Wilkes County Background Information
Wilkes County is located in the state of Georgia. In 2020, Wilkes County had a population of 9,565, as stated by a local census. The seat in Wilkes County is Washington.
The county was founded on February 5, 1777.
Wilkes County, named for British politician and supporter of American independence, John Wilkes, is considered Georgia's first county established by European Americans.
Wilkes County Arrest Records
Every arrest record in Wilkes County is kept and maintained. All Wilkes County arrests are put into property crime or violent crime category. There were 84 violent and 153 property crimes in the year 2021 in Wilkes County. Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office can be contacted at:
Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office
225 Andrew Drive
Washington, GA 30673
Phone: (706) 678-2224
Fax: (706) 678-1300
Wilkes County Criminal Records
Wilkes County keeps records of criminal activities in the form of criminal records. These records cover murders, rapes, burglaries, arson, motor vehicle theft, assaults, and crimes of sexual nature. There are continuously updated criminal records in Wilkes County, including jail and inmate records. The records can be accessed by residents by using a search tool. Wilkes County inhabitants can use the tool to search for any person in jail or on release.
The Police in Wilkes County is required to keep an updated list of all sex offenders in the area. These include those attending school and those incarcerated within Wilkes County. The members of the public in Wilkes County have the fundamental right to view this register. Therefore, residents in Wilkes County can search for any offender near their home. Residents must simply enter their desired zip code into the search tool. The search tool will then list each offender found within a radius of that location. Specific offenders can also be searched for. The search tool is also programmed to provide incarcerated and non-compliant offenders with the results.
Wilkes County Court Records
In Wilkes County, the county courthouse oversees all criminal, family, and civil cases. Wilkes County court records are maintained by the court clerk. Members of the public in Wilkes County can purchase court records at:
Wilkes County Courthouse
Clerk: Genna Grimaud
23 Court Street
Room 205
Washington, GA 30673
Phone: (706) 678-2423
Fax: (706) 678-2115
If one party contests a case in Georgia, including Wilkes County, the Court of Appeals may review it. Including Wilkes County, these lower courts refer to the 159 superior and trial courts across the 159 Georgia counties.
NOTE - Normal records can be sent via email, fax, or mail to Wilkes County. Official records in Wilkes County, meanwhile, can only be sent via mail.
Wilkes County Public Records
Vital records are kept on every person in the state of Georgia, including Wilkes County. These vital records document every resident in Wilkes County and their key life events. The main four record types are birth, death, marriage, and divorce. Wilkes County plays a pivotal role in collecting these vital records. Counties are often charged with collecting documents and passing on copies to the state government. Individual counties such as Wilkes County are currently in charge of storing all relevant marriage records. Throughout history, counties like Wilkes County have also been in charge of collecting birth and death records. The files that Wilkes County would have collected on these include birth certificates, death certificates, divorce decrees, marriage licenses, divorce certificates, marriage certificates, and more. One central registry holds all vital state records, including those from Wilkes County. They can later be used for statistical analysis.
Wilkes County vital records can be copied and accessed by members of the public, as is their right. Wilkes County residents can access and copy these files, thanks to the 1959 Open Records Act. Changes were made to the 1959 Open Records Act in 2012. Residents in Wilkes County can obtain public records at:
Wilkes County Clerk’s Office
Clerk : Karen Burton
23 Court Street
Room 422
Washington, GA 30673
Phone: (706) 678-2523
Fax: (706) 678-4854
Email: countyclerk@wilkescountyga.org
However, Wilkes County records do come at a cost. For example, birth certificates in Wilkes County cost $25 for the first copy and $5 for any extra copy ordered at the same time. Death certificates in Wilkes County will set a person back $25 for a first copy and $5 for each after.
NOTE - The office opens between 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. Those looking to request documents must also bring some form of photo identification. Acceptable IDs include a driver's license or state ID. Requests to access public records must be made in writing in Wilkes County.
