Stewart County Booking Release Records

Stewart County booking releases are kept by the Stewart County Sheriff's Office in Lumpkin, Georgia. This is one of the least populated counties in the state, located in southwest Georgia along the Chattahoochee River. The sheriff's office handles all jail operations and maintains records of every booking and release. If you need to find a booking release from Stewart County, you can call the sheriff's office, visit in person, or submit a written open records request. All records are public unless sealed by a court.

Sheriff and Booking Records

The Stewart County Sheriff's Office is the only agency that operates the county jail and manages booking release records. The office is in Lumpkin. Because Stewart County has a very small population, the jail sees fewer bookings than most Georgia counties. But the same state rules apply here. Every arrest must be logged.

Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the sheriff must keep a record of every person held in the jail. This means the inmate's name, booking date, charges, and release date all go on file. Stewart County follows this law. Even with a small jail, the records are maintained the same way as in larger counties.

The Stewart County jail handles bookings from the sheriff's deputies and local police in the area. Because the county is so small, most arrests are made by the sheriff's office itself. When someone is brought in, staff create a booking record. That record becomes public once the booking is done. The release info gets added when the person leaves custody.

You can reach the Stewart County Sheriff's Office by phone or by visiting in person in Lumpkin. Staff can check their system and tell you about current or past inmates.

How to Search Booking Releases

Stewart County does not have an online inmate search tool. This is typical for very small Georgia counties. You will need to call the jail or go in person to check on booking releases. Staff can look up names in their system and give you basic info about bookings and releases.

For a written copy of a booking release record, file an open records request. Send it to the Stewart County Sheriff's Office in Lumpkin. Include the person's full name and any other details you have. The more info you can give, the faster they can find the right record in their system.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is useful for people who ended up in state prison after being booked in Stewart County. This free database covers all state inmates and shows their current facility and release dates.

The GBI GCIC Division maintains criminal history records for all Georgia counties, including Stewart County.

This state agency keeps centralized criminal records that can help you track someone who was booked in Stewart County.

The VINE notification system also covers Stewart County. You can sign up for alerts when an inmate is released. It is free and works around the clock.

Open Records Requests

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 lets you request booking release records from the Stewart County Sheriff's Office. You do not need a reason. The office must respond within three business days. They will either provide the records, ask for more time, or explain why they cannot release certain parts.

Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of staff search time is free. For a small county like Stewart, most requests are straightforward and get handled quickly. The cost for a single booking release is usually just a few cents.

Send your request in writing. Include the full name of the person and any dates you know. You can mail it or drop it off at the sheriff's office in Lumpkin. Some smaller offices prefer paper requests over email, so call ahead to find out what works best for Stewart County.

What Booking Releases Contain

Stewart County booking release records include the inmate's full name, date of birth, and physical description. They show the charges, the arresting agency, and the booking date. The release date and method are added once the person is out. Bond info is usually listed too.

Booking photos may be part of the record. O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18 sets rules for how booking photos can be shared in Georgia. Stewart County follows these guidelines when handling photo requests.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, some records are exempt from release. This includes records tied to active investigations and info about confidential informants. Stewart County must follow these exemptions when processing requests. Sealed records will not be provided under any circumstances.

Statewide Booking Release Resources

State databases extend your search beyond Stewart County. The GDC offender search shows everyone in the state prison system. The VINE system tracks custody status across all Georgia counties.

The GDC Open Records portal and the GBI Open Records portal let you file requests at the state level. Both are useful if someone from Stewart County has records with state agencies. These portals are free to use and accept requests online.

Nearby Counties

If the arrest happened outside Stewart County, these neighboring counties keep their own booking release records. Check the correct county based on where the person was picked up.