Court records in DeKalb County, Georgia are maintained by the clerks of the county's various courts and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. DeKalbCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for DeKalb County. You can also search records directly through the Clerk of Superior Court's official records portal, the DeKalb County State Court website, the Georgia Courts E-Access portal, and by visiting or contacting the relevant clerk's office in person.
DeKalb Court System Overview
DeKalb County is part of the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit in Georgia, which serves DeKalb County exclusively. The Superior Court is the court of general jurisdiction, presided over by Chief Judge Asha Jackson and several additional Superior Court judges. Unlike many Georgia judicial circuits that span multiple counties, the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit covers only DeKalb County, reflecting the county's large population and high caseload.
Georgia's county-level court system also includes a State Court, Magistrate Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court — all of which operate within DeKalb County. The DeKalb County Courthouse is located in Decatur, the county seat.
Courts Serving DeKalb
Several state and federal courts serve DeKalb County residents:
DeKalb County Superior Court
DeKalb County State Court
DeKalb County Magistrate Court
DeKalb County Probate Court
DeKalb County Juvenile Court
U.S. District Court — Northern District of Georgia (Atlanta Division)
DeKalb County falls within the Northern District of Georgia. Federal civil and criminal cases are heard in Atlanta.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court — Northern District of Georgia
What Types of Cases DeKalb Courts Hear
DeKalb County's courts handle a wide range of case types across multiple divisions:
- Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, traffic violations, DUI
- Civil: General civil litigation, contract disputes, tort claims, garnishments
- Small claims: Civil disputes up to the statutory dollar limit
- Family law: Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, protective orders
- Probate: Wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships
- Juvenile: Delinquency, deprivation (child protective), truancy
- Infractions and ordinance violations
The sections below explain which court handles each type of case and how they are processed.
District Court Cases in DeKalb
In Georgia, the Superior Court functions as the court of general jurisdiction — equivalent to a district court in other states. The DeKalb County Superior Court has exclusive jurisdiction over felony criminal trials, divorce and domestic relations cases, equity cases, and title to land disputes. It also hears civil cases without a dollar-amount limitation and handles appeals from lower courts within the county.
Felony cases typically begin with an arrest or indictment by the DeKalb County grand jury. Once indicted, cases are assigned to a Superior Court judge for arraignment, pre-trial motions, and trial. Civil cases are initiated by filing a complaint with the Clerk of Superior Court. The clerk's office manages all Superior Court filings, and records can be searched through the Landmark Web Official Records Search.
Magistrate Court Cases in DeKalb
The DeKalb County Magistrate Court handles several categories of cases:
- Civil claims up to $15,000 (the current Georgia statutory limit for magistrate court jurisdiction)
- Dispossessory proceedings (evictions) and garnishments
- County ordinance violations
- Criminal warrant applications and preliminary hearings for felony cases
- Bad check hearings
Small claims — a simplified subset of civil cases — are heard in Magistrate Court for disputes up to $15,000. The process is designed to be accessible without an attorney. The DeKalb County State Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases and certain civil matters, while the Magistrate Court issues arrest and search warrants and conducts initial appearances. Traffic violations and DUI cases are generally processed through the State Court.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in DeKalb
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, and legitimation cases are heard exclusively in DeKalb County Superior Court. Temporary protective orders (TPOs) for family violence are also filed in Superior Court. Petitions for termination of parental rights originate in either Superior Court or Juvenile Court depending on the circumstances.
Probate
The DeKalb County Probate Court handles estates of deceased persons, appointment of guardians and conservators, involuntary commitment hearings, and marriage licenses. Probate filings are managed separately from Superior Court records.
Juvenile
The DeKalb County Juvenile Court hears cases involving minors accused of delinquent acts, children alleged to be deprived (child protective cases), and truancy matters. Juvenile court records are confidential under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 15-11-700 et seq.) and are not available to the general public.
How Cases Move Through the DeKalb Court System
- Filing / Initiation: Criminal cases begin with an arrest, warrant application, or grand jury indictment. Civil cases start with a complaint or petition filed with the appropriate clerk's office.
- Case assignment: Cases are assigned to a judge, typically through a random or rotating assignment system.
- Initial hearing: Criminal defendants appear for an arraignment or first appearance. Civil cases proceed to a scheduling or status conference.
- Pre-trial phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and may engage in plea negotiations (criminal) or mediation/settlement discussions (civil).
- Trial or resolution: Cases may be resolved by plea agreement, bench trial, jury trial, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment: Criminal cases move to sentencing and possible appeal. Civil judgments may be enforced through garnishment, liens, or other collection methods. Appeals from Superior Court go to the Georgia Court of Appeals or Supreme Court of Georgia.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in DeKalb
The DeKalb County courts are administered under the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit. Chief Judge Asha Jackson serves as the administrative judge for the Superior Court. Each court division — State Court, Magistrate Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court — has its own chief judge and administrative staff.
Local rules for the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit govern practice in DeKalb County Superior Court. These rules can be accessed through the Georgia Courts website, which also provides statewide court directories and forms.
Public Access to Records
Under the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.), most court records are public. Agencies have three business days to respond to an open records request. You can submit a DeKalb County Open Records Request for county government records. Court-specific records should be requested from the relevant clerk's office.
Exceptions to public access include:
- Juvenile court records
- Sealed or expunged records
- Adoption records
- Certain records in pending investigations
Hearings are generally open to the public. Some proceedings may be conducted via video or telephone — contact the specific court for current remote hearing procedures.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in DeKalb
- Superior Court records search: Use the Landmark Web Official Records Search to look up deeds, liens, and other documents filed with the Clerk of Superior Court.
- State Court case search: Search civil and criminal (misdemeanor) cases through the DeKalb County State Court website, which also provides electronic forms and e-filing through eFileGA.
- Statewide court records: The Georgia Courts E-Access portal allows you to search court records across participating Georgia courts.
- Property records and appraisals: The DeKalb County Property Appraisal site offers real estate searches, sales data, and assessment information.
- Police reports and background checks: The DeKalb County Police Records unit provides police reports, fire/EMS reports, and criminal background checks. Email CriminalHistoryCheck@dekalbcountyga.gov to request a background check.
- Open records requests: Submit requests for county government records through the DeKalb County Open Records portal. The county must respond within three business days.
- Georgia Department of Corrections inmate search: Search current inmates through the Georgia Department of Corrections offender query tool at dcor.state.ga.us.
- Georgia sex offender registry: Search registered sex offenders through the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's registry at gbi.georgia.gov.
- Court forms and self-help: The Georgia Courts website provides statewide court forms, directories, and self-help resources for unrepresented litigants.
- DeKalb County government portal: The DeKalb County website is a central hub for county services, including links to all court divisions, tax records, and government agencies.
For additional help locating DeKalb County court records, visit DeKalbCourt.us.