Union County Booking Releases

Union County booking releases are handled by the Union County Sheriff's Office, based in Blairsville in the north Georgia mountains. The sheriff operates the county detention center and manages all jail bookings and releases for the area. This is a smaller county with a rural feel, but the same Georgia laws that apply to large metro counties apply here too. You can request booking release records from the sheriff's office in person, by phone, or through a written open records request. The office keeps records of everyone who passes through the county jail.

Union County Sheriff and Jail

The Union County Sheriff's Office runs the detention center in Blairsville. All arrests made in Union County come through this one jail. The staff process bookings, manage inmate housing, and handle releases. When someone is brought in, the jail creates a booking record that includes the person's name, charges, and date. When they leave, the release gets added to the file.

Georgia requires every sheriff to maintain jail records under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7. Union County follows this law. The record for each inmate must include their name, the date they were booked, what they were charged with, and when they were released. These records are public in most cases and can be requested by anyone.

The sheriff's office in Blairsville is the only place to get Union County booking release records. There is no separate city jail or regional facility. If someone was arrested anywhere in Union County, the record is with the sheriff.

Searching for Booking Releases

To find booking release records in Union County, your first step is to contact the sheriff's office. Call them and give the person's name and any details you have. Staff can check the jail system and let you know if someone is in custody or has been released. This works well for recent bookings.

Some smaller Georgia counties do not have a full online inmate search portal. If Union County does not offer a web-based lookup, calling or visiting is the way to go. The staff handle these requests often and can help you quickly. For records that are not recent, you may need to put your request in writing.

The VINE system lets you track inmates across Georgia, including those held in Union County.

Sign up for VINE alerts to get notified when someone's custody status changes in Union County or anywhere else in the state.

When you file a written request, include the full name of the person, a date range if you know it, and your contact information. The sheriff's office will pull the records and let you know what is available. Most requests get a response within a few business days.

Open Records for Union County Booking Releases

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, you have the right to request public records from the Union County Sheriff's Office. Booking releases fall under this law. You do not have to explain why you want the records. Just submit your request and the office must respond.

The response deadline is three business days. The county can give you the records right away, ask for more time, or deny part of the request if an exemption applies. Copies cost $0.10 per page, and the first 15 minutes of staff search time are free. If the search goes beyond 15 minutes, the county can charge for that time at a reasonable rate.

Most booking release data is public. But there are exceptions. Active investigations, juvenile records, and sealed court cases may not be available. The office will tell you if something is held back.

Details in Booking Records

A Union County booking release record contains the key facts about someone's time in the jail. This includes the person's full name, date of birth, physical description, charges, arresting agency, booking date, and release date. Bond information is included when it applies. The record may also note the court that has jurisdiction over the case.

Booking photographs are covered by O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18, which sets rules about sharing mugshots. Union County follows these state guidelines. If you want a booking photo along with the release record, you may need to make a separate request or ask about it when you file for the records.

Certain records are protected from release under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. This section of the law lists exemptions that can apply to jail records in limited cases. Union County will tell you if any exemption applies to the records you asked for.

State-Level Booking Release Tools

You can search beyond Union County using state databases. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you find people serving state sentences. This is helpful if someone was first booked in Union County and then transferred to a state facility.

The VINE notification system covers all Georgia counties. You can register for alerts and get a notification when an inmate is released. It works for Union County and every other county in the state. The service is free.

For records at the state level, use the GDC Open Records portal or the GBI Open Records portal to file requests for data that the county sheriff may not have.

Cities in Union County

Union County does not have any cities over the 100,000 population mark. Blairsville is the county seat and the main town. All arrests made in Blairsville and the rest of Union County are processed through the sheriff's office. Booking release records for every community in the county are held in one place.

Nearby Counties

Neighboring counties each run their own jails and keep separate booking release records. Search the county where the arrest happened to find the right records.