Spalding County Criminal Records Search

Spalding County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Griffin. This mid-size county south of Atlanta is part of the Griffin Judicial Circuit and has a population over 43,000. Criminal cases from all parts of Spalding County get filed and stored at the courthouse on Solomon Street. You can search for criminal records by visiting the clerk office, calling by phone, or using statewide online tools. The clerk staff can pull case files, check court dates, and make copies of criminal records during business hours. Griffin is the county seat and the hub for all court activity in Spalding County.

Spalding County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court in Spalding County manages all criminal court records for the county. The clerk office is at 132 E. Solomon Street, Griffin, GA 30223. Call (770) 467-4340 for questions about a case or to check on a filing. Hours run Monday through Friday. The Spalding County Clerk handles a fair number of criminal cases each year, as the county has one of the larger populations in the Griffin Judicial Circuit. Staff can search by name or case number, pull files, and give you copies. Walk-ins are welcome at the courthouse in Griffin during business hours.

The GSCCCA page for Spalding County has the clerk details and links to the county filing system through the state cooperative authority.

Use this page to confirm the Spalding County clerk contact info and find links to the statewide filing indexes the GSCCCA maintains.

How to Search Spalding County Criminal Records

Call the clerk at (770) 467-4340 to start a search. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and tell you what documents are on file. If you need copies, the fee is $0.10 per page under Georgia law. The first 15 minutes of staff search time cost nothing under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. You can also walk into the courthouse at 132 E. Solomon Street in Griffin. Bring a valid photo ID. Written requests by mail or fax are another option if you cannot visit in person.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. You have the right to ask for them without explaining why. The Spalding County clerk must respond within three business days. This Open Records Act rule applies to every county in the state. Whether you go to the courthouse, call, fax, or write a letter, the clerk has the same duty to respond.

For online access, Spalding County residents can try the E-Access to Court Records portal. You will need to set up an account. The GSCCCA also indexes filings from all 159 Georgia counties. A regular GSCCCA account costs $14.95 per month, and premium runs $29.95. These tools let you search Spalding County criminal records from home without a trip to the courthouse. The Spalding County Clerk of Courts website may also have local links and contact details for the office.

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

• Full name of the person
• Date of birth or age if known
• Case number if you have it
• Type of case (felony or misdemeanor)

Criminal Cases in Spalding County

Spalding County Superior Court handles felony cases. Drug trafficking, armed robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and other serious crimes land in Superior Court. The State Court takes misdemeanors. DUI, simple battery, shoplifting, and minor drug charges go through State Court. Magistrate Court holds bond hearings and preliminary matters. All these courts produce criminal records that the Spalding County Clerk stores at the Griffin courthouse. The Griffin Judicial Circuit serves Spalding County along with other nearby counties, but each county maintains its own case files.

Every criminal case begins with an arrest. Charges get filed. Then hearings, motions, and either a plea deal or trial follow. Each step adds documents to the court record. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from active investigations may be held from public view. Once a case closes, the full file is open. Basic docket information and court dates tend to be available even during an active Spalding County case. The District Attorney for the Griffin Circuit prosecutes all felony cases, and all related records end up in the county where the case was filed.

Note: Spalding County's location south of metro Atlanta means the court handles a heavier criminal caseload than many counties of similar size.

Record Restriction in Spalding County

Georgia allows some criminal records to be restricted from public access under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. This covers arrests without a conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year waiting period, and cases on a dead docket for over 12 months. Spalding County residents file through the District Attorney's office for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. For older arrests, contact the arresting agency. The fee can be up to $50, and Georgia limits you to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions per lifetime.

Automatic time-expired restrictions can happen when the Georgia Crime Information Center does not receive a final disposition. Misdemeanors take two years. Felonies take four. Serious violent felonies need seven. These automatic restrictions only cover the state database. Federal checks and out-of-state searches may still show the record. For a full restriction of your Spalding County criminal record, use the formal petition process.

For your own criminal history in Spalding County, go to the local sheriff's office and ask for a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History page explains the statewide process. Call (404) 244-2639 option 3 for questions about your record. Attorneys can request criminal history from GCIC under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 with a written request that includes case details and subject information.

Spalding County Court Resources

Spalding County uses the Odyssey eFileGA system. Attorneys and parties to a case can file motions and documents online instead of going to the Griffin courthouse. This system creates a digital trail that gets added to the criminal court record. It runs 24 hours a day. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-11, the clerk may give the public access to view eFiled documents through the court website.

The GBI Open Records Unit handles state-level criminal history requests. Email requests are no longer accepted as of December 2023. Use the GBI online portal or send mail to P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, GA 30034. The FANS system from the GSCCCA sends free alerts when new filings hit any Georgia county, including Spalding. It is a handy way to track activity without calling the clerk every time.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit only takes requests through their portal or by mail now.

Cities in Spalding County

All criminal cases from Spalding County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Griffin. The courthouse on Solomon Street handles every felony and misdemeanor filing for the county.

Cities and towns in Spalding County include Griffin, Orchard Hill, and Sunny Side. Criminal cases from all areas of the county are processed through the Spalding County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Spalding County. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the arrest took place. Check the location of the alleged crime if you are not sure which county holds the record.