Chattooga County Court Records

Chattooga County court records are official documents containing information about legal cases handled in the county. Custodians like the Clerk of Chattooga County Superior Court create these records when a case is filed, and they are updated with court actions, activities, and documents as the case progresses.

Common information a person can find in Chattooga County court records includes names of litigants or defendants, case numbers, motions, court orders, summonses, affidavits, pleadings, transcripts, petitions, and judgments.

The clerk of the court where a case was heard is statutorily responsible for creating, preserving, and providing public access to the court records. People access court records for different reasons, including for background checks, legal research, monitoring or tracking of case proceedings, and determination of legal outcomes.

Are Court Records Public in Chattooga County?

Yes. Court records are public in Chattooga County under the Georgia Open Records Act (Georgia Code § 50-18-70 et seq.). This law grants the public the right to view or request copies of court records from cases adjudicated in any courthouse across the state.

However, while most court records are public, some are restricted by law for privacy and legal reasons. These include:

• Juvenile court records
• Sealed or expunged records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Adoption records
• Mental health or medical information of the case parties
• Information on confidential informants or witnesses
• Victim information in certain cases (i.e., sexual assault or domestic violence)
• Trade secrets.

Chattooga County Court Records Search

Persons looking for Chattooga County court records may search these records through:

• The Georgia E-Access Court Records site
• The record custodian's office, i.e., the Chattooga County Clerk of Superior Court's Office
• Third-party websites.

Chattooga County Courts

Chattooga County's court system consists of several courts. These include the Superior Court (major criminal cases, divorce, property disputes, and appeals from lower courts); the State Court (misdemeanors, traffic violations, and civil matters); the Probate Court (estates, wills, guardianships, and marriage licenses); the Magistrate Court (small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, warrants, and preliminary criminal hearings); the Juvenile Court (juvenile delinquency cases and child support); and Municipal Courts (violations of city ordinances).

The location and contact information for Chattooga are listed below:

Chattooga County Superior Court
10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 159
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0706
Fax: (706) 857-0686

State Court of Chattooga County
10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 159
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0706
Fax: (706) 857-0686

Chattooga County Juvenile Court
10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 159
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0706
Fax: (706) 857-0686

Probate Court of Chattooga County
10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 467
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0709
Fax: (706) 857-0877

Chattooga County Magistrate Court
120 Cox Street
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0711
Fax: (706) 857-0675

Municipal Court of Summerville
Summerville Recreation Center
220 Highway 100
P.O. Box 180
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 859-0912

Municipal Court of Trion
1220 Pine Street
P.O. Box 850
Trion, GA 30753
Phone: (706) 734-3665

Chattooga County Criminal and Civil Records

The Chattooga County Superior Court Clerk is the custodian of records for criminal and civil cases handled in the county. Civil court records are records pertaining to non-criminal cases, such as personal injury, landlord-tenant disputes, property disputes, small claims, contract disputes, etc.

To search for or request copies of Chattooga County criminal or civil court records, interested persons should contact the Clerk of Superior Court. Contact may be made in person (8:30am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday), by phone, or by mail. Important details like the name of a litigant or defendant, case number, and case filing date should be provided when submitting requests to the clerk's office for court records.

Chattooga County Clerk of Superior Court (also for state and juvenile courts):

10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 159
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0706
Fax: (706) 857-0686

Alternatively, persons can search for Chattooga County criminal and civil court records online through the "Georgia E-Access to Court Records" portal.

Chattooga County Marriage Records

The Probate Court of Chattooga County issues marriage licenses and keeps official records of marriages conducted within the county. While marriage records are public in Georgia, per O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified copies are restricted to the individuals on the record, their immediate family members, or legal representatives.

Individuals should contact the probate court in person, by mail, or by fax to request marriage records in Chattooga County. As an alternative, they can also request Chattooga County marriage records from June 1952 to August 1996 from the vital records office of the Georgia Department of Public Health. The cost is $10 per record (with $5.00 for each extra copy).

Chattooga County Divorce Records

The Superior Court handles divorce proceedings in Chattooga County, and its clerk's office maintains the records after the dissolution of the marriage.

Individuals seeking a divorce record from Chattooga County should submit their request to the Clerk's Office in person (8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday), by mail, or by fax. The request must include the names of the parties (or former spouses), case number (if known), and the divorce date. Please note that copy fees apply.

Clerk of Superior Court
10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 159
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0706
Fax: (706) 857-0686

Chattooga County Birth Records

Under Georgia law, birth records are not public. They are confidential and only available to the individual named on the record, immediate family members (parents, legal guardians, children), or authorized representatives.

Birth records are vital for multiple purposes, including establishing identity and citizenship, applying for a driver's license or passport, enrolling in school, and fulfilling tax or processing inheritance claims.

Eligible individuals can request Chattooga County birth records from January 1919 to date from the State Office of Vital Records online, in person, or by mail. To submit an in-person or mail request, forward a completed "Request for Search of Birth (Form 3918)" in person or by mail to:

State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 3034
Phone: (404) 679-4702

Alternatively, submit the completed request form in person to the local vital records office at the Chattooga County Probate Court (10035 Commerce Street, Summerville, GA 30747). A valid government-issued photo ID is usually required to process a request. The fee for a birth record is $25 for the first certified copy and $5 for each additional copy.

Chattooga County Death Records

Death records are mostly used to settle estates, claim life insurance benefits or pensions, and for research purposes. To request a Chattooga County death certificate from January 1919 to date, individuals should submit a completed "Request for Search of Death Record (Form 3912)" in person or by mail to:

State Office of Vital Records
1680 Phoenix Boulevard
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Phone: (404) 679-4702

Alternatively, the completed form may be submitted in person to the local vital records office located in the probate court premises at 10035 Commerce Street, Summerville, GA 30747. They can also be ordered online. A death certificate costs $25 for the first certified copy and $5 for each additional copy.

Chattooga County Probate Court Records

Chattooga County probate records contain information on wills, estate administrations, guardianships, conservatorships, and other probate-related cases. Interested individuals should contact the Chattooga County Probate Court to request Chattooga County probate records:

Chattooga County Probate Court
10035 Commerce Street
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0709
Fax: (706) 857-0877

Chattooga County Property Records

Chattooga County property records provide insightful information about lands, real estate, or personal properties in the county, including ownership, tax and valuation, description, and transaction history. The Clerk of Chattooga County Superior Court and the Tax Assessor's Office are the custodians of these records in Chattooga.

To lookup or access property records, including deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements, interested individuals should utilize the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) website or contact the clerk's office in person, by mail, by phone, or by fax.

Clerk of Superior Court
10035 Commerce Street
P.O. Box 159
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0706
Fax: (706) 857-0686

Also, interested persons can reach out to the Chattooga County Tax Assessor's Office for property records (especially for property assessment, land acreage, and building characteristic records) or use the "Property Records Search" portal.

Chattooga County Assessor
120 Cox Street
Summerville, GA 30747
Phone: (706) 857-0737
Fax: (706) 857-0748
Email: taxchatt@windstream.net.

Chattooga County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Georgiacourtrecords.us can be useful for accessing Chattooga County court records. These sites allow users to remotely search for records by name, case number, etc. However, since these sites are not affiliated with government agencies or courthouses, they may contain outdated or limited case information. Additionally, some of these sites may charge fees to provide detailed records or allow users to download court documents.