Search Clarke County Busted Mugshots

Clarke County operates as a unified government with the city of Athens, and if you want to search Clarke County busted mugshots or arrest records, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Clarke County Sheriff's Office both handle bookings and jail operations. This page covers how to find inmate records, booking photos, and related arrest data for Clarke County through official state and local channels, including statewide tools run by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Clarke County Arrest Records and Jail Bookings

Clarke County is home to the University of Georgia, and Athens is a busy college town with a steady flow of arrests and bookings each year. The Clarke County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and handles bookings for arrests made in unincorporated Clarke County. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department handles arrests within the city limits, and those defendants are also booked into the county jail. Both agencies feed into the same jail system, so most arrest records end up in one place.

To find someone in the Clarke County jail, you can contact the Clarke County Sheriff's Office directly. The sheriff's office does not currently maintain a live online inmate search tool, so a phone call or in-person visit may be needed for current custody status. For older arrest records and booking data, the Georgia Open Records Act gives you the right to request those documents from the sheriff or the police department. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, agencies must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff time is free, and the first 20 pages cost nothing. After that, the rate is $0.10 per page.

Clarke County arrest records include the booking date, charges filed, arresting agency, bond amount if set, and the case number used to track the charge through the court system. These are public records in Georgia.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Bureau of Investigation homepage, a key statewide resource for criminal history and arrest data connected to Clarke County bookings.

The GBI maintains criminal history data for all Georgia counties, including Clarke County, through the Georgia Crime Information Center.

Statewide Tools for Clarke County Busted Mugshots

Several Georgia state databases can help you find arrest and conviction records tied to Clarke County. The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), operated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, holds criminal history records for the state. A background check through GCIC covers arrests and convictions statewide, including Clarke County cases. These records go beyond what the local jail shows and can include older cases from multiple agencies.

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and gives instant results for felony conviction records anywhere in Georgia. It's a fast way to check whether someone has a felony conviction tied to a Clarke County court case. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free and shows photos for people serving time in state prison. If someone was convicted of a felony in Clarke County Superior Court and sent to a GDC facility, their record will appear there.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is also free and searchable by name or address. It includes photos and is maintained by the GBI. You can use it to search for registered sex offenders in Athens or anywhere else in Clarke County.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search, which includes photos and is free to use.

The GDC offender search covers people in state prison, including those convicted in Clarke County Superior Court.

Georgia Law on Booking Photos in Clarke County

Georgia has specific laws that affect how Clarke County busted mugshots can be accessed and shared. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, passed in 2014, law enforcement agencies in Georgia cannot post booking photos online. That means the Clarke County Sheriff's Office and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department do not put mugshots on their websites. You can get current inmate status and charges through official channels, but the agencies themselves do not publish booking photos publicly on the internet.

Third-party mugshot websites operate outside this restriction. They collect and post booking photos that were gathered through open records requests. A separate Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5, passed in 2013, requires these sites to remove photos free of charge within 30 days if the arrest is eligible for restriction under state law. You send the request by certified mail. The Georgia Consumer Protection Division has step-by-step guidance on how to do this and which websites are covered by the law.

If you want a certified copy of a Clarke County booking photo, submit a formal open records request to the Clarke County Sheriff's Office. The GBI open records portal handles requests for state-held records. For records held by local agencies in Clarke County, contact the sheriff or police department directly.

Clarke County Criminal Records and Court Data

Arrest records in Clarke County move through the Western Judicial Circuit court system. After booking, a case goes to the Clarke County State Court or Superior Court depending on the charge. Court records become public once filed. You can search the Georgia courts online system for case data, though actual booking photos require a separate open records request.

The Clarke County Clerk of Superior Court maintains court filings, case dispositions, and related documents. If you want to know the outcome of a Clarke County arrest, the clerk's office is the right place to look. They can tell you whether charges were dropped, if a plea was entered, or if a case went to trial. This information supplements what you find in an arrest record and gives a fuller picture of the criminal history tied to a Clarke County booking.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Consumer Protection page on mugshot websites, which explains how to request removal of a Clarke County booking photo from third-party sites.

Georgia law gives people the right to request free removal of booking photos from mugshot sites when the underlying arrest qualifies for restriction.

Submitting Open Records Requests for Clarke County Arrest Data

If you need documentation of a Clarke County arrest, the open records process is your best option. For records held by the Athens-Clarke County unified government, submit your request through their official open records channel. For GBI-held records, use the GBI open records portal. Include the person's full name, date of birth if known, and the approximate date of arrest. A booking number, if you have it, speeds up the search significantly.

Georgia's open records law sets a clear timeline. Agencies must respond within three business days and either provide the records or explain why they need more time. Costs are limited. The first 15 minutes of search time and first 20 pages are free. After that, the fee is $0.10 per page. Booking photos may be included in a response, but some agencies treat photos as a separate request from written booking reports. Ask specifically for the booking photo if you need it.

For convictions in Clarke County that ended in prison time, check the GDC offender search first. It's free and includes photos. That can save you the time of submitting a formal records request.

Cities in Clarke County

Athens is the main city in Clarke County and operates under a unified government with the county. It has its own dedicated page with arrest record and inmate search information.

Nearby Counties

Clarke County borders several northeast Georgia counties. Each has its own arrest record resources and jail booking information.