Oconee County Criminal Records

Oconee County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Watkinsville. This county sits just south of Athens in northeast Georgia and handles felony and misdemeanor cases through its court system. You can search for criminal records by visiting the clerk office on North Main Street or by using statewide online tools. Oconee County is part of the Western Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Clarke County. Staff at the clerk office can pull criminal case files, check court dates, and provide copies during regular business hours. Walk-ins are welcome. Most basic requests get taken care of quickly since the office serves a smaller population than some neighboring counties.

Oconee County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Superior Court in Oconee County is the official records keeper for all criminal court cases filed in the county. The office sits at 23 N. Main Street in Watkinsville. Call (706) 769-3940 to ask about a criminal case, check on a filing, or find out about upcoming court dates. Staff at the Oconee County clerk office can search for cases by name or number, pull files, and make copies. The office is open during normal business hours and takes walk-in requests. Because Oconee County shares a judicial circuit with Clarke County, some court staff and judges rotate between the two. But the clerk office in Watkinsville is the only place to get Oconee County criminal court records.

The GSCCCA page for Oconee County lists clerk contact details and connects to the statewide filing records that include Oconee County criminal court data.

From this page you can get the Oconee County clerk address and phone number. It also links to the statewide index of filings run by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, covering all 159 counties.

Note: Bring a valid photo ID when you visit the Oconee County clerk office in person.

How to Search Oconee County Criminal Records

The fastest way to search for criminal court records in Oconee County is to go to the clerk office in Watkinsville. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and make copies. Copy fees are $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first 15 minutes of staff search time are free. After that point, the clerk office can charge based on the hourly rate of the lowest paid staff member who is qualified to handle the request. Most criminal record lookups in Oconee County are done in well under 15 minutes.

Criminal court records in Georgia are public under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. You can ask to see them without giving a reason. The clerk has three business days to respond. Mail requests are also an option. Send your request to 23 N. Main Street, Watkinsville, GA 30677. Include the name, any case numbers, and payment for copies. Give it a few extra days for mail to arrive and for the clerk to mail your copies back.

Having these details ready will speed up your search at the Oconee County clerk office:

• 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 Cases in Oconee County

Oconee County Superior Court handles all felony cases. Drug trafficking, violent crimes, theft above certain amounts, and other serious charges go through this court. Misdemeanor cases are heard in State Court. Simple assault, minor drug charges, DUI, and criminal traffic matters are common State Court cases in Oconee County. Magistrate Court deals with preliminary hearings and bond settings. All three courts create records that the Oconee County Clerk of Superior Court stores and manages.

Criminal cases in Oconee County follow the same process as the rest of Georgia. Someone gets arrested. The state files charges. The case goes through hearings and possible trial. Each step produces records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from active criminal investigations are exempt from public view. Once the investigation concludes, most records open up. Even for pending cases, basic docket info and court dates are usually accessible at the Oconee County clerk office. The District Attorney handles felony prosecutions in the Western Circuit, while the Solicitor General takes misdemeanors.

Note: Cases from the Athens-Clarke County area go through a different clerk office, even though both counties share the same judicial circuit.

Oconee County Criminal Records Online

Oconee County does not operate its own online court records search tool. Statewide tools are the way to search online. 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 help you find the right clerk for criminal records in Oconee County. A regular account costs $14.95 per month. Premium access is $29.95.

The E-Access to Court Records portal is another statewide option. It links to case data from courts across Georgia. You need an account to search. For Oconee County criminal records, this saves you a trip to Watkinsville. The system shows basic case info, court dates, and party names. The Georgia Supreme Court Docket Search covers appeals, so if an Oconee County case went to a higher court, that is where to look.

To get your own criminal history, go to the Oconee County Sheriff's Office and request a Purpose Code U report. That is the standard way to get your Georgia criminal record for personal use. The GBI Criminal History Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 can help with questions about your statewide record. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records can be restricted from public view. This includes arrests that did not result in conviction and certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait.

Record Restriction in Oconee County

Georgia uses record restriction to limit who can see certain criminal history records. This process used to be called expungement. The record is not deleted. It is hidden from public searches. Law enforcement and judges keep access. In Oconee County, the process follows state rules. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, start with the District Attorney in the Western Circuit. For older arrests, contact the arresting agency. Agencies may charge up to $50 to process a restriction request, and the timeline ranges from two weeks to 90 days.

Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in their lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are not eligible. Time-expired restrictions can occur on their own 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. To check if your Oconee County criminal record qualifies for restriction, call the GBI at (404) 244-2639 option 3.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit no longer takes requests by email, so submit through their portal or by mail.

Cities in Oconee County

All criminal cases from cities and towns in Oconee County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Watkinsville. The courthouse on North Main Street handles felony and misdemeanor filings from the entire county.

Cities and towns in Oconee County include Watkinsville, Bogart, Bishop, and North High Shoals. Criminal cases from all of these areas are handled through the Oconee County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Oconee 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.