Dooly County Booking Releases
Dooly County booking releases are managed by the Dooly County Sheriff's Office in Vienna, Georgia. This rural county in south-central Georgia processes all jail bookings and releases through its single detention facility. The Sheriff's Office keeps records for each person booked into the Dooly County Jail, and these records are available to the public through open records requests. With a small population, the volume of bookings here is lower than in metro areas, but the same state rules apply to how records are kept and shared.
Dooly County Quick Facts
Sheriff's Office and Jail Records
The Dooly County Sheriff's Office is the main agency that handles booking releases in the county. The office is based in Vienna, which is the county seat. Staff at the jail log every arrest and release that goes through the facility. This is a small operation compared to the larger metro jails in Georgia, but the same rules and laws govern how they keep records.
Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, every county sheriff in Georgia must keep a record of each person held in the jail. The record must include the person's name, the date they were booked, the charges against them, and the date they were released. Dooly County follows this law for all inmates who pass through its jail. Even in a county this size, the records are maintained in the same way as larger counties.
You can reach the Dooly County Sheriff's Office by phone to ask about booking releases. Staff can check the system and tell you if a person is currently held or has been released. For copies of records, you will likely need to file a formal open records request.
How to Search Booking Releases
Dooly County does not run a public online inmate search tool like some of the bigger counties in Georgia. To find booking release records, you have a few options. The most direct way is to call the Sheriff's Office and ask. Staff can look up current inmates and recent releases in their system. For older records, you will need to submit a written request.
Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives you the right to ask for booking release records from any county. The county has three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, copies cost $0.10 per page. You can send your request by mail or drop it off at the Sheriff's Office in person.
The GDC offender search is one statewide tool you can use if you think someone was transferred from Dooly County to a state prison.
This database covers state inmates and can help you track someone who was first booked in Dooly County.
When you make a request, include as much detail as you can. The person's full name and date of birth will help staff find the right record faster. If you know the approximate date of the arrest, include that too. Vague requests take longer to process and may result in delays.
Open Records Requests
If you need copies of booking release records from Dooly County, you can submit a formal request under the Georgia Open Records Act. The law is clear on how this works. Any person can ask for public records, and the county must respond within three business days. They can provide the records, deny the request with a legal reason, or let you know they need more time to find them.
The cost for copies is $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of staff time spent searching for records is free. If the search takes longer than that, the county can charge for the extra time. Most booking release requests are simple and should not take long to process.
Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, you do not need to explain why you want the records. The law says public records belong to the public. The county cannot ask you to give a reason for your request. Just put your request in writing and send it to the Sheriff's Office.
What Booking Releases Contain
Booking release records from Dooly County include basic details about the person and their time in jail. Each record shows the person's full name, date of birth, and physical description. It also lists the charges filed at the time of booking, the arresting agency, and the booking date. When the person is released, the release date and method are added to the record.
Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18, booking photographs taken during the intake process have their own rules about release. Some details may be restricted under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, which lists exceptions to the open records law. Records tied to ongoing investigations or sealed cases may not be available.
Most booking release records in Dooly County are straightforward. They are public records and can be obtained through a simple request.
Statewide Booking Release Resources
Several state-level tools can help you search for booking release information that goes beyond Dooly County records. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers anyone serving a state sentence. If someone was booked in Dooly County and later sent to a state prison, you can track them through this database.
The VINE notification system lets you sign up for alerts about an inmate's status. You get a call, text, or email when someone is released from custody. This works for Dooly County and every other county in Georgia. The service is free and runs around the clock.
For state-level open records requests, you can use the GDC Open Records portal or the GBI Open Records portal. These handle requests for records that cross county lines or involve state agencies.
Nearby Counties
Dooly County borders several other counties in south-central Georgia. If you are looking for booking releases from a nearby area, check the right county based on where the arrest took place.