White County Background Information
White County is located in the State of Georgia. In 2020, White County had a total population of 28,003. The seat in White County is Cleveland.
The county was created on December 22, 1857.
The county was named for Newton County Representative David T. White, who helped a Habersham representative successfully attain passage of an act creating the new county.
White County Arrest Records
In White County, arrest records are also kept on each crime within the jurisdictional area. These crimes are broken into two main categorizations, violent crime and property crime. There were 28 violent and 163 property crimes in 2021.
White County Sheriff's Office
Sheriff: Rick Kelley
1210 Hulsey Road
Cleveland, GA 30528
Phone: (706) 865-5177
Fax: (706) 865-6977
Email: rkelley@whitecounty.net
White County Criminal Records
White County records their criminal activity in the form of criminal records. These records cover murders, rapes, burglaries, arson, motor vehicle theft, assaults, and crimes of a sexual nature. Criminal records are continually updated in White County, including inmate and jail records. A search tool can allow members of the public in White County to access criminal records. White County habitants can use this tool to search for any person in jail or on release.
In White County, as well as the entire state of Georgia, the police are required to maintain an up-to-date register of all sex offenders in the area. This does not include only people living in White County, but also those working, attending school, and incarcerated too. The public can view this register in White County. People can then use this register to search for any offender near their home. The search tool allows residents to perform these searches. The search is performed after the user enters a zip code. Within a given radius, the search tool will then reveal each individual offender in the area. One can also search for specific offenders. These include non-compliant and incarcerated offenders.
White County Court Records
In White County, all criminal, family, and civil cases are overseen by the county courthouse. Each individual court record in White County is maintained by the court clerk. To obtain these court records in White County, people must enquire at:
White County Courthouse
Dena Adams, Clerk
59 South Main Street
Suite B
Cleveland, GA 30528
Hours:
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday
Phone: (706) 865-2613
Fax: (706) 865-7749
Email: dadams@whitecounty.net
In the state of Georgia, the Court of Appeals has the power to oversee any lower court case in which one party appeals. The courts overseen by the Court of Appeals include the 159 superior and trial courts in the 159 Georgia counties, like White County.
NOTE - Regular court records in White County can usually be delivered by mail, email, or fax once payment is received. Meanwhile, official records in White County can only be sent by mail.
White County Public Records
Vital records are kept on each resident in the state of Georgia. These vital records document each individual person in White County and their key life events. These vital records often refer to a person's birth, death, marriage, divorce, and more. White County helps the state of Georgia in collecting these vital records. In Georgia, counties such as White County are often in charge of collecting the records and passing them on to the state. Counties like White County store all marriage records in Georgia. In the past, White County has also been in charge of collecting birth and death records. The records that White County helps to collect or maintain 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. White County records can then be used for statistical analysis.
White 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. The most recent amendment to this law came in 2012. Public records in White County can be obtained at:
White County Clerk’s Office
Clerk: Shanda Murphy
1235 Helen Highway
Cleveland, GA 30528
Phone: (706) 865-2235
Fax: (706) 865-1324
Email: smurphy@whitecounty.net
However, White County does come at a cost. Any birth record in White County will cost $25, and an extra $5 for any added copies. Death certificates in White County will set a requester back $25 for a first copy and $5 for each after.
NOTE - Anyone looking to obtain records in-person should be aware that the office opens between 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Photo ID must also be shown if a person wants to request files. This could include a driver’s license or state ID. Record seekers must also put their request in writing in White County.