Georgia Mugshot Removal: Your Go-To Guide

October 11, 2023 Arrest Records | information removal | Mugshot Removal | remove mugshot

Navigating Your Path to a Clear Record with our Expert Georgia Mugshot Removal Services. Secure your peace of mind by connecting with our seasoned legal professionals at 844-935-1118

Saying the United States has a mass incarceration problem is not controversial. Yet, despite a general agreement on this, many still don’t see the problem with online mugshots. In fact, many of our clients asking for Georgia mugshot removal don’t know how much of a problem it is until it happens to them.

Before the rise of the Internet, many print newspapers incorporated a recent arrest column. Some included notable arrests other included all arrests in the local area. Sometimes these included booking photographs, but not always. Having a mugshot in the local print paper could hurt a person in the short term, but today’s paper becomes yesterday’s fish wrapper. In other words, the effects used to be short-term.

The digital era has significantly shifted the mugshot landscape, introducing unique challenges and obstacles. Our seasoned team leverages a rich understanding of these shifts, informed by 10+ years of experience and continuous study of legislative changes and digital reputation management trends.. Traditional print newspapers transitioned to digital platforms, uploading jail booking logs online. Subsequently, certain individuals, bypassing journalistic ethics, exploited this by monetizing these records, leveraging legal gaps to access and disseminate arrest records and mugshots broadly. These ‘entrepreneurs’ used loopholes in the Freedom of Information Act. They used these loopholes to access various county, state, and federal arrest records. They obtained individuals’ mugshots en masse and created whole websites. Anyone curious enough to search those websites could then view mugshots and the attached crime stories.

These individuals then profited off of other peoples’ pain via website ad revenue and charging ransom fees. In other words, they agreed to remove mugshots but only if the individual requesting paid $400 or more per website.

The Effects of Mugshot Websites

Now, mugshots transcend transient newsprint, persisting online indefinitely, often memorializing potentially unrepresentative moments in a person’s history. This complexity necessitates a nuanced and legally-sound approach to mugshot removal, which our specialists, trained in both legal frameworks and digital management, proficiently provide.

Understanding the Multifaceted Impact of Online Mugshots on Personal and Professional Life:

Online mugshots stigmatize individuals as criminals

An arrest does not equate to a guilty verdict. Furthermore, some events that led to an arrest are justifiable. Officials may also dismiss, downgrade, or find the individual not guilty of those charges. Yet, despite all of these potential outcomes from an arrest, too many bystanders will equate an arrest with criminality.

An online mugshot can hurt a person’s chance of finding a place to live

While technically, landlords cannot refuse to rent to prospective tenants arrested but not convicted; it’s hard to prove if they did. All things equal, a landlord who looks up a person’s name and sees their mugshot as the first hit is more likely to choose another prospective tenant.

An online mugshot can hurt a person’s chance of finding work

Same story. In most cases, employers can’t pass on an applicant for this. But employers find loopholes. Many of our clients suspect an online mugshot hurt one or more of their employment opportunities.

An online mugshot can hurt a person’s social life

Yes, a person should be fully honest with friends and community members. They should especially be honest with someone they want to spend the rest of their life with. However, it should be up to the individual to choose when to make that disclosure. Having an online mugshot that someone who just met you can find can hurt one’s chances at letting the relationship develop naturally.

Ransom fees can cause undue financial burdens to individuals

Finally, those websites that agreed to remove mugshots for a fee cause an undue financial burden. This is because when a person is newly released, they often don’t have the finances to pay the $400+ fee these websites charge. Plus, paying that fee only resolves one website. Some webmaster hosts own multiple websites and charge individuals the same high fee for each website. This can lead a person to be thousands of dollars in debt just trying to get their life back.

Georgia Mugshot Removal: How to Save Your Reputation

Georgia state representatives recognized the long-term harm mugshot websites were doing to their citizens. They reacted by passing some really exciting legislation. Legislation that every Georgia resident should know of.

In 2013, a significant stride was made with the enactment of Georgia’s inaugural mugshot removal law, officially cited as O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19. This legislation introduced pivotal criteria for mugshot removal, addressing various case scenarios, and offering a protective framework for individuals seeking reprieve from online mugshot visibility. For an in-depth exploration of the law, refer to the official documentation.

The criteria for the 2013 free mugshot removal includes:

• The courts restricted access to the arrestee’s charges, such as by sealing the cases
• The arresting law enforcement agency dropped charges, closed the case, or otherwise never passed the case on to an attorney
• The statute of limitations expired without prosecution
• The prosecuting attorney dismissed the case and the charges
• The individual pled the charges down to a listed minor offense and all terms of probation were completed
• The judge or jury gave a not guilty verdict

If an individual meets any of the above criteria then they can request for mugshot removal under the 2013 law. To do so, they must send the request via certified mail. That request must include a full name, birth date, arrest date, and the arresting police department or officer. Any site that doesn’t remove the mugshot within 30 days is subject to fines and civil suits.

What to Know About the 2014 Georgia Mugshot Law

The 2013 law is great but it does have some limitations. To remedy those limitations, the Georgia legislature passed another mugshot removal law the following year. This law bans law enforcement agencies from taking mugshots and posting them online. It also prevents other commercial agencies from posting information online.

More specifically, this law includes the following important stipulations:

• It covers all mugshots or booking photographs taken by any law enforcement agency. Specifically, for the purpose of identifying an individual during processing.
• It prevents anyone publishing copies of those mugshots. Specifically, in any commercial publication or website where removal of the mugshot requires a fee.
• Any individual requesting a mugshot must agree that they are not doing so with the purpose of publishing commercially.
• Any law enforcement officer or individual who knowingly goes against that statement is guilty of breaking the 2014 Georgia mugshot removal law.

Need Help? Get the Georgia Mugshot Removal Professionals On Your Side

Georgia representatives have certainly started working for the people with these two laws. All the people. However, both these laws still have limitations. For example, if a mugshot website not based in Georgia posts your image and arrest record, there is nothing the state can do. Or if your arrest happened outside of Georgia, then the 2014 law may not help you at all.

Begin Your Journey Toward Reputational Rehabilitation with Our Georgia Mugshot Removal Specialists – Here to Assist You Through Each Step. We understand that navigating through legal processes can be complex and daunting. Our team of seasoned professionals with 10+ of experience in mugshot removal are here to ensure a seamless process for you.

We are an experienced online removal group that knows exactly how to get mugshots, arrest records, and other negative information removed. We work hard so that your past doesn’t have to haunt your future.

Engage with our proficient legal team today for a personalized consultation, ensuring you’re empowered with expert-backed strategies and insights in your mugshot removal journey. Discover more through our client testimonials and case studies that exemplify our commitment and expertise in safeguarding your digital reputation.