Clay County Background Information
Clay County is a county in the state of Georgia. According to a local census, Clay County had 2,848 total people in 2020. The seat in Clay County is Fort Gaines.
The county was founded on February 16, 1854.
The county is named in honor of Henry Clay.
Clay County Arrest Records
In Clay County, arrest records are also kept on each crime within the jurisdictional area. These crimes are separated into two main categories, violent crimes, and property crimes. There were 8 violent and 12 property crimes in 2019. Clay County Sheriff’s Office can be contacted at:
Clay County Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff: Locke Shivers
124 Thomas Street, Suite 1
Fort Gaines, GA 39851
Phone: (229) 768-2505
Fax: (229) 768-3471
Clay County Criminal Records
Clay County records criminal activities in the form of criminal records. These records cover murders, rapes, burglaries, arson, motor vehicle theft, assaults, and crimes of sexual nature. Criminal records are frequently updated in Clay County, including inmate and jail records. Residents can access the records by using a search tool. Clay County habitants can use the tool to search for any person in jail or on release.
Just like across the whole of Georgia, the Clay County police are required to keep an up-to-date list of all sex offenders within their jurisdiction. These also include any person incarcerated, working, or attending school in the area. This register is made available to the public, as is the right of those living in Clay County. Residents of Clay County can look up any offender near their home, as is their right. Using the tools, a user simply enters their home's zip code or an address they would like to use as their focal point. The search tool will then tell the user each offender located within the area. Specific offenders can also be searched, such as incarcerated and non-compliant offenders.
Clay County Court Records
In Clay County, the county courthouse is in place to oversee all family, criminal, and civil cases. Clay County court records are maintained by the court clerk. Residents in Clay County can obtain court records at:
Clay County Courthouse
210 Washington Street South
Suite 3
Fort Gaines, GA 39851
Phone: (229) 768-2631
Fax: (229) 768-3047
In Clay County and across the state of Georgia, the Court of Appeals can review any case in which one party has contested. The lower courts refer to the 159 superior and trial courts across the 159 Georgia counties, including Clay County.
NOTE - Usually, records can be sent via fax, email, or mail in Clay County. However, any official or certified records in Clay County can only be delivered via mail.
Clay County Public Records
Each and every resident in Clay County has vital records kept on them. The vital records in question relate to a person's milestone life events. These vital records often refer to a person's birth, death, marriage, divorce, and more. Thes vital record collection is assisted by Clay County. Clay County will collect all vital records and then pass them onto the state. Individual counties such as Clay County are currently in charge of storing all relevant marriage records. County offices, such as the one in Clay County, were also in charge of collecting birth and death records through Georgia’s history. The vital files that counties such as Clay County help or have helped with include birth certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, marriage licenses, divorce certificates, marriage certificates, and more. In the state of Georgia, every one of these vital records is stored together in one central registry. All vital records, including those from Clay County, can be used for future statistical analysis.
Clay County vital records can be copied and accessed by members of the public, as is their right. This is because the state of Georgia passed the Open Records Act back in 1959, giving members of the public the fundamental right to access any and all public records. Changes were made to the 1959 Open Records Act in 2012. Public records in Clay County can be accessed at:
Clay County Clerk’s Office
210 Washington Street South
Suite 3
Fort Gaines, GA 39851
Phone: (229) 768-2631
Fax: (229) 768-3047
NOTE - Be aware that the office only opens between 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. A valid photo ID is needed if a person wishes to obtain records - for example, a driver's license or state ID. Clay County residents must also put the request for public records access in writing.
Clay County records come at a cost. The first birth record copy in Clay County is $25, then $5 for each extra copy. The first death record copy costs $25, with each additional copy costing an extra $5.
