Paulding County Jail Records

Paulding County booking reports are public records kept by the Paulding County Sheriff's Office in Dallas, Georgia. Each time someone is arrested and brought to the county jail, the staff create a booking record that captures the charges, the date and time of arrest, and the person's identifying information. Georgia law makes these records available to the public, and residents can search them to find out who is in custody at the Paulding County Jail.

The Paulding County Sheriff and Jail Records

Georgia law places jail management and record-keeping squarely with the sheriff. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the sheriff runs the county jail and is responsible for the records generated there. Paulding County has grown rapidly over the past two decades, and the jail sees a steady flow of bookings from multiple law enforcement agencies operating in the county.

Arrests in Paulding County can come from the sheriff's office, the Dallas Police Department, the Hiram Police Department, and other municipal agencies. The Georgia State Patrol also operates in the area. All of these agencies bring arrestees to the same county jail, so the booking records at the Paulding County Jail are the central collection point for all local arrest activity.

Paulding County has its own judicial circuit, meaning the Superior Court that handles felony cases is based in Dallas. Circuit court clerks maintain court records separately from the jail's booking records.

How to Search Paulding County Booking Records

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office is the place to start when you want booking records. You can call the jail to ask about current inmates, and staff can confirm whether a specific person is in custody. For a more detailed search or for past records, a written Open Records Act request gives you the formal route.

Georgia's Open Records Act requires agencies to respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, you may be charged for staff time at a reasonable rate. Copies cost extra. You do not have to explain why you want the records.

Online tools can speed things up. VINE lets you look up current Paulding County inmates and register for alerts when their status changes. JailATM is another platform that aggregates jail roster data from participating counties in Georgia. These are good starting points before making a formal records request.

What Paulding County Booking Reports Show

A typical booking record from the Paulding County Jail includes the person's name, date of birth, home address if given, booking date and time, the specific charges entered at intake, which agency made the arrest, and the bond status. Mugshots are part of the booking process and are generally public. Georgia's rules for booking photo disclosure are in O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19.

Booking records may also note whether holds from other agencies are in place. An immigration hold, for example, means federal authorities have asked the jail to keep the person even if they would otherwise be released. A warrant hold means another county or state wants to pick them up. These details all appear in the booking file and are part of the public record for adults.

Note: Charges listed at booking are what the arresting officer entered. Prosecutors may later change, add, or drop charges as the case develops.

Public Access Under Georgia Law

Georgia treats adult arrest records as public. The Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 sets the framework, and the exemptions at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 are specific and limited. Active investigation files and victim personal data are the main things that agencies can keep from public view. The basic fact of an arrest, the booking information, and the charges are all open.

Paulding County has seen its population grow faster than many Georgia counties, which means more people interacting with the jail system. Public access to booking records gives residents a way to stay informed about law enforcement activity in their community. It also creates accountability for the agencies that make arrests.

Georgia Statewide Jail Data

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association tracks jail population data across the state. In January 2026, Georgia's county jails held about 25,487 people. Roughly 67.9 percent of those were awaiting trial, meaning they had not been convicted of anything yet. Paulding County's jail population reflects similar patterns, with a large share of inmates being pretrial detainees who could not post bond or were held without bond by a judge.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association report shows how pretrial detention drives county jail numbers, including in fast-growing counties like Paulding.

Record Restriction and First Offender Cases

Georgia law gives people tools to limit public access to old arrest records in some situations. The record restriction process under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 applies when charges were dismissed, the person was acquitted, or other qualifying conditions exist. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 lets first-time offenders complete a sentence without carrying a conviction, and the record can later be sealed if everything goes as required.

These protections are not automatic. A person has to petition the court, and the court grants or denies the restriction. Once granted, agencies like the sheriff's office and the GBI should no longer show that record in public searches. But private data brokers and third-party websites sometimes lag behind in updating their databases. Anyone dealing with a restricted record that keeps showing up should get legal advice specific to their situation.

Note: Paulding County's court clerk and the Superior Court handle restriction petitions, not the sheriff's office.

Nearby Counties

Paulding County is in northwest metro Atlanta, bordered by several other counties.