Search Washington County Criminal Records

Washington County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Sandersville. This mid-sized county in central Georgia processes felony and misdemeanor cases through its local court system, and all filings go through the clerk office on West Haynes Street. You can search for Washington County criminal records in person at the courthouse, by phone, or through Georgia's statewide online databases. The clerk staff maintains case files, docket sheets, and disposition records for all criminal matters heard in the county. Washington County has a steady case load, and the staff handles walk-in requests and written inquiries during regular business hours.

Washington County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court in Washington County manages all criminal court records filed in the county. The office is at 132 W. Haynes Street in Sandersville. Call (478) 552-3186 to ask about a criminal case or check on a filing. The clerk can search by name or case number and pull files for you. Hours run Monday through Friday, and walk-ins are welcome. Washington County has a somewhat larger population than many surrounding rural counties, so the office sees a moderate amount of criminal case activity. Staff can make copies of case documents while you wait.

The GSCCCA page for Washington County shows the clerk contact info and connects to the statewide filing index maintained by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority.

Use this page to check the Washington County clerk address and phone number. The GSCCCA collects filing data from all 159 counties in Georgia and makes it available through their search tools.

How to Search Washington County Criminal Records

The fastest way to get criminal court records from Washington County is to call the clerk at (478) 552-3186. Give them a name or case number and they can look it up. You can also visit the courthouse at 132 W. Haynes Street in Sandersville. Bring a valid ID. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to give a reason. The 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.

Washington County does not have its own online portal for criminal case searches. For online access, the statewide E-Access to Court Records system covers all Georgia counties. You need an account to use it. The GSCCCA is another option. It indexes filings from every county in the state. A regular GSCCCA account is $14.95 per month. Premium runs $29.95. Both tools give you access to Washington County criminal case data from home.

Note: Written requests can be mailed to the clerk at 132 W. Haynes Street, Sandersville, GA 31082.

Washington County Criminal Case Types

The Superior Court in Washington County handles all felony cases. These include drug trafficking, violent crimes, burglary, and other serious charges. State Court takes misdemeanors like DUI, simple battery, minor drug possession, and petty theft. Magistrate Court handles preliminary hearings and bond decisions. All three courts create criminal records that the Washington County Clerk stores and manages. Each case generates documents from the moment of arrest through the final court ruling, and those become part of the permanent record on file with the clerk.

Sandersville is the hub for all court activity in Washington County. The courthouse on Haynes Street is where felony trials happen and where the clerk office sits. State Court cases may also be heard at this location. If you need info on a specific criminal case, the clerk staff can tell you which court is handling it and where the case stands in the process. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, active criminal investigation records may be kept from the public. Once a case is closed, the full record is generally open.

Criminal Record Restriction in Washington County

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, Georgia allows certain criminal records to be restricted from public view. This is sometimes still called expungement, though the correct legal term is restriction. It applies to arrests that did not lead to a conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions after you have waited four years since completing your sentence, and cases on a dead docket for more than 12 months. Washington County residents file through the District Attorney's office for arrests that happened on or after July 1, 2013. For arrests before that date, you go through the arresting agency. Agencies can charge up to $50 for the process.

There is a limit of two misdemeanor conviction restrictions per person in Georgia. Serious violent felonies and sex offenses cannot be restricted at all. Time-expired restrictions may kick in on their own if the Georgia Crime Information Center never gets a final case disposition. That is two years for misdemeanors and four years for felonies. These automatic restrictions only cover the state database. If you want a complete restriction on your Washington County criminal record, you need to go through the full formal process and not count on the automatic path.

Washington County Court Resources

Washington County participates in the Odyssey eFileGA system. This lets attorneys file court documents online instead of going to the Sandersville courthouse. Electronic filings become part of the official criminal court record. The platform runs all day, every day. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-11, Superior Court Clerks in Georgia may make eFiled documents available to the public through their websites.

To get your own criminal history in Washington County, visit the local sheriff's office and ask for a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History page has more details on this process. Call the GBI helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 if you have questions about your record. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, defense attorneys can request criminal history data from the Georgia Crime Information Center by submitting a written request. The GBI Open Records Unit accepts requests through their online portal or by mail only. They stopped taking email requests in December 2023.

Note: For fingerprint-based background checks, contact the Washington County Sheriff's Office for local options.

Cities in Washington County

All criminal cases from Washington County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Sandersville. The courthouse on Haynes Street is the main location for all felony and misdemeanor filings in the county.

Cities and towns in Washington County include Sandersville, Tennille, Riddleville, Deepstep, and Davisboro. Criminal cases from all of these areas go through the Washington County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Washington County. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the arrest happened. If you are unsure which county holds the record, check the address where the alleged crime took place.