Athens-Clarke County Court Records

Athens-Clarke County court records are materials such as documents, files, and transcripts associated with court cases and dockets in Athens County, Georgia. The county maintains these documents for reference during appeals and retrials. They can also be used for educational research, genealogy tracing, tax, and estate matters.

Some examples of Athens-Clarke County court records are court dockets, civil subpoenas, civil summons, pleadings, orders, etc.

Are Court Records Public in Athens-Clarke County?

Yes, court records in Athens-Clarke County are public records. The Georgia Open Records Act (G.O.R.A.) defines public records as all documents, letters, paper, maps, books, tapes, photographs, computer-generated information, or similar material maintained or received by an agency or private individual in the performance of a service, for or on behalf of an agency or any such documents transferred to an agency for future government use. By this definition, court records are public records. G.O.R.A. also gives citizens the right to view public records upon request, except for the following:

• Personal and confidential information (social security numbers, birth dates, etc.)
• Information exempted from disclosure by law (by order of a Georgia State court, Federal law, state law)

Any such information that is part of court records will not be considered public.

Athens-Clarke County Court Records Search

Individuals searching for Athens-Clarke County Court records must contact the Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Superior & State Courts. They are the official custodians of all criminal and civil case records filed in Athens-Clarke County. A search can be performed in the following ways:

• Contacting the Clerk of Superior & State Courts office directly and making a request or visiting their office.
• Filling out an open request form online on the Athens-Clarke County website.
• Using the Clarke County Sheriff's online portal.

Athens-Clarke County Court Records Search by Name

To carry out a name-based search of any court record in Athens-Clarke County, searchers must have the relevant individual's first and last name or case number. These details can be entered into the Clarke County Sheriff's online portal and the online database provided by the Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Superior & State Courts for civil and deed records from 1804 to 1985. Copies can be obtained upon user registration for a set fee.

Alternatively, searchers can visit the offices of these custodians and request the records there. Copies can be obtained for a fee determined by the custodians' office.

Clerk of Superior & State Courts
325 E. Washington St.
Suite 450
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3190

Searches can also be conducted at Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Magistrate Court. Searches may be performed in person during office hours or by submitting a written request form by mail, with appropriate fees (money order or check). The attached fees are $2 for non-certified copies, $4 for certified copies (dockets/dispositions), $10 for a general search and copies, and $10 for a copy of an entire court file.

Mailing Address
Clerk of Magistrate Court
P.O. Box 1868
Athens, GA 30603

Physical Address
325 E. Washington St.
Suite 240
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3310

The final port of call for record searches is online at the Athens-Clarke County Open Records Center

Athens-Clarke County Courts

The Athens-Clarke County court system comprises:

Magistrate Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 240
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3310

Municipal Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 170
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3690

Probate Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 200
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3320

Juvenile Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 115
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3300

State Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 425
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3200

Superior Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 400
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3161

Alternative Dispute Program
325 East Washington Street
Suite 310
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3210

Accountability Courts
D.U.I. Treatment Court, State Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 430
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3206/
(706) 207-9273 (After Hours)

Family Treatment Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 115
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 613-3300

Felony Drug Court
Courthouse
325 East Washington Street
Suite 210
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 208-7078

Parental Accountability Court
325 East Washington Street
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 612-3499

Treatment and Accountability Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 580
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (762) 400-6093

Veterans Court
325 East Washington Street
Suite 400
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 610-6161

The Athens-Clarke County State Court and Superior Court share jurisdiction over civil cases. The Accountability courts are specialty courts that focus on treatment and rehabilitation rather than punishment. The Municipal Court has jurisdiction over county ordinance violations, all State misdemeanor traffic violations, including D.U.I., and the State misdemeanor crimes of Theft by Shoplifting, Possession of less than an Ounce of Marijuana, and Underage Possession of Alcohol. All courts can be found in the same courthouse building but in different suits.

Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Case Search

The Athens-Clarke County Superior Court handles divorce, felonies, land title, equity, adoption, and certain civil suits. To conduct a superior court case search in Athens-Clarke County, searchers must have the first and last name of the plaintiff or defendant or the case number. These details are then entered into an online database provided by the Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Superior & State Courts' website. The website holds civil and deed records from 1804 to 1985. Copies can be obtained upon user registration for a set fee.

For all case records, both civil and criminal searchers can visit the offices of these custodians and request the records there. Copies can be obtained for a fee determined by the custodians' office.

Athens-Clarke County District Court Records

Athens-Clarke County does not have a district court. Instead, it has the Athens-Clarke County State Court. This court has jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal cases, general civil cases (except domestic relations), jury and non-jury trials, hearings on probation violations, and appeals from the Magistrate Court.

Records can be accessed by visiting the office of the Clerk of Superior and State Courts and making a request in person or through an online database provided on their webpage. Record searches and copies will likely attract a fee. Please contact their office for more details. Their contact details are written in this article under "Athens-Clarke County Records Search by Name".

Athens-Clarke County Criminal Records

Athens-Clarke County arrest and criminal records are collated mainly by the Clarke County Sheriff's Office and the Athens-Clarke County Police Departments. Records collated by the Sheriff's department show whether specific individuals have been served with papers like subpoenas, summons, notices, writs, etc. Only the defendant's name, case number, and service status are shown in these records. They can be accessed for free on the Clarke County Sheriff's online portal. The list of current inmates at the County jail can also be accessed for free on the Athens-Clarke County Jail Unit webpage.

Certain records associated with crime and traffic can be found online at the Athens-Clarke County Police Open Records Center.

For employment or other relevant associations, searchers can access criminal records by having the search subject fill out the Athens-Clarke County Police Department Release of Criminal History Consent Form. This method ensures complete access to an individual's criminal records. Alternatively, searchers can look up criminal records at the offices of the above-mentioned custodians and pay the search and copy fees where attached.

Lastly, the Athens-Clarke County Records and Data Unit also collates documents related to crime, which can be accessed on their webpage linked directly above.

Athens-Clarke County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The following options are available to individuals who want to look up criminal court cases in Athens-Clarke County:

• In person at the Clerk of Superior and State Courts office (nominal fees may be attached for searches and copies or copies only)
• Through a written request form at the Clerk of the Magistrate Court's office or by mail where the case is tried at the Magistrate Court(record copy fees range from $2-10)
• In person at the Municipal Court where the case is tried in the Municipal Court.

Get Athens-Clarke County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are any records produced for or used and pleaded in a civil case, such as civil court dockets. To access civil court records in Athens-Clarke County, individuals can visit the courthouse where the case took place. At the courthouse, the individual can request to view the records and pay a fee for copies. The Athens-Clarke County State Court, Superior Court, and Magistrate Court are the courts where civil court records are kept.

Alternatively, County Civil Court Records can be accessed in the following ways:

• Via an online database provided by the Athens-Clarke County Clerk of Superior & State Courts for civil and deed records from 1804 to 1985. Downloads and copies will attract a fee.
• Through a written request form at the Clerk of the Magistrate Court's office or by mail where the case is tried at the Magistrate Court. Record copy fees range from $2-10.

As stated earlier, some records or information may be sealed due to their personal and confidential nature. By law, Athens-County Courts or Clerks are to give members of the public access to such records.

Athens-Clarke County Family Court Records

Athens-Clarke County does not have a dedicated family court. Instead, it has four (4) courts that deal with family law cases. Namely:

• The Athens-Clarke County Superior Court: handles divorce and adoption
• The Athens-Clarke County State Court: handles family violence offenses
• The Parental Accountability Court (Program): helps chronic non-payers of child support to pay rather than face incarceration
• The Family Treatment Court helps to break cycles of addiction, limit foster care, ensure the safety of children, and reunite families.

Records from the County Superior, State, and Parental Accountability Courts can be obtained by contacting the office of the Clerk of the Superior and State Courts. Records from the Family Treatment Court can be obtained by contacting the Court Coordinator.

Athens-Clarke County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage and divorce are interchangeable terms in Georgia. In Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, they are the same thing. Divorce matters are handled by the County Superior Court, and its records are maintained in the Clerk of Superior & State Courts (CSS) Office. Citizens wishing to access these records should contact the CSS office.

Athens-Clarke County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriage records in Athens-Clarke County are considered vital records, and all Athens-Clarke County Vital Records are kept by the Georgia Department of Public Health, State Vital Records, and the Clarke County Health Department. To access the marriage records, individuals will need to pay a non-refundable $10 search fee. If the file is found, one certified copy will be provided. Additional copies are provided for $5. Certified copies of marriage requests are only available to the parties stated therein. Alternatively, individuals can visit the state-wide office located at:

State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349

Divorce records in Athens-Clarke County are maintained in the Clerk of Superior & State Courts Office.

It is worth noting that Vital Records contain confidential information deemed exempt from disclosure under the Georgia Open Records Act. For example, birth dates and mother's birth name. Such information will be redacted or excluded from marriage records.

Athens-Clarke Birth and Death Records

Athens-Clarke County birth and death records are also vital records. As such, they are collated by the Clarke County Health Department and the Georgia Department of Public Health, State Vital Records. These records are important for recording the birth and death statistics in a county or state (censuses). They can also be used in court cases.

The GA. Code § 31-10-25 (Official Code of Georgia or "O.C.G.A".) limits access to birth certificates to:

• The person named therein
• The parents shown on the birth record
• An authorized legal guardian, agent, or legal representative
• Immediate family related by blood or marriage (siblings, spouses, grandparents)

There are no restrictions on requesters for death certificates. However, where the requester is immediate family related by blood or an authorized legal guardian or agent, they must provide proof of that relationship.

To access the records, these permitted individuals must submit a request for a search of birth or death form to the Georgia Department of Public Health, State Vital Records, pay a fee of $25 for certified copies and $5 for each additional copy paid for at the time of the search. Requests made by mail should be sent with a money order.

Alternatively, individuals looking for birth and death records in Athens-Clarke County can contact the Clarke County Health Department at:

345 North. Harris Street
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: (706) 389-6921

Athens-Clarke County Probate Court Records

Probate Court records in Athens-Clarke County handle different matters, including:

• Cases involving the decedent's estate
• Guardianship (adult and minor),
• Mental health evaluation and/or treatment (involuntary treatment),
• Birth certificate amendment,
• Boundary line issues
• Certain trust cases.
• Issuance of marriage and weapons carry licenses

All records stemming from these matters are part of the Athens-Clarke County probate court records. The Probate Court keeps the records and can be obtained by visiting their office during working hours.

Athens-Clarke County Property Records

Athens-Clarke County property records are collated mainly by the Clerk of Superior &State Courts. They can be accessed in the following ways:

• The Georgia Superior Courts Clerk Cooperative Authority website which can be accessed by clicking on the "real and personal property tab on the Clerk of Superior and state court webpage.
• Online database for historic county deed records provided on the Clerk of Superior and State Courts webpage

The Magistrate Court of Athens-Clarke County tries property-related cases and may hold property records related to them. For example, eviction cases, personal property foreclosure, abandoned mobile homes, dispossess, etc.

Lastly, the Athens-Clarke County Tax Commissioner's office will hold property tax records.

Athens-Clarke County Court Records Online

Generally, members of the public can access Athens-Clarke County court records by requesting them from the relevant court. However, these records may also be accessed through third-party websites. Third-party websites are owned by independent companies that amass public records from various repositories (including courthouses) and sell the records to the public.

An advantage of a third-party website is that users can conveniently access records remotely. Sites like Georgiacourtrecords.us maintain records obtained from Athens-Clarke Clerk of Superior & State Courts.

However, records found on some third-party sites may not be complete or up-to-date. As a result, each user should verify records acquired from a third-party provider with official sources.