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DeKalb County, Georgia State Court Records

Court records in DeKalb County are the official documents generated or filed with the court during a legal action within the county's judicial system. Court records are primarily maintained by the court that heard the case, and in DeKalb County, this could be the Superior Court, State Court, Magistrate Court, Probate Court, or one of the several municipal courts in the county.

Court records are vital to the county's government records ecosystem and are usually connected to other records, such as arrest and vital records.

Are DeKalb County Court Records Public?

Yes. DeKalb County court records are public but are not governed by the Georgia Open Records Act, like other public records. The Georgia Open Records Act applies to the executive branch of government, and the judiciary, being a separate branch of government, operates under court rules, such as the Georgia Superior Court Uniform Rules, Rule 21. Under judicial rules, court records are open to the public for inspection, except for confidential details exempted under the law. These exempted records include

  • Juvenile delinquency cases
  • Sensitive personal information
  • Guardianship records
  • Adoption records
  • Termination of parental rights cases
  • Sealed cases

What Information is Available in DeKalb County Court Records?

A court record acts like the diary of a case that anyone can read. The following details are usually found in a record:

  • The case number
  • The identity of the parties in the case, including their lawyers
  • The filing date
  • The overseeing judge
  • Exhibits
  • The docket
  • Judgment

DeKalb County Court Records Search

Court records in DeKalb County can be accessed online, in person, or by mail. The right option for access depends on the nature of the information the requester needs.

Online Access

The DeKalb County Superior Court Judicial Record Search portal and the DeKalb County State Court Case Search portal are the primary online access tools for court records in the county. The Superior Court's Judicial Record Search provides access to court records from the Superior Court, while the State Court's Case Search portal provides access to court records from the State and Magistrate Courts. Individuals can search for court records on both portals using a name or case number.

Inquirers can also request certified copies of a Superior Court record through the eCertification Portal. The request will cost a fee, and the record will be returned digitally.

In-Person Access

Individuals seeking access to DeKalb County court records can go to the courthouse where the case was initially handled to inspect or obtain a copy of the record. Visiting the courthouse allows individuals to access court records that may not be accessible online, such as confidential or old and archived records. Similar to online access, inquirers will need to provide the name of the parties involved in the case or the case number.

Requesters searching for old records should note that the record may be kept in an off-site warehouse, which may affect the retrieval time and incur an additional fee.

Mail and Phone Requests

DeKalb County residents may also request a court record through the mail. Interested persons should put the request in writing and sufficiently describe the record they are looking for. A self-addressed, stamped envelope and payment for copies of the record should be included in the mail request. Requesters may call the relevant court beforehand to verify the exact cost of reproducing the record they want to obtain.

For pre-2012 Superior Court records for concluded cases, individuals may complete and mail the Archives Record Request Form to the Clerk of Superior Court's Office, with the fees and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The fees should be paid by cashier's check or money order.

Below is the Superior Court Clerk's mailing address.

Clerk of Superior Court

Attn: Archives/Records

556 North McDonough Street

Decatur, GA, 30030

Fees for Court Records in DeKalb County

The fees for obtaining court records in DeKalb County depend on the type of record, the court with the record, and whether regular or certified copies are needed. The table below contains the general fee schedule in the county.

Fee Type

Superior Court

State Court

Probate Court

Regular Copy

$1 per page

$1 per page

$1 per page

Certified Copy

$2.5 for page one and 50 cents per extra page

$5 flat fee per document

$10 certification fee plus $1 per page copy fee

Exemplified Copy

$2.5 for page one and 50 cents per extra page

$5 flat fee per document

$15 exemplification fee plus $1 per page copy fee

Certified Letters

N/A

N/A

$10 per letter

Electronic Record Transmission

$1 per page

$2.5 for page one and $1 per extra page

$1 per page

Subpoena Form

$5 each

$1 each

$5 each

Divorce Decree

$5

N/A

N/A

Divorce Decree plus Settlement Agreement

$10

N/A

N/A

Archived Records (pre-1990)

$20

N/A

N/A

DeKalb County Courthouse Locations

The DeKalb County judicial system comprises county-wide courts, including the Superior Court, the State Court, the Magistrate Court, the Probate Court, and the Juvenile Court, as well as several municipal courts. The addresses of the courthouses are below.

DeKalb County Courthouse (Superior Court, State Court-Division A, Probate Court, and Magistrate Court-Division A)

556 North McDonough Street

Decatur, GA 30030

Superior Court Phone: (404) 371-2836

State Court and Magistrate Court Phone: (404) 371-2261

Probate Court Phone: (404) 371-2608

DeKalb County State Court-Division B and Magistrate Court-Criminal Division

3630 Camp Circle

Decatur, GA 30032

State Court Phone: (404) 294-2099

Magistrate Court Phone: (404) 294-2150

DeKalb County Juvenile Court

4309 Memorial Drive

Decatur, GA 30032

Phone: (404) 371-2700

Avondale Estates Municipal Court

21 North Avondale Plaza

Avondale Estates, GA 30002

Phone: (404) 294-5400

Brookhaven Municipal Court

1793 Briarwood Road

Brookhaven, GA 30329

Phone: (404) 637-0660

Chamblee Municipal Court

4445 Buford Highway

Chamblee, GA 30341

Phone: (770) 986-5010

Clarkston Municipal Court

736 Park North Boulevard

Clarkston, GA 30021

Phone: (678) 956-6309

Decatur Municipal Court

420 West Trinity Place

Decatur, GA 30030

Phone: (678) 553-6655

Doraville Municipal Court

2421 Van Fleet Circle

Doraville, GA 30360

Phone: (770) 451-8745

Dunwoody Municipal Court

4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road

Dunwoody, GA 30338

Phone: (678) 382-6973

Lithonia Municipal Court

6920 Main Street

Lithonia, GA 30058

Phone: (770) 484-8112

Pine Lake Municipal Court

459 Pine Drive

Pine Lake, GA 30072

Phone: (404) 999-4939

Stone Mountain Municipal Court

875 Main Street

Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Phone: (770) 879-4981

Stonecrest Municipal Court

3120 Stonecrest Boulevard

Stonecrest, GA 30038

Phone: (770) 224-0200

Tucker Municipal Court

1975 Lakeside Parkway

Tucker GA 30084

Phone: (678) 597-9040

Criminal Records Access in DeKalb County

Criminal cases in DeKalb County typically originate after an arrest is made, and then the person is charged in court. Criminal records comprise all information ranging from the initial arrest to the conclusion of the case in court.

Individuals can obtain a local arrest record from the arresting agency's office or the complete criminal history record maintained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) from the DeKalb County Police Department.

Individuals can request a background check (the process of obtaining a criminal history record) by emailing CriminalHistoryCheck@dekalbcountyga.gov. The department will then provide a form to be filled out and returned, along with a copy of a valid government-issued ID card and payment. A background check costs $20 for employment, adoption, visa, housing, or immigration purposes, and $10 for personal use.

The case file for the criminal proceeding that resulted from the arrest is maintained locally by the courts, typically the Superior Court or State Court. Researchers may search the Superior Court Judicial Record Search portal or the DeKalb County State Court Case Search portal for case information, depending on the court that handled the case. The case files can also be accessed in person at the respective Clerk of Court's Office.

DeKalb County Probate Records

DeKalb County probate records are documents that deal with matters relating to a deceased person's estate, the caretaking of incapacitated persons, and personal licenses. These records include guardianship records, marriage records, weapons carry licenses, wills, and estate inventories.

Probate records are court files and hence are public records. Anyone can walk into the DeKalb County courthouse to inspect a probate record. However, researchers should note that confidential details are redacted from records made available to them.

Individuals who want to examine a probate record may schedule an appointment by emailing shharrison@dekalbcountyga.gov or calling (404) 371-2701.

DeKalb County Family Court Records

Family court records are files generated during family-related lawsuits. Common family-related cases in DeKalb County include divorce, alimony, name changes, child custody, paternity, and spousal support. The DeKalb County Superior Court is responsible for family law cases in the county.

Family court records are generally public and can be viewed by anyone in the county. However, certain privacy rules protect the information of children and other sensitive details. Non-archived family court records can be looked up on the Superior Court's Judicial Records Search portal. Copies of a record (including archived records) can be obtained in person at the Clerk of Superior Court's Office.

Federal Court Records in DeKalb County

Federal court records are managed by federal courts, which are part of the national government, not the county or state government. Federal cases arising in DeKalb County are handled by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

There is no federal courthouse situated in DeKalb County, so individuals may not easily obtain a physical copy of a federal court record unless they visit the courthouse in Atlanta, Gainesville, Newnan, or Rome. However, DeKalb County residents can access a record online through the Federal Case Locator (PACER). The locator allows searches using a name or case number, but costs a fee.

DeKalb County Court