Walker County Criminal Records Search

Walker County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse on South Duke Street in LaFayette. This northwest Georgia county is part of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Catoosa, Chattooga, and Dade counties. You can search criminal records by visiting the clerk office in person or by using statewide online tools. The clerk staff handles walk-in requests for case files, court dates, and copies of criminal records during business hours. Walker County processes a steady flow of felony and misdemeanor cases through the courts in LaFayette each year. The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney prosecutes all felony cases for the county.

Walker County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court manages all criminal court records in Walker County. The office sits at 103 S. Duke Street in LaFayette. Call (706) 638-1742 to ask about a case, check on a court date, or find out how to get copies of criminal records. Staff at the clerk office search by name or case number. They can pull criminal case files and make copies for you. Walk-ins are welcome during business hours. Bring a valid ID. The courthouse is open Monday through Friday, and most simple requests get handled while you wait.

Walker County shares the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit with Catoosa, Chattooga, and Dade counties. The District Attorney for this circuit handles all felony prosecutions across those four counties. The DA's office works closely with the Walker County Clerk on criminal case matters.

The GSCCCA page for Walker County has clerk contact info and links to the statewide filing system.

From the GSCCCA, you can find the Walker County clerk address, phone number, and links to statewide search tools. A standard GSCCCA account is $14.95 per month, and premium access costs $29.95. The GSCCCA connects all 159 Georgia county clerk offices in one system.

Searching Walker County Criminal Records

The quickest way to get criminal court records in Walker County is to visit the courthouse in LaFayette. Tell the clerk staff what you need. They can search the system and make copies on the spot. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are open to the public. Anyone can request them. No reason needed. The Walker County Clerk must respond within three business days. Copy fees are $0.10 per page, and the first 15 minutes of search time are free under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71.

Mail requests work too. Send a letter to 103 S. Duke Street, LaFayette, GA 30728. Include the full name of the person, date of birth if known, and any case number. If you need certified copies for legal use, say so in the letter. Certified copies carry more weight in court proceedings and cost more than standard copies. The clerk will search, make copies, and mail them back with a bill for the fees.

For online searches, the E-Access to Court Records portal connects to case data from Georgia courts. You need to create an account. The GSCCCA indexes filings from all 159 counties and can point you to the Walker County Clerk for criminal case files. While GSCCCA focuses on property and lien records, it also serves as a directory for every clerk office in the state.

Note: Walker County sits near the Tennessee state line, so check that the arrest happened in Georgia before searching here.

Walker County Courts and Criminal Cases

Walker County Superior Court handles all felony cases. Drug charges, violent crimes, burglary, property crimes over certain amounts, and other serious offenses go through this court. The State Court takes misdemeanor cases like DUI, simple assault, minor drug possession, and criminal traffic violations. Magistrate Court in Walker County processes warrants, preliminary hearings, and bond settings. Each court creates records that the Walker County Clerk maintains on file at the courthouse in LaFayette.

Cases follow the standard Georgia path. Arrest. Charges filed. The case goes through hearings and possibly trial. Docket entries, motions, plea deals, and court orders all end up in the criminal case file. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from an active investigation may be held back from public view. Once the case wraps up, most records open to the public. Court dates and basic docket info are usually available even while a case is still moving through the Walker County court system.

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

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

Criminal Record Restriction in Walker County

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records in Georgia can be restricted from public view. Georgia calls this record restriction. The records do not disappear. They still exist. But the public can no longer search for them. Law enforcement and judges keep access. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction may qualify for restriction. Certain misdemeanor convictions can be restricted after four years if you have no other convictions during that period. Cases on a dead docket for more than 12 months are also eligible. Georgia caps misdemeanor conviction restrictions at two per lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sex offenses are not eligible.

For arrests in Walker County on or after July 1, 2013, start with the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney's office. For older arrests, contact the arresting law enforcement agency. Agencies can charge up to $50 for the process. It takes two weeks to 90 days. Time-expired restrictions may happen on their own when the Georgia Crime Information Center does not get a disposition within two years for misdemeanors, four years for felonies, or seven years for serious violent felonies.

Walker County Criminal Records Resources

For your own criminal history, go to the Walker 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 page has full details. Call the GBI Criminal History Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 for questions about your record statewide, including any cases from Walker County.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, defense attorneys can get criminal history data from the Georgia Crime Information Center by sending a written request with the case style, case number, and subject info. Fees apply but are waived for indigent defendants. Attorneys in the Lookout Mountain circuit use this for trial prep across all four counties. The FANS system is free and monitors new filings tied to your name across Georgia. eFiling through the Odyssey eFileGA system is available for attorneys and parties to criminal cases in Walker County.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit no longer takes email requests as of December 2023; use their online portal or mail to P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, GA 30037-0808.

Cities in Walker County

LaFayette is the county seat and the largest city in Walker County. All criminal cases from LaFayette and other communities in the county go through the Walker County court system at the courthouse on South Duke Street. Other towns in Walker County include Chickamauga, Rossville, and Lookout Mountain. Criminal filings from all of these areas are processed through the Walker County courts.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Walker 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.