Albany Felony Records

Felony records in Albany are kept by the Dougherty County Superior Court and the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office. Albany is the county seat and the largest city in Dougherty County, with a population of about 66,700. Anyone looking for felony case files, arrest records, or conviction data from Albany can search through county court records or use the state's online tools. The Georgia Crime Information Center also holds criminal history data that covers Albany and all other parts of the state. Most felony searches start at the county level since that is where cases are filed and processed in court.

Dougherty County Handles Albany Felonies

All felony cases from Albany go to the Dougherty County Superior Court. The city itself does not prosecute felonies. That is the job of the county court system. When someone is arrested for a felony in Albany, the case goes through the Dougherty County District Attorney and then to Superior Court for trial or plea. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps all felony case files.

The Dougherty County courthouse is in downtown Albany. It sits on West Oglethorpe Boulevard, close to city hall and the main police station. The Clerk of Superior Court office handles all requests for felony case records. You can go in person or call to ask about a case. Staff can look up records by name or case number. Certified copies have a fee, and it varies based on how many pages you need. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the fee for a criminal history record check cannot be more than $20 per person.

Note: The Dougherty County Superior Court also handles felony cases from Leesburg and other small towns in the county.

Albany Police and Felony Arrests

The Albany Police Department makes felony arrests in the city. They are at 201 W. Oglethorpe Boulevard. The phone number is (229) 431-2100. After an arrest, the police file charges and send the case to the Dougherty County District Attorney for review. If the DA moves forward, the case goes to Superior Court. All of this creates records that you can search later.

Police reports from Albany are public records under the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. You can ask for copies at the police station. The agency must respond within three business days. Some records may be redacted if they fall under one of the law's exemptions, but basic arrest data is almost always available. The police department may charge $0.10 per page for copies, which is the standard rate set by state law.

The Dougherty County Sheriff's Office also works felony cases in the Albany area. They run the county jail at 126 W. Broad Avenue. The sheriff's phone is (229) 302-3600. Jail booking records are public under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, which requires sheriffs to keep a record of every person held in the jail. That record must include the name, age, crime charged, and date of commitment, among other things.

The Dougherty County website has some info on court services and the sheriff's office. You can use it to find phone numbers and office hours before you visit in person to look up Albany felony records.

The city of Albany website above shows the main government page. From here you can find links to the police department and other city services that may help with your records search.

Albany Municipal Court

Albany Municipal Court does not handle felonies. It deals with city code violations and some misdemeanor cases. The court is at 225 W. Oglethorpe Boulevard. The phone number is (229) 431-3220. If you are looking for a felony case, you need the Superior Court, not the municipal court.

Sometimes people confuse the two courts. Municipal court handles things like traffic tickets, minor drug possession under city law, and code enforcement. A felony case will never stay in municipal court. It moves to Superior Court through the county system. Make sure you are searching in the right place when you look for felony records in Albany.

How to Search Albany Felony Records

There are a few ways to look up felony records from Albany. You can search online, visit the courthouse, or call the clerk. Each option has its pros and cons, and the right choice depends on what you need and how fast you need it.

The Georgia Felon Search is the fastest online option. It is run by the Georgia Technology Authority and pulls data from the Georgia Crime Information Center. You put in a name, date of birth, and sex. The cost is $15 per search. Results are instant. This tool checks for felony convictions across all of Georgia, not just Albany. It does not show misdemeanors, sealed records, or juvenile cases. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-35(c), this information can be released without fingerprint comparison or consent of the person whose record you are checking.

The GDC Offender Search is free. It shows people who are or were in a Georgia Department of Corrections facility. You can search by name, GDC ID, or physical description. Results show the offense, sentence, facility, and possible release date. This is useful if you know someone from Albany was sent to state prison. It does not cover county jail time or cases that ended in probation.

The GDC search portal shown above lets you look up offenders by name or ID number. It covers all state prison facilities in Georgia.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority gives access to court records from all 159 counties. You can search for felony cases filed in Dougherty County through their system. The site links to local court records and real estate filings. Some records are free to view, and others need a paid account.

For a full criminal history, you can go to the Albany Police Department or the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office. Both can run a Georgia criminal history check through GCIC. The fee is about $15. You need to bring a valid photo ID. The GBI FAQ page says you can get your own record from most sheriff's offices or police departments in the state.

State Resources for Albany Felony Searches

Georgia has several state-level tools that cover felony records from Albany. These are helpful when you don't want to visit the courthouse or need records from outside Dougherty County.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the GCIC, which is the central hub for all criminal history data in the state. They handle record requests by mail, fax, and in person at their office in Decatur. Attorneys can request records for active cases. The GBI contact page lists all the numbers you need. For criminal history issues, email gacriminalhistory@gbi.state.ga.us or call (404) 244-2639, option 3.

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles tracks parole status for Georgia inmates. If someone from Albany is on parole, you may be able to find their status through this agency. They are at 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE in Atlanta. The phone is (404) 656-4661.

Record restrictions in Georgia work under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. Some felony records can be restricted after four years from the arrest date if the case did not go to conviction. Serious violent felonies have a seven-year wait. If a record has been restricted, it will not show up on most public searches. The GBI record restrictions page has full details on how this works and what qualifies.

Note: Georgia Felon Search only returns felony conviction data and does not include pending cases or arrests that did not lead to conviction.

Dougherty County Felony Records

Albany is in Dougherty County. All felony cases from the city are filed and processed at the Dougherty County Superior Court. The county maintains arrest logs, court case files, and sentencing records. For a full look at the county court system, fees, and related criminal record resources, check the Dougherty County felony records page.

View Dougherty County Felony Records