White County Booking Releases

White County booking releases are kept by the White County Sheriff's Office in Cleveland, a mountain town in northeast Georgia. The sheriff operates the county detention center where all local arrests are processed. White County draws a lot of visitors because of its location near the Appalachian foothills, and the sheriff's office handles bookings from both local residents and people passing through. You can request booking release records by calling the office, visiting in person, or filing an open records request under Georgia law.

White County Sheriff and Jail

The White County Sheriff's Office manages the detention center in Cleveland. Every arrest in the county goes through this one facility. The staff handle all bookings, manage inmate housing, and process releases. A record is created for each person when they come in and updated when they leave.

State law at O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7 requires the sheriff to keep a record of all people held in the county jail. White County complies with this requirement. Each record includes the inmate's name, booking date, charges, and release date. The records remain in the system for years.

Cleveland is the center of county government and the location of the courthouse. The sheriff's office is nearby, making it easy to handle records requests in person. Staff can look up recent bookings on the spot and tell you what steps to take for older records.

White County is part of the Enotah Judicial Circuit. Court matters for people booked in the county jail are handled through this circuit. If you need court records in addition to booking release records, the circuit clerk's office can help with that side of things.

Searching for Booking Releases

Call the White County Sheriff's Office in Cleveland to check on a booking release. Give them the person's name and any details you have. Staff can pull up the jail system and tell you the person's status. This works best for recent bookings.

Check the sheriff's website to see if there is an online inmate search or jail roster. If one is available, you can look up current inmates and recent releases by name. Online tools show basic information like charges, booking dates, and release status.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you look up anyone who has been transferred to a state prison.

Use this tool if someone booked in White County was moved to a Georgia state corrections facility.

For older records that are not in the online system, submit a written request to the sheriff's office. Include the person's full name, dates if you have them, and your contact details. The office will search and respond with available records. Written requests work well for getting official copies on paper.

Open Records for White County Booking Releases

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, you have the right to request public records from the White County Sheriff's Office. Booking releases are covered by this law. No reason is needed. Just tell the office what records you want.

White County must respond within three business days. They can provide the records, ask for more time, or explain any denials. Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free, which covers most straightforward requests.

Keep the request specific. A narrow request for one person with a date range is fast and cheap. Broad requests take more time and may cost more if the staff search goes beyond the free 15-minute window.

Details in Booking Records

White County booking release records include the person's full name, date of birth, physical traits, charges, arresting agency, and booking date. Release information is added when the person leaves the jail. Bond amounts show up when applicable. The record gives a complete picture of the booking and release.

Booking photos in Georgia fall under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18. This law controls how mugshots can be released. White County follows these state rules when processing photo requests.

Certain records are exempt from release under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. Active investigations, juvenile cases, and sealed court orders can limit what is available. The sheriff's office will let you know if any exemption applies.

Statewide Booking Release Search Resources

State databases can help you look beyond White County. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search shows anyone in state prison. If someone booked in White County ended up in the state system, you can find them here.

The VINE notification system tracks custody changes across Georgia. Register for free alerts when an inmate is released from White County or any other Georgia jail. The service runs all day and costs nothing.

State open records portals for the GDC and the GBI handle requests for records held by state agencies.

Cities in White County

White County has no cities over 100,000 in population. Cleveland is the county seat and the main town. Helen, a well-known tourist destination, is also in White County. All arrests in these communities are processed through the White County jail, and booking release records are stored in the same county system.

Nearby Counties

Neighboring counties in the north Georgia mountains each keep their own booking release records. Make sure to search the right county based on where the arrest was made.