Harris County Court Records

Harris County court records are created when citizens, businesses, or the state file cases in any of the county's courts. These records contain information about the parties involved, the basis for seeking court adjudication, and the case outcome. Court records are constantly updated as cases progress through the justice system.

Examples of Harris County court records include writs, petitions, pleas, summons, orders, and subpoenas. The Harris County Superior Court Clerk files all court cases and maintains records for the county's different courts, except municipal courts.

People search Harris court records for various reasons, such as educational research, legal research, and to satisfy personal curiosity. Furthermore, court records help preserve legal history, and their maintenance fosters transparency and accountability in the judiciary. The maintenance of court records is per state and federal laws.

Are Court Records Public in Harris County?

Yes. The Georgia Open Records Act (ORA) supports the preservation and public dissemination of Harris County court records. Under this act, court records are considered public records in Harris County, making them subject to inspection and copying by interested members of the public.

However, certain court records may be protected from the provisions of this act by court order or state law. Exemptions from the ORA are as follows:

• Dependency and delinquency case records
• Juvenile records
• Information about incapacitated adults
• Mental health records
• Proprietary information
• Communications protected by attorney-client privilege
• Expunged or sealed records.

Harris County Court Records Search

People searching for court records are required to know the specific courthouse that handled a case of interest. Furthermore, it is important that they possess the names and dates of birth of litigants or the case number. These details are necessary to aid the identification and retrieval of the requested records. Inquirers can then proceed to search for the records using any of the following means

• In person at the courthouse where the case of interest was filed
• Searchable databases in the court clerk's website
• Third-party aggregate websites.

Harris County Courts

The court system in Harris County has the Harris County Superior Court at its apex, with general jurisdiction over most case types. However, this court is typically reserved for cases beyond the jurisdictional limits of the county's lesser courts. Other courts in the county include juvenile, probate, magistrate, and municipal courts.

The different courts can be contacted at:

Harris County Superior Court
102 North College Street
P.O. Box 528
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-4944
Fax: (706) 628-7039

Harris County Juvenile Court
102 North College Street
P.O. Box 528
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-4944
Fax: (706) 628-7039

Probate Court of Harris County
102 North College Street
Room 116
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-5038
Fax: (706) 628-7322

Harris County Magistrate Court
102 North College Street
P.O. Box 347
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-4977
Fax: (706) 628-5416

Municipal Court of Hamilton
210 Walton Street
P.O. Box 112
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-5321
Fax: (706) 628-9520

Municipal Court of Pine Mountain
P.O. Box 8
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
Phone: (706) 663-2213

Municipal Court of Shiloh
1175 Main Street
P.O. Box 811
Shiloh, GA 31826
Phone: (706) 846-3814

Municipal Court of Waverly Hall
P.O. Box 357
Waverly Hall, GA 31831
Phone: (706) 582-2345

Harris County Criminal and Civil Records

The Harris County Clerk of Court is the primary custodian of the county's civil and criminal case records. This office provides online indexes for court record searches. Individual databases are maintained for criminal and civil cases. Information required for a search includes a case number, party name, citation, and filing date. Researchers can filter searches by specifying a filing date range and the case type. Record seekers may channel further inquiries to:

102 College Street
P.O. Box 528
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-4944
Fax: (706) 628-7039

Harris County Marriage Records

Marriage records from June 1952 are available at the Georgia State Office of Vital Records. Marriage records are helpful for genealogical research, divorce proceedings, evidence of name change, and legitimation purposes. Although this office only issues certified copies of marriage records to the bride and groom, it assists third parties with marriage verifications. Depending on a person's eligibility, they can obtain marriage records using the appropriate form:

• Request for Search of Marriage Form
• Marriage Verification Request Form

Request services using any of the above forms cost a non-refundable $10.00 search fee. For each additional record copy obtained, a $5.00 fee is required. Alternatively, record seekers may visit the Harris County Probate Court.

Harris County Divorce Records

The Harris County Superior Court Clerk handles divorce filings in the county and is responsible for any related records. Interested parties should contact this office for assistance with finding divorce records. Requesters must possess the divorce parties' names to aid with the search. Search fees may apply.

Harris County Birth Records

Harris County birth records contain information about births that occur in the county and are used for various official functions, mainly to establish one's identity. For example, citizens need a copy of their Harris County birth certificate to apply for licenses and government IDs, to obtain health insurance, and for tax purposes. These records are maintained by the Vital Records Office at the Harris County Health Department.

Harris County vital records are not public and are only released to record subjects, their parents or legal guardians, immediate family members, certain government officials, and/or legal representatives. Requests for birth certificates can be made in person, by mail, or by government-approved third-party online vendors. Mail-in and in-person requesters must complete a Request for Search of Birth application (form 3918). Requests can be made at the state or county office at

210 Forest Hill Drive
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-5037

Mail:

200 Piedmont Avenue Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30334.

Harris County Death Records

A death certificate contains information about the place, cause, and date of the death. Death records are not public. As such, certificates are only issued to requesters with a tangible or direct interest in the deceased, such as the family's legal representatives or immediate family members. They may be used for various reasons, such as estate settlement, insurance claims, pension claims, and research purposes.

The vital records offices of state and county health departments maintain these records. Death records on file are those created from January 1919 to the present. Request options are mail and in-person and involve eight to ten weeks of processing. Requesters must complete the Request for Search of Death Record application (Form 3912) and submit it to any of the aforenamed offices.

Harris County Probate Court Records

The Harris County Probate Court administers estates, appoints guardians for incapacitated adults and juveniles, issues marriage licenses, and probates wills. The Clerk of Superior Court maintains probate court records and assists interested members of the public in retrieving records. However, note that certain probate court records are confidential. The courthouse can be contacted through any of the following:

Harris County Courthouse
Room 116
102 North College Street
Hamilton, GA 31811.

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 569
Hamilton, GA 31811
Phone: (706) 628-5038
Fax: (706) 628-7322

Harris County Property Records

Property records are official instruments used to preserve information about real property located in Harris County. They cover vital information about taxation, ownership, sales, legal encumbrances, assessment, and other activities involving real property. Various documents comprise property records, including deeds, plats, liens, orders, and mortgages.

Under the state's public record law, property records are public. Depending on the kind of property document sought, one may either query the Harris County Tax Assessor or the Superior Court clerk. While the assessor's office is typically limited to tax and assessment records, the clerk keeps various property records. Both offices are located in the county courthouse complex and are open to visitors during business hours.

For a statewide search, visit the online property index provided by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA). Researchers can find real estate, lien, notary, and UCC indexes on this website. Search parameters include owner name, book page number, and property address.

Harris County Court Records Online

Third-party websites are a popular means of searching for court records, especially due to their easy operation and ease of access. More so, searches on these websites, like georgiacourtrecords.us, only require party names or case numbers as search parameters. However, be aware that many of these sites charge fees that may be slightly higher than their government-operated counterparts, although some are usually free.

More importantly, records must be verified against official copies, as certain information published on these websites may not be consistent with original court documents.