Madison County Criminal Court Records

Madison County criminal court records are stored at the Clerk of Superior Court office in Danielsville. This northeast Georgia county is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit and sits between Athens and the South Carolina border. You can search for criminal case files by visiting the courthouse on Albany Avenue or using statewide online tools to check case data from home. The Madison County clerk staff handles all felony and misdemeanor filings that move through the Superior Court and State Court. Staff at the office pull case files, look up court dates, and give copies of criminal records during normal business hours. Walk-ins are welcome, and the clerk can usually fill a basic request the same day.

Madison County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Superior Court in Madison County handles all criminal court records. The office is at 91 Albany Avenue in Danielsville. Call (706) 795-3351 to check on a case or ask about a filing. This is where you go to get copies of criminal case files, look up court dates, and file documents tied to a criminal matter in Madison County. Staff can search records by name or case number and make copies on the spot. The Northern Judicial Circuit covers Madison County along with Elbert, Franklin, Hart, and Oglethorpe counties. Three Superior Court judges travel between these courthouses to hear cases.

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

Use the GSCCCA site to find Madison County clerk details and links to statewide filing indexes that cover this county.

Note: Court sessions in Madison County may be on set days since judges rotate between five counties in the Northern Judicial Circuit.

Searching Madison County Criminal Records

You can search for criminal court records in Madison County by visiting the clerk office in Danielsville. Staff there can look up cases by name or case number and make copies. Copy fees in Georgia are $0.10 per page for standard copies. The first 15 minutes of search time are free under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. After that, the clerk can charge based on the hourly rate of the lowest paid qualified employee. Most simple lookups in Madison County are done in a few minutes.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask to see them without giving a reason. The agency must respond within three business days. This applies to Madison County and every other county in the state. You can also mail a written request to the clerk at 91 Albany Avenue, Danielsville, GA 30633. Include the person's name, any dates you know, and what kind of records you need.

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

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

Criminal Cases in Madison County

Madison County Superior Court takes felony cases. Drug charges, violent crimes, property crimes over certain dollar amounts, and other serious offenses go through this court. The State Court handles misdemeanor cases like simple assault, DUI, minor drug charges, and criminal traffic violations. Magistrate Court deals with bond hearings and preliminary matters in criminal cases. All three courts operate out of the Danielsville courthouse, and each generates records that the Madison County Clerk of Superior Court keeps on file.

Madison County's location between Athens and the mountains means it gets a mix of cases that reflect both rural life and the spillover from the nearby college town. Criminal offenses that happen in Madison County go through the local court system regardless of where the person lives. Each step of a case creates records. Arrests, charges, hearings, plea deals, and sentences all end up in the case file at the clerk office. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, some records from active criminal investigations can be held from public view. Once a case is closed, most of the file becomes open to anyone who asks for it.

Madison County Records Online

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

The E-Access to Court Records portal connects you to case data from participating courts across Georgia. You need an account to search. This works for Madison County criminal records and can save you a trip to Danielsville if you just need basic case info. For your own criminal history, visit the Madison County Sheriff's Office and ask for a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 can answer questions about your Georgia record, including cases from Madison County.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records in Georgia can be restricted from public view. This applies to arrests that did not lead to a conviction and certain misdemeanor convictions after four years. Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in their lifetime. Madison County residents can start the restriction process through the District Attorney for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. Agencies can charge up to $50, and the process takes two weeks to 90 days.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit stopped taking requests by email in December 2023, so use their online portal or mail instead.

Cities in Madison County

All criminal cases from cities and towns in Madison County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Danielsville. The courthouse on Albany Avenue is the main location for felony and misdemeanor filings from across the county.

Cities and towns in Madison County include Danielsville, Colbert, Carlton, Comer, Hull, and Ila. Criminal cases from all of these areas are processed through the Madison County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Madison 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.