Gilmer County Booking Releases

Gilmer County booking releases are handled by the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office in Ellijay, Georgia. Set in the north Georgia mountains, this county manages all jail bookings through its detention center. The Sheriff's Office keeps records for every person who is brought into the jail, and the public can access these records under Georgia law. Ellijay is the county seat and the base for all sheriff's office operations. The county sees a mix of year-round residents and seasonal visitors, but the booking release records follow the same state rules no matter who is involved.

Sheriff and Booking Records

The Gilmer County Sheriff's Office operates the county detention center and maintains all booking release records. The office is at 1 Broad Street in Ellijay. You can call (706) 635-4751 for questions about inmates and jail records. The detention center runs 24 hours a day and processes bookings as arrests come in.

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7 requires the sheriff to keep records for every person in the county jail. Each record must show the inmate's name, booking date, charges, and release date. Gilmer County follows this law. The detention center stores these records in its management system, and they go back years.

The Ellijay Police Department and East Ellijay Police also bring people to the county jail. All bookings go through one facility, and the Sheriff's Office keeps all the records in one place.

How to Search Booking Releases

Gilmer County may have an online inmate lookup through the sheriff's office website or a third-party system. Check the county website for the latest tools. If an online system is available, you can search by name to see current inmates and recent releases.

If there is no online tool, call the Sheriff's Office at (706) 635-4751. Staff can check the system for you and provide basic information about bookings and releases. For official copies, you will need to file an open records request.

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives you the right to request booking release records. Put your request in writing and send it to the Sheriff's Office. The county must respond within three business days. Include the person's name and any other details you have.

The GBI maintains statewide criminal records through the Georgia Crime Information Center.

This state-level resource connects criminal history data from counties across Georgia, including Gilmer.

Copies cost $0.10 per page, and the first 15 minutes of search time are free. Be as specific as you can to help staff find the right record quickly.

Open Records for Gilmer County Booking Releases

Formal open records requests go to the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, you do not need to explain why you want the records. Just describe what you are looking for. The county has three business days to respond with the records, a denial, or a request for more time.

Fees are the same across Georgia. Copies at $0.10 per page. No charge for the first 15 minutes of search time. If the request requires extra work, the county may charge for additional staff time at a reasonable rate. Most requests for booking releases are straightforward.

What Booking Releases Contain

Gilmer County booking release records include the inmate's full name, date of birth, physical traits, charges, booking date, arresting agency, and release date. The method of release is also noted. This could be bond, time served, transfer, or court order. A unique booking number ties all the information together for each record.

Booking photographs have their own rules under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18. Some records may be exempt from public release under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. The main exemptions cover juvenile records, sealed cases, and active investigations. Adult booking releases are generally public.

The records from Gilmer County are the same type you would find in any other Georgia county. The format and content follow state standards.

Statewide Booking Release Resources

State databases can help you search beyond Gilmer County. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers anyone serving a state sentence. Use this if someone was booked in Gilmer County and later moved to a state prison.

The VINE notification system covers all Georgia counties. Register for free alerts about custody changes. The GDC Open Records portal and GBI Open Records portal handle state-level records requests.

Nearby Counties

Gilmer County borders several mountain counties in north Georgia. If you need booking releases from a nearby county, contact the correct sheriff's office.