Search Seminole County Booking Releases

Seminole County booking releases are managed by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office in Donalsonville, Georgia. This county sits in the far southwest corner of the state, near the Florida and Alabama borders. The sheriff's jail staff track every arrest and release that takes place in the county. All booking records are public under Georgia law. You can request them by phone, in person, or through a written open records request to the sheriff's office. Donalsonville serves as the county seat and is where the main office and jail are located.

Seminole County Sheriff Booking Releases

The Seminole County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and keeps all booking release records. The office is in Donalsonville. Staff at the jail log each person who comes through. They record names, charges, booking dates, and release info for every inmate.

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7 requires every county sheriff to maintain a record of all jail inmates. Seminole County follows this law. The sheriff must note each person's name, the date they came in, their charges, and when they left. These records stay on file and are open to the public unless sealed by a court.

The Seminole County jail handles bookings from sheriff's deputies and the Donalsonville Police Department. It is a smaller facility that serves a rural area. Despite the size, the same state rules apply here as in larger counties. Every arrest that comes through the door gets logged, and the release data gets added once the person is out. You can reach the sheriff's office by calling or going in person during business hours.

Seminole County borders both Florida and Alabama. Some people arrested near the state line may end up in a neighboring state's system rather than the Seminole County jail. Make sure you check the right jurisdiction before you search for a booking release.

How to Search Booking Releases

Seminole County does not have an online inmate search portal. Many small Georgia counties do not offer web-based lookup tools. But you can still find booking releases through other methods.

Call the Seminole County jail to check on current or recent inmates. Staff can look someone up by name and tell you their booking status. If you need a formal copy, you will want to file an open records request. Send your request to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office in writing. Include the person's full name, date of birth if you know it, and the dates you think they were booked. The more detail you give, the faster they can find the right record.

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 backs up your right to get these records. The sheriff's office must respond within three business days. Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of staff search time is free.

You can also check the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search for people who were sentenced to state prison after being booked in Seminole County. This tool is free and covers all state inmates.

Open Records Requests

Filing an open records request is the formal way to get Seminole County booking releases. You can do this by mail or in person at the sheriff's office in Donalsonville. State what records you need and include as much detail as you can. A name and date range will work for most requests.

The Georgia Open Records Act lets you view official records from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and other county agencies.

This law protects your right to access public records, including booking releases, from any Georgia county office.

You do not need to explain why you want the records. The law says the sheriff's office cannot ask your reason. They just need enough info to find the file. For a single booking release, the cost is usually just a few cents. Larger requests that cover many records may take more time and cost more.

What Booking Releases Show

A Seminole County booking release record lists the inmate's full name, date of birth, and physical traits. It shows the charges filed and which agency made the arrest. The booking date and time are part of the record. When the person is released, that date and the method of release get added. Bond amounts are typically included as well.

Booking photos may be part of the file. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18 sets rules for how booking photos can be shared in Georgia. The Seminole County Sheriff follows these guidelines. Not every request for a booking photo will be approved.

Some records are exempt from release. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records tied to active investigations, info about confidential informants, and certain medical details about inmates can be withheld. Seminole County must follow these exemptions when processing your request. Sealed records from a court order will not be released at all.

Statewide Booking Release Resources

Several state databases can help when you need more than what Seminole County has on hand. The GDC offender search covers all people serving state sentences. If someone was booked in Seminole County and sent to a state prison, their record will show up here.

The VINE notification system lets you track an inmate's status and get alerts when they are released. This works for Seminole County and every other county in Georgia. It is free and runs all day and night. You can sign up for phone, email, or text alerts.

For open records requests at the state level, the GDC Open Records portal handles Department of Corrections documents. The GBI Open Records portal covers Georgia Bureau of Investigation records. Both are useful if someone from Seminole County has records that reached the state level.

Nearby Counties

If the arrest did not happen in Seminole County, check these neighboring counties. Each one has its own sheriff and jail with separate booking release records.