Find Rabun County Criminal Records

Rabun County criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse on Courthouse Square in Clayton. This northeast Georgia mountain county processes felony and misdemeanor cases through its local court system. You can search for criminal records in Rabun County by calling clerk Holly E. Henry-Perry's office, visiting in person, or using Georgia's statewide online tools. The clerk staff can pull case files, look up court dates, and provide copies of criminal court records during business hours. Clayton is the county seat, and all criminal filings from across Rabun County come through this courthouse.

Rabun County Criminal Court Clerk

Holly E. Henry-Perry serves as the Clerk of Superior Court in Rabun County. Her office handles all criminal court records that come through the county system. The clerk office is at 25 Courthouse Square, Suite 105, in Clayton. Call (706) 960-9709 to check on a case, ask about a filing, or find court date info. The fax number is (706) 782-1391. Rabun County is part of the Mountain Judicial Circuit, which means some judges and court resources are shared with neighboring mountain counties. But all criminal records filed in Rabun County stay with the clerk office in Clayton.

The E-Access to Court Records portal is one of the statewide tools you can use to search criminal records from Rabun County and other Georgia counties online.

Through E-Access, you can check case status, look up court dates, and view basic case data from participating Georgia courts. You need an account to search.

Searching Rabun County Criminal Records

Getting criminal court records from Rabun County starts with the clerk office in Clayton. Call (706) 960-9709 to ask about a case. The staff can search by name or case number and pull the documents you need. If you want copies, the fee is $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. Since Rabun County has a smaller case load, most lookups take less than 15 minutes. You can also visit the courthouse on Courthouse Square during business hours, send a fax to (706) 782-1391, or mail a written request to the Clayton address.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask for them. You do not need to give a reason. The Rabun County clerk has three business days to respond. This same rule applies across all 159 Georgia counties. The Open Records Act lets you inspect and copy criminal case files, court orders, docket sheets, and other documents in the court record. Records under active investigation or sealed by a judge may not be available right away.

Note: Clayton in Rabun County is a small mountain town, not to be confused with Clayton County in metro Atlanta. Make sure you contact the right clerk office.

Criminal Cases in Rabun County

Rabun County Superior Court handles felony cases. Drug charges, violent crimes, burglary, and other serious offenses all go through Superior Court. The State Court takes misdemeanor cases like DUI, simple assault, minor theft, and lower-level drug charges. Magistrate Court holds bond hearings and preliminary hearings for criminal matters. All of these courts create records that the Rabun County Clerk keeps on file in Clayton. The Mountain Judicial Circuit serves this county, and the circuit judges rotate through on a regular schedule.

Each criminal case in Rabun County starts with an arrest. Charges get filed. The case moves through hearings, motions, and either a plea deal or a trial. Every step creates documents that become part of the court file. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, some records stay closed during an active investigation. Once the case concludes, most records open for public review. Basic court dates and docket info are usually accessible even for pending cases in Rabun County. The mountain location can affect how often court is in session, since judges in the Mountain Circuit serve multiple counties.

The case file includes the arrest report, charging documents, motions, court orders, and the final disposition. For cases that went to trial, jury information and the verdict are also part of the file. The Rabun County clerk staff in Clayton can walk you through what a specific file contains when you call or visit.

Rabun County Records Online

Rabun County does not run its own online court records portal. For online access to criminal records, use statewide tools. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all 159 counties. While GSCCCA focuses on real estate and lien data, it can help you find the right clerk for criminal records in Rabun County. A regular account costs $14.95 a month and premium access is $29.95 per month. The GSCCCA page for Rabun County lists clerk details directly.

For your own criminal history, visit the Rabun County Sheriff's Office and request a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History page explains how the statewide process works. Call the GBI at (404) 244-2639 option 3 for questions. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, certain criminal records can be restricted from public view. Arrests with no conviction and some misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait may qualify. Rabun County residents start the process through the District Attorney's office for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. The fee can be up to $50. Georgia allows two misdemeanor conviction restrictions per person. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are never eligible for restriction.

The GBI Open Records Unit no longer accepts email requests as of December 2023. Use the portal at gbigeorgia.govqa.us or mail your request to P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, GA 30034. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, attorneys can request criminal history data from the Georgia Crime Information Center by submitting a written request with case details and subject info.

Cities in Rabun County

All criminal cases from Rabun County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Clayton. The courthouse on Courthouse Square handles all felony and misdemeanor filings for the county.

Cities and towns in Rabun County include Clayton, Dillard, Mountain City, Sky Valley, and Tiger. Criminal cases from all of these areas are processed through the Rabun County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Rabun County in the northeast Georgia mountains. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the arrest happened. Check the address of the alleged crime to find the right county.