Walton County Arrest Records

Walton County arrest records are government files concerning arrests within the county. Such files contain data on arrested persons, charges, arresting agencies, and other related information.

Law enforcement officers make arrests when there is sufficient evidence that an individual committed a crime. They may also make arrests to prevent potential crimes against society, life, and property. In Walton County, arrested persons are detained at the county jail pending the outcome of further investigations.

Walton County’s local law enforcement entities are mostly responsible for creating records of arrests that occurred under their jurisdiction. They also save the records and release them upon requests from citizens.

Alternately, citizens may find Walton County arrest records in crime-related documents. For instance, Walton County court records may include information like arrest warrants and criminal charges.

Are Arrest Records Public in Walton County?

Walton County arrest records are publicly accessible unless they contain information that is legally exempt. The Georgia Open Records Act allows public members to get arrest records from designated government entities. In turn, the law requires these entities to release the records upon request from the public. Note that the entities may require certain information before releasing requested records. For instance, inquirers must provide the record subject names and arrest information to obtain records from the county sheriff’s office.

Under state laws, government entities must withhold or redact certain parts of arrest records. The exempted or redacted information, if released, will violate the privacy or safety of concerned parties. Examples of redacted arrest records in Walton County are:

• Personal information on confidential sources in a criminal investigation
• Records that are sealed or expunged due to a court order.
• Documents that contain information about pending or ongoing criminal investigations
• Record classified as confidential under state or federal statutes.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records provide information on the following:

• The arrestee’s full name, age, race, and gender
• Offense description
• Arresting agency
• Arrest date and location.

Walton County Arrest Statistics

As of October 2024, there were no statistics reports on arrests conducted within Walton County. However, the FBI UCR report revealed that Georgia’s law enforcement agencies documented a total of 59,704 arrests in 2019. The Walton County jail housed a total of 580 inmates as of October 24, 2024.

Find Walton County Arrest Records

Persons or entities can find Walton County arrest records by submitting a mail or in-person request to the county sheriff’s office. For email-based requests, inquirers must send details about the record to lora.stamey@co.walton.ga.us or kirstin.stovall@co.walton.ga.us. In contrast, the county sheriff attends to in-person requests during open hours at this address:

1425 South Madison Avenue
Monroe, GA 30655
Phone: (770) 267-6557

Walton County arrest records are also obtainable in inmate records. The record may include arrest information, such as the arrest charges, booking number, and bond amount. Interested parties can obtain the records by using online search sites that are maintained by local, state, and federal agencies.

At the local level, Walton County Jail hosts an inmate roster for all detained arrestees. The roster lists inmate names in alphabetical order. Inquirers must click on the inmate's name to view inmate information.

In contrast, the Georgia Department of Corrections maintains a search platform for inmates and parolees arrested in Walton County. To view inmate records, users may input the inmate's name or ID number.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, via the Inmate Locator portal, provides information on inmates incarcerated in federal correctional institutions. Inquirers may search inmate records by inputting the inmate's name or prison ID number.

Free Arrest Record Search in Walton County

In Walton County, interested parties can find free arrest records through resources provided by record custodians. For instance, you can view arrest records on these government-owned search sites:

• Walton County inmate roster
• The Georgia Department of Corrections Find an Offender platform
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator

The Walton County sheriff’s office may allow free viewing of arrest records at their physical location. To use this option, inquirers must submit a request in person during open hours. Note that the agency may charge fees for producing physical copies of requested documents. Walton County arrest reports cost $3 at the sheriff’s office.

Third-party search sites offer an alternative option for accessing free arrest records. The sites typically feature a user-friendly interface that enables users to conveniently find arrest information. In addition, some sites allow users to download arrest records directly from their devices. Nevertheless, third-party search sites are not reliable sources for finding arrest records. They are unregulated and may not offer updated or accurate information.

Walton County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Walton County arrest records are different from criminal records in the following aspects:

The record content

Arrest records consist of data generated in relation to an arrest event. Such data may include the arrestee’s personal information, arrest date and location, charges, and the arresting agency’s name. In contrast, criminal records contain information on arrests, court indictment and disposition, and incarceration.

The social implication

Arrest records do not have a negative social implication since they do not indicate if the arrestee is guilty. However, this is not the same for criminal records. The records reveal that an offender was convicted of a crime, and this may lead to negative social implications like employment discrimination.

Record creation process and custodial agencies

Local law enforcement agencies mostly create arrest records after conducting an arrest. The agencies also serve as record custodians of these records and may disclose them to interested parties. However, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations generates criminal records by receiving crime-related information from different agencies. The agency is also a custodian of criminal records.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

In Walton County, arrest records for dismissed charges may expire after specific timeframes. For instance, information on dismissed misdemeanor and felony charges will expire after two and four years, respectively. Charges on violent or sexual charges will, however, expire after seven years.

Note that there is no expiration date for accessing arrest records that led to criminal convictions. Such records remain publicly accessible until they are sealed or expunged.

Expunge Walton County Arrest Records

In Walton County, expungement is a legal process for removing records from public spaces or domains. Arrestees can expunge arrest records by filing a petition with the prosecutor or arresting agency.

Who is eligible to expunge arrest records in Walton County?

Per O. C. G. A. § 35–3–37, arrestees can expunge arrest records under these conditions:

• They were released without being prosecuted by the court.
• It has been more than five years since you were convicted of an offense.
• The charges were dismissed, and no indictment or accusation was filed.

How to expunge arrest records in Walton County?

Eligible persons may be able to expunge Walton County arrest records with the following general steps:

Step 1: Collate the required documents

You must gather these documents:

• A copy of an arrest record or case file about the criminal conviction. You may obtain these records from the arresting agency and county court of competent jurisdiction, respectively.
• A completed Request to Restrict Arrest Record form. The arrestee must only fill out Section 1 of the form.
• The required fees for submitting the forms. The prosecutor’s office or arresting agency may charge $50 to process the request.

Step 2: Send the forms to the appropriate agency

Send the required documents to the arresting agency if the arrest occurred before July 1, 2023. The agency will fill out Section 2 on the request form before forwarding it to the prosecutor’s office. For arrests that occurred after July 1, 2023, arrestees must send the documents to the prosecutor’s office.

Step 3: The prosecutor’s office reviews the required documents

For approved requests, the prosecutor’s office will send the completed request form to the Georgia Criminal Information Center (GCIC) database. However, you may directly send the form if the prosecutor’s office does not have access to the GCIC database.

Walton County Arrest Warrants

In Walton County, arrest warrants are court documents that enable law enforcement officers to arrest suspected offenders. Court magistrates typically issue arrest warrants after receiving an affidavit or complaint from law enforcement agencies. The complaint or affidavit must provide sufficient proof of the defendant’s crimes or intention to commit one.

Arrest warrants issued in Walton County must include the following data:

• The defendant’s name and known aliases
• Date and location of the crime
• Offense description
• Crime victims’ information
• The court official’s signature.

Do Walton County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Walton County arrest warrants do not expire. However, they become nullified after the defendant is arrested or the court recalls them. Note that arrest warrants remain valid even after the statute of limitation for the crime has elapsed.