In accordance with OCGA §35-3-37, under certain circumstances, public access to certain criminal records may be restricted, making such records only accessible to law enforcement agencies for criminal justice purposes.

Under the new law, record restrictions occur automatically under appropriate circumstances, including when a prosecutor declines to pursue any charges after an arrest, when a defendant successfully completes a first offender or conditional discharge sentence, or when all charges are dismissed after successfully completing a pretrial diversion program.