Search Chattooga County Booking Reports
Chattooga County booking reports document arrests processed at the county jail in Summerville and are part of the public record under Georgia law. Whether you want to check on a recent arrest, find out if someone is in custody, or review the jail log, this page covers your options for accessing Chattooga County booking and inmate data through the sheriff's office and state sources.
Chattooga County Quick Facts
Booking Records in Chattooga County
Every arrest in Chattooga County goes through a booking process at the county detention facility in Summerville. Staff record the person's name, date of birth, charges, arresting agency, and date of booking. That record becomes part of the jail docket, which is a public document under Georgia law. Specifically, O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7 requires each county sheriff to maintain a jail log and make it available for public review.
The physical docket book at the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office is open to anyone who comes in and asks. You don't need to explain why you want to see it. Staff are required to let you look. The log typically shows active inmates and recent bookings. Some counties also retain older entries, though availability varies.
A booking record is not a criminal conviction. It means someone was arrested and processed. Charges may be dropped, cases may be dismissed, or a person may be found not guilty. Always treat booking records as initial information, not a final judgment on someone's legal status.
How to Find Chattooga County Inmate Records
The Chattooga County Sheriff's Office in Summerville is the direct source for local booking data. You can call or visit to ask about current inmates or recent bookings. If you need records in writing, submit a request under the Georgia Open Records Act. The office has three business days to respond, and the first 15 minutes of staff search time is free of charge.
For broader state-level searches, the GBI's Georgia Crime Information Center maintains criminal history records across all Georgia counties. GCIC can be reached by phone at 404-244-2639. Their office is at 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. GCIC records cover arrests, charges, and dispositions statewide, which is useful if a person has moved between counties.
Note: Chattooga County does not appear to offer an online inmate roster, so direct contact with the sheriff's office is the most reliable approach for current custody information.
State Prison Lookups Through GDC
If someone was convicted and sent to a state facility after being held at the Chattooga County jail, their records move to the Georgia Department of Corrections. The GDC runs a separate offender search for people in state prisons. County jail records stay with the county, while state prison records live in the GDC system.
Use the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search to find state inmates connected to Chattooga County cases.
The GDC search covers inmates at state prisons, not the local Chattooga County detention center in Summerville.
If you need written verification of a state offender's record, send a written request to: Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. This is useful when you need something more formal than an online search result.
VINE Notification Service for Chattooga County
The VINE service is available for victims and family members who want to track an inmate's custody status in Chattooga County. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. You register for the service, and it alerts you automatically when an offender is released, transferred, or has a status change. The service is free and runs around the clock.
VINE pulls live data from county jail systems, so it is more current than many manual checks. If you are waiting for someone to be released or need to know when they move to a different facility, VINE is worth using. You can register on the VINE website or call their support line for help setting up an account.
Open Records Rights in Georgia
Georgia's Open Records Act covers most jail and booking records. You have the right to request these documents from the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office without having to explain your reason. The agency must respond within three business days. If they claim an exemption, they must provide a written explanation citing the specific law that applies.
Common exemptions under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 include records related to ongoing investigations or certain information about victims. Booking photos are generally public records. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, there are some limits on commercial use of booking photos, but the photos themselves are available in most cases. If you need one for a specific record, ask the sheriff's office directly.
Court Records in Chattooga County
Booking records and court records serve different purposes. A booking shows an arrest happened. A court record shows what happened in the legal case that followed. You can look up case information through Georgia Courts. The Chattooga County Superior Court clerk in Summerville handles criminal case filings for the county.
If someone wants to restrict or correct a criminal history record, the process goes through the GBI under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. The First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60) may allow some records to be sealed if the person met the program's conditions. These are matters for a qualified attorney to advise on, not something to navigate alone. The GBI's GCIC FAQ has details on how criminal records work in Georgia.
Review Georgia Sheriffs Association jail statistics to understand statewide booking and inmate trends affecting Chattooga County.
The association reports show that as of January 2026, about 67.9% of Georgia county jail inmates are awaiting trial, meaning most people in booking records have not yet had their day in court.
JailATM Inmate Services
Family members trying to stay in contact with someone held at the Chattooga County jail can check JailATM for services like sending money or messages to inmates. JailATM connects to many county detention systems and can confirm whether an inmate is reachable through their platform. It does not replace the official booking record search, but it can be a useful supplement when you just need to make contact or send funds.
Nearby Counties
Chattooga County is in northwest Georgia. Arrests near county lines may be processed in a neighboring county. Check these nearby county pages if needed: