| Clerk of Superior Court | Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court |
|---|---|
| State Court Clerk | Chatham County State Court Clerk |
| Clerk address | 400 W. Oglethorpe Avenue, Suite 178, Savannah, GA 31401 (Clerk of Superior Court) |
| Phone | (912) 434-8920 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.50 per page (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77(g)(2), clerk of superior court) |
| Certified copy fee | $2.50 for the first page plus $0.50 for each additional page (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77(g)(4), clerk of superior court) |
Chatham County (Savannah) keeps its felony, civil, and family cases with the Clerk of Superior Court, based on West Oglethorpe Avenue downtown. A separate State Court Clerk's Office, in the same building, handles misdemeanors, traffic citations, and smaller civil cases and acts as the court's financial administrator for fines and fees. Chatham County Probate Court is a third, independent office with expanded jurisdiction as an Article 6 probate court because of the county's population.
Chatham is one of the counties on the Tyler-hosted re:SearchGA system, and the Superior Court Clerk's office also notes that recorded and filed Superior Court documents have been scanned and are accessible electronically, making Chatham one of the more research-friendly counties in the state.
Search Chatham County court records online
Clerk of Superior Court
Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court
- Cost
- Free search; fees for copies
- Coverage
- Superior Court felony criminal, civil, and family cases; real estate and UCC filings
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Offers an online appointment scheduler and case lookup; most recorded and filed documents have been scanned.
State Court Clerk
Chatham County State Court Clerk
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic citations, and civil cases within the state court's jurisdictional limit
- Records
- Criminal, Civil, Traffic
A separate office from the Superior Court Clerk that also serves as the court's financial administrator for fines and fees.
Other courts
Chatham County Probate Court
- Coverage
- Wills, estate administration, guardianship and conservatorship, marriage licenses, and weapons carry licenses
- Records
- Probate
An Article 6 probate court with expanded jurisdiction under Title 15, Chapter 9 of the Georgia Code; located at 133 Montgomery Street, Room 509, Savannah.
Other courts
re:SearchGA (Tyler Host case search) — Chatham County
- Cost
- Varies; some searches free
- Coverage
- Statewide Tyler-hosted case docket search that includes Chatham County among its participating counties
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
What is available online
The Superior Court Clerk's office states that recorded and filed Superior Court documents have been scanned and are accessible electronically, and Chatham County participates in re:SearchGA for case docket lookups. State Court and Probate Court maintain separate pages under the county's main courts website rather than a unified public search.
Which clerk has your record
In Georgia, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Georgia page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Courts (49 judicial circuits) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other domestic cases; Real estate and land title disputes | Clerk of Superior Court of the county |
| State Courts | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Traffic citations; Civil cases up to the state court's jurisdictional limit | Clerk of State Court of the county (or the Clerk of Superior Court where no separate state court exists) |
| Probate Courts | Wills and estate administration; Guardianship and conservatorship; Marriage licenses | Judge/Clerk of Probate Court of the county |
| Magistrate Courts | Small claims and civil cases up to $15,000; Dispossessory (eviction) proceedings; County ordinance violations | Clerk of Magistrate Court (frequently the same office as the Clerk of Superior Court) |
| Juvenile Courts | Delinquency cases; Deprivation (abuse and neglect) cases; Children in need of services | Clerk of Juvenile Court of the county |
| Municipal Courts | City ordinance violations; Traffic tickets issued by city police; Preliminary hearings | Municipal court clerk of that city |
Request records in person or by mail
Chatham County clerk offices
400 W. Oglethorpe Avenue, Suite 178, Savannah, GA 31401 (Clerk of Superior Court)
Phone: (912) 434-8920
Superior Court records. Search online through the Clerk's site or re:SearchGA, or visit 400 W. Oglethorpe Avenue, Suite 178, Savannah. The office also offers scheduled appointments for in-person requests.
State Court records (misdemeanors, traffic, smaller civil). Contact the State Court Clerk's Office at (912) 652-7224, in the same building as the Superior Court Clerk.
Probate records. Contact the Chatham County Probate Court at 133 Montgomery Street, Room 509, Savannah; (912) 652-7270.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Georgia |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.50 per page (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77(g)(2), clerk of superior court) |
| Certified copy | $2.50 for the first page plus $0.50 for each additional page (O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77(g)(4), clerk of superior court) |
These are the statutory rates for the Clerk of Superior Court under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77. State, probate, magistrate, and juvenile courts each set or follow their own fee schedules, which can differ from the superior court rate, so confirm the fee for the specific court before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Georgia court records are presumed open under Uniform Superior Court Rule 21, which states that "all court records are public and are to be available for public inspection unless public access is limited by law." A judge may seal or restrict access to part of a file only after a hearing, and only when the harm to a person's privacy clearly outweighs the public interest in the record; an order sealing a record can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Georgia under Rule 21.4.
The Georgia guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Are Chatham County court records online?
Superior Court documents have largely been scanned and are accessible electronically through the Clerk's site and re:SearchGA. State Court and Probate Court maintain separate pages without a single unified search across all three.
Which office has my Chatham County divorce or felony case?
The Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court on West Oglethorpe Avenue in Savannah. Divorces, felonies, and larger civil suits are all heard in superior court.
Where do I look up a Chatham County misdemeanor or traffic case?
The Chatham County State Court Clerk's Office, a separate office in the same building as the Superior Court Clerk, reachable at (912) 652-7224.
Who keeps Chatham County probate records?
The Chatham County Probate Court at 133 Montgomery Street, Room 509, Savannah, an Article 6 probate court with expanded jurisdiction because of the county's population.
Sources
- Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court — https://superiorcourtclerk.chathamcountyga.gov/
- Chatham County State Court — Court Administrator — https://courts.chathamcountyga.gov/State/CourtAdmin
- Chatham County Probate Court — https://courts.chathamcountyga.gov/Probate
- re:SearchGA (Tyler Host case search) — https://researchga.tylerhost.net/
- Georgia Courts — Navigating the Courts — https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/navigating-the-courts/
- Georgia Courts — E-Access to Court Records — https://georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/
- PeachCourt — Document Access and Electronic Filing — https://www.peachcourt.com/Account/Access
- GSCCCA — Search — https://www.gsccca.org/search
- Georgia Felon Search — https://services.georgia.gov/gta/gafs/
- Georgia Court of Appeals — Docket Search — https://www.gaappeals.gov/docket-search/
- Supreme Court of Georgia — Docket Search — https://www.gasupreme.us/docket-search/
- Georgia Courts — Record Restrictions/Expungement — https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/record-restrictions-expungement/
- O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 — Restriction of Criminal History Record Information — https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-35/chapter-3/article-2/section-35-3-37/
- O.C.G.A. § 9-11-7.1 — Redacted Information; Filings Under Seal — https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-9/chapter-11/article-3/section-9-11-7-1/
- O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77 — Clerk of Superior Court Fees — https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-15/chapter-6/article-2/section-15-6-77/
- Uniform Rules for the Superior Courts of Georgia (Rule 21) — https://assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Georgia counties.