Dalton Records Lookup
Dalton is the county seat of Whitfield County in northwest Georgia and keeps a range of public records that are open for a people search. The City Clerk serves as the official Open Records Officer and handles all requests for city files. Whitfield County manages the larger court system, including Superior Court and State Court. Together, city and county offices give you access to police records, court files, city documents, and property data tied to people in Dalton. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 makes most of these records available for inspection or copying.
Dalton Quick Facts
Dalton Open Records Search
The City Clerk is the designated Open Records Officer for the City of Dalton. You can submit a request through the Dalton Open Records Request form online. Email and in-person requests work too. The city is dedicated to complying with the Georgia Open Records Act, and staff must respond within three business days to let you know if the documents you asked for are available.
Copies cost ten cents per page. After the first 15 minutes, the city can charge for staff time spent searching and pulling records. Be specific about what you need. Vague requests slow things down and can cost more. For Whitfield County records that are not city-specific, you need to go through the county clerk's office instead. The Dalton City Clerk can point you in the right direction if your request falls outside city files.
Note: Email the City Clerk at bsmith@daltonga.gov for questions about the open records process in Dalton.
Dalton Police Records Section
The Dalton Police Department Records Section is on the first floor of the Public Safety Building at 301 Jones Street, Dalton, GA 30720. The records phone number is 706-278-9085. You can get incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records from this office.
The Dalton Police Records Section page explains how to get copies of police reports and what the process looks like.
Traffic accident reports are also available through BuyCrash.com if you prefer an online option. For other police records, you can visit in person or submit a request via the police report request form online. The Police Department and Municipal Court share the same building, so you can handle both kinds of records in one trip. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the city has three days to respond to your request for Dalton police records.
Search Dalton Municipal Court
The Dalton Municipal Court handles traffic citations and city ordinance cases. It is at 301 Jones Street, Dalton, GA 30720. Call 706-278-1913 with questions. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Records from this court can show names, case numbers, and outcomes for people in Dalton.
You can pay citations online through the official City of Dalton website. For a copy of a court record, submit a request through the city's central open records portal. Municipal court records are public under Georgia law. They are a useful tool for a people search in Dalton because they cover local violations and traffic cases that would not show up in the county court system.
The City of Dalton website is the main hub for all department links. From there you can reach the police department page, the municipal court, and the city clerk's office.
Whitfield County Court Records
Whitfield County runs the Superior and State Courts that serve Dalton. The Whitfield County Clerk of Superior Court is the primary source for civil and criminal court records in the area. The online portal lets you search by case number, name, or citation number. Superior Court covers felonies, divorces, and major civil cases. State Court takes misdemeanors and smaller civil matters.
For a thorough people search in Dalton, check both the city municipal court records and the Whitfield County court system. The county records go deeper. Property records are available through the Whitfield County Tax Commissioner and can help you find names tied to addresses in the Dalton area. The Whitfield County government site has links to all county offices and services.
You can also use the statewide GSCCCA search tool to look up property records, liens, and deeds across all Georgia counties including Whitfield County, which serves the Dalton area.
The GSCCCA pulls data from every county in the state. Search by name and you can find real estate transfers, liens, and other property records that connect to a person in Dalton. This tool is free for basic searches.
Dalton Contact Information
Main addresses and phone numbers for a Dalton people search:
- City Hall: 300 W. Waugh Street, Dalton, GA 30720
- Main Phone: 706-278-9500
- City Clerk: 706-278-9500
- Municipal Court: 706-278-1913
- Police Records: 706-278-9085
- City Clerk Email: bsmith@daltonga.gov
O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists the types of records that are exempt from public access in Georgia. Most city records in Dalton are open. If you are not sure whether a record is public, ask the City Clerk. They will let you know what can be released and what falls under an exemption. Staff are helpful and used to handling these requests.
Dalton County Resources
Dalton is in Whitfield County. There is no dedicated Whitfield County page on this site, but you can reach the county clerk and court system through the links above. For the most thorough people search, use both city and county records together.