Schley County Booking Reports

Schley County booking reports are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Ellaville and are public records under Georgia's Open Records Act. These records show who has been booked into the Schley County Jail, the charges filed, and the dates of arrest and booking. If you need to find out whether someone is currently in custody or was recently arrested in Schley County, the sheriff's office is your first stop for that information.

How to Access Schley County Jail Records

The Schley County Sheriff's Office in Ellaville is the main source for local booking records. When someone is arrested in Schley County, staff record the person's name, date of birth, charges, and the exact time of booking. This data becomes part of the jail docket, which is open to the public. You can go in person to the sheriff's office during business hours and ask to see the docket. No appointment is needed for a routine inspection.

If you cannot go in person, you can submit a written Open Records request. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq., Georgia agencies have three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of staff search time is free. Beyond that, the agency may charge for time spent. Send your request by mail or email addressed to the Open Records Officer at the Schley County Sheriff's Office.

A booking record shows an arrest happened. It does not mean the person was convicted.

What Schley County Booking Records Show

Each entry in the Schley County Jail docket follows the standards set by state law. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the sheriff must keep a record of every person booked into the jail. That record includes the person's name, age, sex, race, the charges, and the dates of booking and release. These details are required regardless of how long the person stays in custody.

The record may also show bond amount, whether the person was released or transferred, and which agency made the arrest. Some entries include a booking photo. Georgia restricts how agencies share those photos publicly. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, law enforcement agencies cannot provide booking images to commercial mugshot websites that charge fees for removal. That rule applies in Schley County just as it does statewide.

Georgia Department of Corrections and Schley County

If someone has been sentenced to state prison rather than held in the local jail, you will not find them in Schley County's booking records. State prisoners are tracked by the Georgia Department of Corrections. The GDC database covers people serving sentences in state facilities, not those waiting for trial in county jail.

The GDC offender search lets you look up by name or GDC number. You can also use the GDC query form for additional search options. For certified records, write to Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. This is separate from anything kept by the Schley County Sheriff's Office.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association tracks jail population data statewide. As of January 2026, Georgia county jails held 25,487 inmates, with roughly 67.9% still awaiting trial. You can view current data at georgiasheriffs.org.

The GDC portal covers state prison inmates. For people in the Schley County Jail, contact the Ellaville sheriff's office directly.

GBI Criminal History Records

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, known as GCIC. This system holds criminal history records from across the entire state. It goes beyond what any single county jail docket contains. A GCIC record can show arrests, charges, and court outcomes from multiple counties over many years.

You can request a GCIC review through the GBI GCIC office at 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. The phone number is 404-244-2639. Reviews are by appointment only, so check the GBI FAQ page first to understand what you need to bring and how to schedule. This is a different process from asking the Schley County Sheriff's Office for its local docket.

Note: Records in GCIC may include dismissed charges. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some entries can be restricted from public view if the case ended in dismissal or acquittal.

VINE Victim Notification in Schley County

VINE is a free service that sends automatic alerts when an inmate's custody status changes. If someone is released from the Schley County Jail, transferred to another facility, or escapes, registered users receive a call, text, or email notification right away. This is most useful for crime victims who want to stay informed without having to call the jail repeatedly.

Register at VINELink.com at no charge. You can also register by phone. The service covers all Georgia counties, including Schley County. Once you sign up, the system handles the rest automatically. You do not need to check in manually to get updates.

The Georgia Courts website can help you track a case through the court system once a booking has been made. Court case records show what happened after the arrest, including charges filed, hearings scheduled, and outcomes.

Georgia Open Records Act in Schley County

The Georgia Open Records Act gives any person the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies. The Schley County Sheriff's Office must comply with this law. Jail dockets, booking logs, and arrest records are public records under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. The law applies to all Georgia counties, big and small, including Schley County.

Some records can be withheld. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, an agency may deny access if releasing the record would harm an active investigation or put someone at risk. These exemptions are narrow. Most routine booking data is available without restriction. If the sheriff's office denies a request, it must do so in writing and explain which exemption applies.

For most requests, the process in Schley County is simple. Visit the office, ask for the docket, and you can review it on site. Formal written requests are mainly needed when you want copies sent to you or when the records require more research time.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association report gives context on statewide jail capacity and population trends that apply across counties like Schley.

Nearby Counties

Booking records for neighboring areas are maintained by each county's sheriff's office. Use these links to find records in counties near Schley.