Wilcox County Background Check

A Wilcox County background check is handled at the Sheriff's Office in Abbeville. Wilcox County is a small, rural county in south-central Georgia with a population under 9,000. Sheriff Jeffrey Wessel leads the department. The office processes criminal history requests by searching local records and the statewide database through the Georgia Crime Information Center. State tools from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also include Wilcox County records, providing additional options for people who want a wider search or fingerprint-based results.

Wilcox County Sheriff's Office

The Wilcox County Sheriff's Office is at 126 Main Street East, Abbeville, GA 31001. Sheriff Jeffrey Wessel runs the office. Call 229-567-2322 to ask about background check procedures. Walk-in visits are the standard way to request a check. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. A driver's license or state ID card is acceptable. Social Security cards alone are not valid identification. Provide your full name, date of birth, sex, race, and Social Security number to process the search.

Staff runs name-based searches through Wilcox County records and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Wilcox County is small, so the local record volume is limited. Searches can come back quickly because of this. If the state system pulls additional records needing review, there may be a short delay. Call ahead before visiting. Small offices sometimes have reduced hours or close without much warning. The staff can tell you what the fee is and how to pay.

Wilcox County is part of the Cordele Judicial Circuit. Cases from superior court, state court, and magistrate court all contribute to the criminal record pool.

Wilcox County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Wilcox County come from cases in the Cordele Judicial Circuit. Felony cases go through superior court in Abbeville. Misdemeanors land in state court. Magistrate court covers preliminary hearings. All courts feed records into the public system. The clerk of superior court at the Wilcox County courthouse keeps files open for public review. Anyone can walk in during business hours to look through dockets and read case documents.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, Georgia law allows citizens to request criminal history records. The fee cap is $20 per search. Not all records appear, though. The First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60) permits some people to seal their conviction after finishing their sentence. Sealed records will not show up in a Wilcox County background check. Felony convictions are much harder to seal and usually stay on the record for years.

Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 can also keep records hidden. This replaced the old expungement system. Cases dismissed or ending in acquittal may qualify for restriction. The same statute caps the personal record inspection fee at $15.

Note: For a small county like Wilcox, the local record set may be limited, so state tools can fill in gaps that the sheriff's office might not cover.

State Check Resources

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation manages the central criminal history database for all of Georgia. Wilcox County arrests and convictions feed into this system. State searches do not require a trip to Abbeville.

The Georgia Felon Search is the quickest state option. It costs $15 per name. Enter the name and get email results instantly. Only felony convictions show. No misdemeanors, no pending charges, no arrest-only records. The search covers Wilcox County and every other county in the state. The Felon Search FAQ page explains the limits.

For a complete picture, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGO searches state and federal databases using biometric data. This is the most thorough option. Results take one to two business days. It costs more than a name-based check. Wilcox County residents would need to travel to Cordele, Fitzgerald, or another nearby city for a fingerprinting appointment.

This screenshot shows the GCIC portal where Wilcox County records are submitted and retrieved as part of the statewide criminal history system.

Wilcox County Check Fees

The Wilcox County Sheriff's Office charges for background checks under the $20 state cap set by O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34(d.3). Call 229-567-2322 to confirm. Ask about accepted payment methods too. Small offices may only take cash or money orders. The Georgia Felon Search is $15 online. GAPS fingerprint checks have a higher fee that includes the IdentoGO service charge.

If you need to inspect your own criminal record, the fee is up to $15 under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. This is for reviewing your personal criminal history to spot errors or outdated entries. It is separate from a standard background check.

Requesting a Wilcox County Check

Visit the Wilcox County Sheriff's Office at 126 Main Street East in Abbeville during business hours. Bring your photo ID and the information listed above. Staff processes the search through local and state records. Clean results can come back quickly. Records with hits take longer to compile.

Mail requests may work if the office allows them. Call to find out. Include your full name, date of birth, a copy of your photo ID, and a money order for the fee. Do not mail cash. Expect a longer turnaround for mail requests. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association verifies contact details for Sheriff Wessel and all Georgia county sheriffs.

Wilcox County Contact

• Wilcox County Sheriff's Office: 126 Main Street East, Abbeville, GA 31001
• Phone: 229-567-2322
• Sheriff: Jeffrey Wessel
• County Seat: Abbeville
• Judicial Circuit: Cordele

Wilcox County is a small rural county in south-central Georgia. The sheriff's office handles law enforcement and public record services for the entire county. The courthouse in Abbeville also has the clerk of superior court for court file searches.

Cities in Wilcox County

Wilcox County has no cities large enough for a separate page on this site. Abbeville is the county seat. All Wilcox County background check requests are processed at the sheriff's office.

Nearby Counties

Wilcox County borders several south-central Georgia counties. If your search extends past Wilcox County, these nearby pages may help.