Ben Hill County Felony Records Search

Ben Hill County felony records are stored at the Superior Court in Fitzgerald. The county has about 17,000 residents and sits in south-central Georgia. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps criminal case filings, sentencing records, and court dispositions. The Ben Hill County Sheriff manages arrest logs and jail data. You can search for felony records through local offices or use state-level tools like the GDC inmate search and Georgia Felon Search database.

Clerk of Superior Court in Ben Hill County

The Clerk of Superior Court holds all felony case records for Ben Hill County. This office files indictments, stores plea agreements, and keeps sentencing orders for every criminal case. Staff can pull records by name or case number. You need to visit in person for the most thorough search of Ben Hill County felony records.

The Ben Hill County website lists department contacts and local government information.

The clerk office is at 211 E. Pine Street, Fitzgerald, GA 31750. Phone is (229) 426-5112. Standard copies cost $0.10 per page. Certified copies of Ben Hill County felony records cost more. Bring your ID and the name of the person you want to search for.

Ben Hill County Sheriff Criminal Records

The Ben Hill County Sheriff's Office handles arrests and runs the county jail. All booking records are public under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7. The sheriff logs each person's name, charges, date of booking, and which court issued the process. You can request this data in person or by phone.

Reach the sheriff at (229) 426-5161. The office is at 255 Appomattox Road in Fitzgerald. Visit to check on inmates or recent arrests. The sheriff also does local criminal history checks for Ben Hill County. Fees are up to $20 per person under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. This gets you arrest and conviction data held at the local level.

How to Search Ben Hill County Felony Records

You can look up felony records from Ben Hill County online or at the courthouse. Each approach has trade-offs. Online is fast. In-person is complete.

The GDC Offender Query is free and shows state prison inmates. Search by name to check if someone from Ben Hill County is in a Georgia state prison. Results show charges, sentence details, and booking photos. The GDC covers about 51,000 inmates in 35 facilities.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per name. It pulls from the GCIC database. Enter a name, date of birth, and sex. You get instant results showing felony convictions from across Georgia. Ben Hill County cases show up in this search. The tool operates under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-35.

To see the full case file, go to the Ben Hill County Courthouse in Fitzgerald. The clerk has every document from the case. Online tools show summaries. The paper file has it all, from the first motion to the final order.

Note: Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, agencies must respond to record requests within three business days.

State Resources for Ben Hill County

The Georgia Crime Information Center is the state's central criminal history hub. GCIC collects arrest data, court outcomes, and prison records from all 159 counties, including Ben Hill. You can request a check through the local sheriff or contact GCIC directly at 404-244-2639.

The GSCCCA connects all county clerk offices. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has a directory of sheriffs statewide. These help you find the right contacts for Ben Hill County felony records or compare services with nearby counties.

Ben Hill County Record Restrictions

Most felony records in Ben Hill County are open to the public. Court files, arrest logs, and booking data can be requested under the Open Records Act. You do not have to explain why you want the records.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some arrest records can be restricted if charges were dropped or never prosecuted. For arrests after July 1, 2013, the prosecuting attorney handles restriction requests. Older arrests go through the arresting agency. Processing fees reach up to $50. Restricted records still show for law enforcement in Ben Hill County. The First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-62.1) may seal some first-time offender records after the sentence is complete. Convictions are public in almost every case.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Ben Hill County. All maintain their own felony records through their Clerk of Superior Court.