Search White County 72 Hour Booking Records

White County 72 hour booking records are maintained by the White County Sheriff's Office in Cleveland. The county does not offer an online inmate search, so phone inquiries are the primary way to get booking information.

White County Sheriff's Office and Jail

Sheriff Rick Kelley runs the White County Sheriff's Office. The address is 1210 Hulsey Rd, Cleveland, GA 30528. Call 706-865-5177 for booking inquiries, inmate status checks, or general questions. White County is in the northeast Georgia mountains, and the area draws a lot of visitors throughout the year. That brings extra traffic and, at times, extra arrests.

The county does not have a public website for searching inmates. To find out if someone is in the White County jail, you need to call. The staff can confirm custody status, share the charges, and provide bond information. These calls are common and the office handles them every day. For written records, you will need to submit a formal request.

White County is home to several state parks and popular mountain destinations. During peak travel seasons, the population swells well beyond the resident count. That means arrests in White County are not always locals. Someone visiting from Atlanta or another part of the state can end up booked at the White County jail after a DUI on a mountain road or an incident at a campsite. If you are looking for someone who was visiting the area, check with this office.

State Route 75, US 129, and State Route 348 (the Richard Russell Scenic Highway) all pass through White County. Traffic enforcement on these roads leads to a fair number of bookings, particularly on weekends and holidays.

The 72 Hour Rule in White County

Georgia law sets a 72 hour deadline for first appearance hearings after a warrant arrest. O.C.G.A. § 17-4-26 is the statute that establishes this requirement. It is the basis for the phrase "72 hour booking." Once a person is booked into the White County jail on a warrant, the court has three days to bring them before a judge.

Warrantless arrests carry a shorter 48 hour deadline. O.C.G.A. § 17-4-62 covers these cases. Deputies and officers in White County make warrantless arrests when they see a crime happen or respond to an active scene. A bar fight in Cleveland, a DUI stop on US 129, or a domestic call in a subdivision can all lead to warrantless arrests that trigger the 48 hour clock.

First appearance hearings take place at the White County courthouse in Cleveland. The judge reads the charges, advises the defendant of their rights, and sets bond. Bond amounts depend on the charge and the person's background. Weekday arrests usually get heard quickly. Weekend arrests may wait until Monday, but the 72 or 48 hour limit still applies. White County courts work to meet these deadlines consistently.

Public Records and Open Records in White County

Booking records in White County are public under Georgia law. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, the Open Records Act, gives anyone the right to inspect and copy government records. That includes arrest reports, booking logs, and incident records from the sheriff's office. No explanation is required when you make a request.

Call 706-865-5177 for booking information. The staff can answer basic questions about current inmates over the phone. If you need official copies, file a written open records request. The office must respond within three business days. Copy fees are standard and typically just pennies per page.

O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19 restricts how booking photos are shared. Agencies cannot provide photos to websites or publications that charge fees for removal. This targets the mugshot exploitation industry. You can still get booking photos through a proper records request if the purpose is lawful.

The GCIC through the GBI handles statewide criminal history checks. Call 404-244-2639 for information on submitting a background check request that covers all Georgia counties, not just White County.

State Resources for White County Cases

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you look up anyone in a state prison. If a White County arrest led to a state prison sentence, the inmate appears in this database. It shows facility location, sentence details, and projected release date. The search is free.

The VINE notification system is another tool for tracking cases. Register on the website or by calling 833-216-6670. VINE sends alerts when an inmate is released, transferred, or has a court event. The service is free and covers White County along with most other jails in Georgia.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists every sheriff in the state. If you need to check Habersham, Lumpkin, or one of the other neighboring counties, this list gets you the right number quickly.

72 Hour Booking Record Restriction in White County

Georgia allows certain arrest records to be restricted from public access. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 governs the process. If charges from a White County arrest are dropped, dismissed, or end in acquittal, the person can petition to restrict the booking record. The record is not deleted. It stays in the database but is hidden from standard background checks.

O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60, the First Offender Act, provides another option for first-time felony defendants. If the judge sentences someone under this act and the person completes the sentence without violations, the conviction is sealed from public view. A White County booking that falls under this act could eventually be invisible to most searches.

Even after restriction, law enforcement, courts, and certain licensed employers can still see the record under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. For the general public, a restricted White County booking will not appear. If a search comes up empty for someone you believe was arrested, the record may have been restricted. Contact the White County courthouse in Cleveland to start the process if you qualify.

Nearby Counties

White County is in the northeast Georgia mountains. The counties around it are also mountain communities with their own sheriff's offices. If you are not sure where someone was arrested, try these neighboring offices.