours, and most basic record requests can be filled the same day. The clerk can pull case files, look up court dates, and give you copies of criminal records tied to Lee County cases.

Lee County Clerk of Superior Court

The Clerk of Superior Court in Lee County manages all criminal court records that pass through the county court system. The office is at 100 Leslie Highway in Leesburg. Call (229) 759-6015 to ask about a case or check on a filing. This is the one place in Lee County where you can get copies of criminal case files, look up court dates, and file documents tied to a criminal matter. Staff are on site during normal hours. Most requests can be handled the same day you call or visit. The Lee County courthouse also houses the Magistrate Court, which deals with bond hearings and preliminary matters in criminal cases.

The GSCCCA clerk page for Lee County lists contact info and links to the clerk office that handles criminal court records in this area.

From the GSCCCA site, you can find the Lee County clerk details and links to statewide filing indexes that cover this county.

Note: Bring a valid photo ID when you visit the Lee County clerk office in person for criminal records.

Searching Lee County Criminal Records

You can search for criminal court records in Lee County a few different ways. The most direct path is to go to the clerk office in Leesburg. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and make copies for you. Copy fees in Georgia are $0.10 per page for standard copies under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. The first 15 minutes of staff 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 simple lookups in Lee County take less than 15 minutes, so there is usually no extra charge for the search itself.

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 applies to Lee County and every other county in the state. You can also mail a written request to the clerk office at the Leslie Highway address if you cannot visit in person.

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

• Full name of the person you are looking for
• Date of birth or age if known
• Case number if you have one
• Type of case, such as felony or misdemeanor

Criminal Cases in Lee County

Lee County Superior Court takes felony cases. These include drug charges, theft over certain amounts, violent crimes, and other serious offenses. The State Court handles misdemeanor cases like simple assault, minor drug charges, and criminal traffic offenses. Both courts share the courthouse in Leesburg. Magistrate Court deals with bond settings and preliminary hearings. Each of these courts creates records that the Lee County Clerk of Superior Court keeps on file. The Southwestern Judicial Circuit covers Lee County along with several neighboring counties, and judges travel between courthouses to hear cases.

Criminal cases in Lee County follow the same path as other Georgia counties. An arrest takes place. Charges get filed. The case moves through the court system. Each step creates records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, some records are exempt from public view while a criminal case is still under active investigation. Once the case wraps up, most records become public. Basic docket info and court dates are usually available even during an open case in Lee County.

Lee County Records Online Access

Lee County does not run its own online court records portal. For online access to criminal records from this county, you can use statewide tools. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all 159 Georgia counties. While GSCCCA focuses mainly on real estate and lien filings, it can point you to the right clerk for criminal case data in Lee County. A regular GSCCCA account runs $14.95 a month. Premium access costs $29.95 per month.

The E-Access to Court Records portal is another statewide tool for looking up criminal court records. It connects you to case data from courts across Georgia. You will need an account to search. For Lee County criminal records specifically, this can be a good way to check case status from home without driving to Leesburg.

For your own criminal history, visit the Lee 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 Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 can also help with questions about your record, including cases from Lee County. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records can be restricted from public view. This applies to arrests that did not lead to a conviction and certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait. Lee County residents can start the restriction process through the District Attorney's office for arrests on or after July 1, 2013.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit no longer accepts record requests by email as of December 2023.

Criminal Record Restriction in Lee County

Record restriction is the process Georgia uses to limit public access to certain criminal history records. It used to be called expungement. The records still exist, but they are hidden from public searches. Law enforcement and judges can still see them. In Lee County, the process works the same as the rest of the state. You contact the District Attorney for arrests after July 1, 2013. For older arrests, you go through the arresting agency. Agencies can charge up to $50 to handle the request, and the whole process takes anywhere from two weeks to 90 days depending on the case.

Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in their lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are not eligible for restriction. Time-expired restrictions can happen on their own. If the Georgia Crime Information Center does not get a final case 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 automatically. To check if your Lee County criminal record qualifies, call the GBI at (404) 244-2639 option 3 for more details on the process.

Cities in Lee County

All criminal cases from cities and towns in Lee County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Leesburg. The courthouse on Leslie Highway is the main location for felony and misdemeanor filings from across the county.

Cities and towns in Lee County include Leesburg, Smithville, and Redbone. Criminal cases from all of these areas are processed through the Lee County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lee 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.