Oglethorpe County 24 Hour Booking Records

Oglethorpe County 24 hour booking records are kept by the sheriff's office in Lexington. This rural county in northeast Georgia has a population around 15,500. The sheriff's office operates the county jail and handles all arrest bookings. Every intake creates a public record that includes the person's name, charges, and bond information. Georgia law lets anyone request booking data from the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office without giving a reason.

Oglethorpe County Sheriff 24 Hour Booking Office

The Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office is at 111 W. Main Street, Lexington, GA 30648. Call (706) 743-8101 for information about recent bookings or to check on someone in custody. The sheriff handles all law enforcement, court security, and jail operations in the county.

When an arrest takes place in Oglethorpe County, the person is taken to the jail in Lexington. Jail staff handle intake by recording personal information, entering charges, taking fingerprints and a photo, and assigning a booking number. This process creates the 24 hour booking record. The jail stays open at all hours for new intakes.

Oglethorpe County is close to Athens and Clarke County. But arrests that happen in Oglethorpe County go through the Oglethorpe County jail. The sheriff's office is the only county-level law enforcement agency here. Lexington is the county seat and the main community.

How Booking Works in Oglethorpe County

The booking process in Oglethorpe County starts at the jail in Lexington. The arresting officer brings the person in. Staff collect the person's name, date of birth, address, and physical description. Charges are logged. Fingerprints are taken. A photo is captured. The system assigns a booking number. This all becomes the official 24 hour booking record for that arrest.

Bond is set by a magistrate judge. Preset bond schedules cover many minor offenses. For felonies or violent charges, a hearing is needed. In Oglethorpe County, the hearing usually happens within 48 hours. If the person posts bond, they leave. If not, they wait in the jail. The booking record stays in the system either way.

Oglethorpe County is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit. The Superior Court handles felony cases. Magistrate Court covers warrants, preliminary hearings, and small claims. The booking record from the county jail is the entry point for any criminal case in Oglethorpe County.

Oglethorpe County Booking Open Records

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, all records held by the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office are public. This covers booking records. You can request them without a reason. Call, write, or visit the office in Lexington. The response deadline is three business days per O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71.

The first 15 minutes of search time cost nothing. After that, Oglethorpe County charges based on the lowest paid employee's rate. Copies are about $0.10 per page. If the estimate exceeds $500, prepayment may be needed. Most single record requests are inexpensive.

O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 requires redaction of social security numbers, bank details, and personal phone numbers. The arrest data remains. Names, charges, dates, and bond amounts are all public. Initial arrest reports from Oglethorpe County stay open even during active investigations.

Georgia Resources for Oglethorpe County 24 Hour Booking

The Georgia Department of Corrections oversees state prisons. The GDC Find Offender tool covers state inmates. It does not include the Oglethorpe County jail. For local custody questions, call the sheriff's office in Lexington.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains criminal history data for all of Georgia. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 makes felony convictions public without consent. Other records need the person's signature. The Georgia Applicant Processing Service processes fingerprint-based checks in 24 to 48 hours.

The GBI FAQ page explains how to request criminal history information that may be linked to an Oglethorpe County arrest.

Oglethorpe County 24 Hour Booking Photo and Sealing

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18, booking photos from the Oglethorpe County jail cannot be posted online by law enforcement. To get a copy, submit a written request and sign a statement about your use. False statements carry criminal penalties. If your photo ends up on a site that charges for removal, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5 lets you demand free takedown within 30 days.

O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows record restriction for Oglethorpe County arrests where charges were dismissed or not prosecuted. The prosecutor must approve. Once restricted, the record is only visible to courts and law enforcement. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 also allows sealing. Convictions that ended with a guilty verdict cannot be sealed under current Georgia law.

Cities in Oglethorpe County

Lexington is the county seat. Arnoldsville, Crawford, and Maxeys are smaller communities. All arrests are processed at the county jail in Lexington.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Oglethorpe County in northeast Georgia. Each has its own jail and keeps separate booking records.