Houston County Court Records

Houston court records are essential documents created and maintained by the judicial system in Houston County, Georgia. Court records in Houston County are typically handled and maintained by the designated custodians and court clerks. Naturally, all court records of the Houston County Superior Court are managed by the Superior Court Clerk, while the Houston County State Court Clerk maintains the State Court records.

These court records provide an official account of all proceedings and decisions made by the courts in Houston. They also ensure accountability, transparency, and fair administration of justice. Similarly, researchers, judges, and the public use them to understand the details and outcomes of legal cases. Some information found in Houston County court records includes case information, party information, and docket entries.

Are Court Records Public in Houston County?

According to Georgia Open Record Law, Houston County public records, including court records, are open to public viewing and perusal unless they are exempt under the law. These records include documents, maps, letters, and all electronic data maintained by the court. All open records requests should be directed to the custodian of records, as designated by the court.

To view or copy records, a formal request must be made. This could be done either orally or in writing, but requests should be made in writing for proper record-keeping and documentation.

When a record custodian (Court Clerk) refuses to grant access to an open record, such custodian is expected to, according to the Georgia Open Records Act, cite the specific statutory provision within the Georgia law that exempts such records from public access.

Houston County Court Records Search

Individuals interested in performing a general court record search in Houston County can do so through any of the following routes:

• Clerk of court's office
• The court where the case was filed or heard
• Online databases
• Third-party search

Each search method is unique in its ease of access, cost, and the quality of available records.

Houston County Court Records Search by Name

To perform Houston County Court Records search by name, the custodian must be furnished with the case party's first and last names. This information can then be submitted to the county clerk's office. Inquirers are advised to consider the following:

• Fees:

All interested parties should consider that the clerk's office would charge a nominal fee for records. A nominal fee of $1 would be charged for standard copies, $2.50 for the first page of a certified copy, and $0.50 for every additional page.

• Written application of form:

The court staff may require a written submission to accept a request to obtain records. While the clerk's office may not provide forms for certain records, a record search form may be necessary to process the record search.

• Additional case information:

To expedite the search process, interested parties may be required to submit more unique case details, such as a hearing date.

Houston County Courts

The Houston court system comprises superior courts, juvenile courts, state courts, magistrate courts, probate courts, municipal courts, civil courts, and recorder courts.

Below is a directory of the courts in Houston County, Georgia:

Houston County Superior Court
201 Perry Parkway
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: (478) 218-4720
Phone: (478) 218-4740 (Civil)
Phone: (478) 218-4730 (Criminal)

State Court of Houston County
202 Carl Vinson Parkway
Warner Robins, GA 31088
Phone: (478) 542-2105
Fax: (478) 542-2077

Municipal Court of Centerville
300 East Church Street
Centerville, GA 31028
Phone: (478) 953-4795
Fax: (478) 953-6642

Municipal Court of Warner Robins
233 North Houston Road, Suite 115
Warner Robins, GA 31093
Phone: (478) 302-5600
Fax: (478) 225-2065

Municipal Court of Perry
Perry Public Safety Building
1207 Washington Street, P.O. Box 2030
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: (478) 988-2814

Houston County Magistrate Court
89 Cohen Walker Drive
Warner Robins, GA 31088
Phone: (478) 987-4695
Fax: (478) 987-5249

Probate Court of Houston County
201 Perry Parkway, P.O. Box 1801
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: (478) 218-4710
Fax: (478) 218-4715

Houston County Juvenile Court
Houston County Juvenile Justice Complex
206 Carl Vinson Parkway
Warner Robins, GA 31088
Phone: (478) 542-2060

Houston County Superior Court Case Search

Houston's County Superior has general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases; however, the SUperior court only handles cases beyond the jurisdiction of lesser courts. The civil cases the superior court in Houston County dealt with include domestic relations, equity, and title to real property. On the other hand, criminal cases heard by the Superior Court in Houston are felonies and lesser-included offenses. Family cases are also heard within the Family Court jurisdiction at the Superior Court. The family court hears divorce cases and also cases involving children, such as custody, child abuse, legitimacy, paternity, child support, and domestic violence. This also includes family cases transferred from other courts.

Interested individuals can always conduct a court record search at the court where the case was heard or filed. These courts have public access terminals where interested individuals can view the electronic Copy of court records of their choice. While there is no cost attached to just viewing the records, to obtain a copy of any particular record, the court requires that the individual pays the sum stipulated in the fee schedule as given below:

• Standard Copy: $1.00
• Certified Copy: $2.50 first page, $0.50 each additional page

Alternatively, individuals who are not at liberty to visit any of the courthouses can use the remote search tool provided on the Superior Court's website. By performing a court record search through the case search tool, the public can access case details such as case documents, cause of action, divisions, statutes, summary information, hearing schedules, and other relevant details. However, some information may be restricted in compliance with confidentiality laws or court verdicts.

To perform a search using the case search tool, a user must have only a first and a last name; however, they can input more pertinent information to narrow the search. Individuals can perform a case search by inputting any of the following information:

• Name
• Case number
• Citation number
• Citation vehicle tag number
• SAO Case number
• Arresting case number
• Warrant number
• Drivers License number

Individuals can also make a formal request via mail to the court that presided over the record of the case they are interested in. This often involves paying for the search and courier service to the requester's address.

Houston County District Court Records

Houston County, Georgia, has no 'district courts' as part of its court system; rather, it operates under the Superior Court System (Georgia state court system). The Houston County Superior Court hears numerous kinds of cases, ranging from civil to criminal to family law disputes, juvenile cases, and probate cases.

Houston County Criminal Records

In Houston County, Georgia, criminal records are typically maintained by local law enforcement agencies and the Superior Court. Some records are available for public access as provided under the Georgia Open Record Law. Part of these are typically deferred adjudication and conviction records, also considered public records. However, any criminal record that has been expunged will not be available for public scrutiny.

Individuals interested in obtaining criminal records can do so by contacting the Houston County Superior Court Clerk's office. To access criminal records, interested parties are required to pay a physical visit to the clerk's office located at the address below during regular business hours, typically between 8:30 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays. The Superior Court maintains records for criminal cases(charges, dispositions, motions, and orders)

Superior Court Clerk
1201 N. Perry Parkway
Perry, Georgia 31069
Criminal: (478) 218-4730

Alternatively, individuals who are unable to pay a physical visit can obtain criminal records by making use of the case record search provided on the Superior Court's website,

Other criminal records, such as Houston county arrest records, investigation files, and incident reports are typically handled and maintained by the Houston County Sheriff's office. These criminal records document criminal charges, arrests, and other law enforcement actions. Interested individuals can physically visit the Sheriff's office to obtain records. At the Sheriff's office, they may typically be asked for some unique information pertinent to the record they seek to speed up the search and retrieval of such records. This can be done at the address below during regular business hours:

Houston County Sheriff's Office
202 Carl Vinson Parkway
Warner Robins, GA 31088
Office: (478) 542-2125

The Sheriff's office similarly offers the convenience of online criminal record search. This includes search tools for the FBI's Most wanted and America's Most wanted, among several other useful links.

Houston County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Individuals who are interested in accessing criminal court case records in Houston County, Georgia, can do so through the following avenues:

• Presiding Courthouse: Individuals can access criminal case information at the courthouse where the case was heard or being heard. These courts have terminals made available to the public for accessing court records.
• The Houston County Superior Court's Search Tool: The Houston County Superior Court maintains an online search tool that allows interested individuals to conduct criminal case records search by inputting some details pertinent to the case. These searches can be conducted by name, case number, etc. There are two search tools available:

Search tool for cases filed PRIOR To September 1, 2017

Search tool for Cases filed AFTER September 1, 2017

Get Houston County Civil Court Records

To get Houston County civil court records, inquirers may proceed thus:

• Visit the Houston County Clerk's Office: Interested members of the public can visit the Houston County Clerk's office. The county court clerk serves as the designated custodian of all court records, including civil court records
• Inquirers may make a formal request to access records at the location. When the request is granted, the clerk's public terminals are used to view electronic documents. It is worth noting that a fee is required to get a printed Copy of a civil court record.

The Houston County Superior Court allows remote access to civil court records. This is done through a dedicated portal where interested parties can search, view, and possibly download civil case records. Additionally, the county Magistrate Court provides access to civil case records through its online search tool. This search can be done by inputting the name, case number, and other pertinent details unique to the record being sought.

Houston County Family Court Records

Unlike other counties, Houston County does not have a dedicated family court. Instead, the Superior Court typically hears and handles all family law cases. These cases include divorce, child support, child custody, child visitation, paternity, and adoption.

Where to Obtain Family Court Records in Houston County

Individuals can obtain family records from the office of the Superior Court Clerk. The clerk is responsible for maintaining and providing access to family court records. To access these records, the interested individual must furnish the court attendant with some pertinent details unique to the family record they are interested in.

Remote Access

The Houston County Superior Court also provides remote access to family records through its website's online search tool. To conduct a search via the remote search tool, interested parties must input relevant details such as party names, case numbers, or filing dates.

Numerous family records are open to public perusal. However, some records are restricted and confidential. As such, these details are restricted from public perusal and access.

In Houston County, family records play a crucial role in documenting legal actions and ensuring the protection of human rights and interest in family legal matters.

Houston Dissolution of Marriage Records

Houston County's dissolution of marriage records refers to all documentation related to divorces heard within a local court in Houston. Department of Public Health's State Office of Vital Records holds marriage records from 1952 to 1996.

It is worth noting that although the department can confirm the status of a divorce or marriage, every request for records must go through the county superior court.

Houston County Marriage and Divorce Records

Marriage records in Houston County are maintained and handled by the Houston County Probate Court. This court is also responsible for maintaining the access to these records. To process a search request, interested individuals must either make an in-person request at the physical office or mail in their request to the office. As with other records, the requester must provide some information unique to the marriage record being sought; this includes the name of the bride and groom before marriage, certificate number, and the date and place of the marriage. A fee of $10 is required in order to process this search and access the records. Also, all mail-in requests must bear a stamped self-addressed envelope and should be sent to the address below:

Houston County Probate Court
201 North Perry Parkway
P.O. Box 1801
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: (478) 218-4710

Obtaining Divorce Records in Houston County

Divorce records in Houston County are maintained and typically issued by the Houston County Superior Court Clerk.

As such, all record queries must be made at the clerk's office in person or via mail. To search, the requester must provide information to facilitate the search. This information includes the names of the divorcees, the date, place of the record, and the case file number. A fee of $2.50 would be required for a certified copy and an extra 50 cents for every additional page. All requests should be made to the Superior Court's Clerk at the address provided earlier.

Houston County Birth and Death Records

All birth records and birth certificates are maintained and handled by the Houston County Probate Court. In Houston, these are considered confidential records, so only a few persons are eligible to access these records. They include:

• The person listed on the certificate
• Natural parents of the person listed on the certificate
• Adoptive parents of the person listed on the certificate
• Siblings of the person listed on the birth certificate
• Spouse of the person listed on the certificate
• Grandparents of the person listed on the certificate.

Any of the above-listed eligible persons can make the requests in person, by mail, or by email. It is worth noting that all written requests must contain a name on the certificate, a relationship to the person, a date of birth, the reason for the record request, and a phone number and address. This request should be sent to the Houston County Probate Court address as given below:

Houston County Probate Court
201 N. Perry Parkway, P.O. Box 1801
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: (478) 218-4710
Email: probate2@houstoncountyga.org

Additionally, requesters are to provide a copy of a valid ID. Mail requests should have a self-addressed envelope, and a fee of $25 is charged for the first Copy of the birth record. An additional charge of $5 is also charged for every extra Copy per visit.

Obtaining Houston County Death Records

Unlike birth records, which are considered to be confidential records, death records in Houston County are available for public access and scrutiny. They are typically maintained and handled by the Houston County Probate Court, and interested persons can request these records either in person at the court address or via mail or email. All interested individuals must include the following information in their request, and they should be sent to the address provided earlier.

• Written request with the name on the certificate
• Relationship to the name on the certificate
• Date of birth
• Reason for request
• Phone number

It is worth noting that to process this request, the interested party must include copies of their valid ID, and all mail-in requests must bear a self-addressed envelope. Also, a fee of $25 os required for death records and an additional $5 for every extra Copy

Houston County Probate Court Records

The Houston County Probate Court handles a plethora of vital records, including Weapons Carry Licenses, Estates, Guardianships, and conservatorships for minors and incapacitated adults, amongst several other responsibilities. The probate court also hears and handles cases related to the above.

To obtain Probate Court records, interested individuals can do so by paying a physical visit to the Probate Court Clerk's office, which is at the location of the court provided earlier. The requester is expected to have pertinent details about the desired case, including the case number, the name of the parties involved, or the date of filing. To process a request, an individual may be required to fill out a request form, which the court attendant will provide. Additionally, certain fees may be required to get a copy of such records.

Alternatively, requesters can also conduct a record search via the record search tool provided on the County's Superior Court website.

Houston County Property Records

The Houston County Tax Assessor's office and the clerk of the Superior Court are primarily responsible for managing and handling property records in Houston County. These records play a vital role in making information about real estate in the county readily available to every interested party. They provide property descriptions, ownership details, and even transaction history.

To access property records in Houston County, interested individuals can use the search tool provided on the Houston Tax Assessor's website. Searches can be conducted using the property address, owner name, or parcel number.

Alternatively, individuals can physically visit the Houston County Assessor's office to request the desired property information formally. This would require information pertinent to the desired property record to process the search. This can be done at the address below:

Houston County Tax Assessors Office
201 Perry Parkway
Perry, GA 31069
Phone: (478) 218-4750

To obtain property records through the Superior Court, requesters can visit the physical address provided earlier and make a formal request. They can also use the remote access tool on the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) website. The search tool allows users to obtain details such as deeds, liens, and all other recorded documents.

Houston County Court Records Online

Individuals in Houston County, Georgia, typically have access through government-owned channels and other third-party sites like Georgiacourtrecords.us. These third-party websites are operated and maintained by independent bodies that document public records and offer them for sale to interested members of the public.

By using third-party websites or platforms to obtain court records, users can conveniently access and peruse records remotely. However, users are typically charged a fee for every search and peruse of these records. Additionally, some records obtained from third-party platforms may not be up to date, so there is always a need to verify the information obtained.