Terrell County Booking Reports and Jail Records

Terrell County booking reports are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Dawson and are open to the public under Georgia's Open Records Act. These records document each person booked into the Terrell County Jail, including the charges and the date of arrest. If you need to look up a recent arrest or find out if someone is currently in custody in Terrell County, the sheriff's office in Dawson is the right place to start.

How to Access Terrell County Booking Records

The Terrell County Sheriff's Office in Dawson is the primary keeper of all local jail booking records. Every time someone is processed into custody, staff record the person's name, date of birth, charges filed, and the time of booking. This becomes the public jail docket. You can visit the sheriff's office during regular hours and ask to look at the docket. In-person inspections do not require an appointment.

To get copies mailed or emailed to you, send a written Open Records request to the Terrell County Sheriff's Office. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq., the agency must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of staff search time is free. A reasonable fee may apply for time beyond that. Direct your request to the Open Records Officer at the Dawson office by mail or email.

A booking record documents an arrest. It is not a guilty verdict.

What Is in a Terrell County Jail Record

State law defines what every Georgia county jail must record for each person in custody. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the Terrell County Sheriff must log each inmate's name, age, sex, race, the charges, and the booking and release dates. This requirement covers all people held in the jail, no matter how briefly. The docket is a continuous public record that covers all people processed through the facility.

The record may also show bond amounts, release or transfer information, and the arresting agency. Some entries include a booking photo. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19, law enforcement agencies in Georgia cannot share booking photos with commercial sites that charge fees for removing them. The Terrell County Sheriff's Office follows this state requirement.

Georgia Department of Corrections Records

If someone has been convicted and is serving a sentence in a Georgia state prison, they will not appear in Terrell County's local booking records. The Georgia Department of Corrections maintains a separate system for state prisoners. The county jail and GDC operate independently. State-sentenced inmates are tracked by GDC, not the local sheriff.

Use the GDC offender search to look up state prison inmates by name or GDC number. The GDC query form offers more search options. Certified copies of state prison records can be requested by writing to Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. The GDC is entirely separate from anything the Terrell County Sheriff handles.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association reported 25,487 county jail inmates in January 2026, with 67.9% still awaiting trial. Monthly updates are at georgiasheriffs.org.

Use the GDC portal for state prison records. For Terrell County Jail booking information, go to the sheriff's office in Dawson.

GBI GCIC Criminal History Records

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the Georgia Crime Information Center. GCIC holds statewide criminal history data from all Georgia counties and agencies. It is more comprehensive than a single county's jail docket. GCIC can show a person's arrest history, charges filed, and court outcomes across many counties. If you need a complete criminal history rather than one recent booking, GCIC is where to look.

Contact the GBI GCIC office at 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. Phone: 404-244-2639. Appointments are required. The GBI FAQ page covers what documents to bring and how to schedule your visit. This process is separate from requesting local booking records from the Terrell County Sheriff in Dawson.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some GCIC records can be restricted. Charges ending in dismissal or acquittal may be sealed from public access under certain conditions.

VINE Notifications and Open Records

VINE is a free service that sends automatic alerts when an inmate's status changes. If someone is released from the Terrell County Jail, transferred, or escapes, VINE notifies people who signed up. Alerts go out by phone, text, or email. You do not need to call the jail to find out. Register at VINELink.com for free, or call to register. VINE covers all Georgia county jails including Terrell County.

After an arrest, court records become relevant. The Georgia Courts website lists hearings, charges formally entered, and case outcomes. That lets you follow a Terrell County case from booking through the court system.

Georgia's Open Records Act — O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 — gives any person the right to inspect jail booking records at the Terrell County Sheriff's Office. Most booking data is available without a special reason. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, narrow exceptions allow denial when specific conditions are met. A written explanation must accompany any denial.

GCIC holds statewide criminal history data that covers Terrell County arrests and goes beyond what the local jail docket shows.

Nearby Counties

Each surrounding county keeps its own booking records. Use these links to find records near Terrell County.