| Clerk of Superior Court | DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court |
|---|---|
| State Court Clerk | DeKalb County State Court |
| Clerk address | 556 North McDonough Street, Ground Floor, Decatur, GA 30030 (Clerk of Superior Court) |
| Phone | (404) 371-2836 |
| 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) |
DeKalb County's Clerk of Superior Court keeps felony criminal cases, civil suits, divorces, and real estate and UCC filings from an office in downtown Decatur. A separate DeKalb County State Court, with its own clerk, handles misdemeanors, traffic citations, and smaller civil claims. DeKalb County Probate Court is a third, independent office for wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage and weapons-carry licenses.
DeKalb is one of the counties on the Tyler-hosted re:SearchGA system, so Superior Court case dockets can generally be searched online in addition to through the Clerk's own site, though document images are not uniformly available for every case type or year.
Because DeKalb runs three separate constitutional offices for its trial courts, the office you contact depends entirely on the kind of case: a felony or divorce goes through the Clerk of Superior Court in Decatur, a misdemeanor or traffic citation goes through the State Court, and an estate or guardianship matter goes through Probate Court. Each office sets its own hours and fee schedule, so a request sent to the wrong clerk simply gets redirected rather than processed, which can add days to a mail request.
Search DeKalb County court records online
Clerk of Superior Court
DeKalb 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
Also handles e-filing, protective orders, passport applications, and trade name registration.
State Court Clerk
DeKalb County State Court
- 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.
Other courts
DeKalb County Probate Court
- Coverage
- Wills, estate administration, guardianship and conservatorship, marriage licenses, and weapons carry licenses
- Records
- Probate
Located at 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, Decatur, GA 30030; phone (404) 371-3022.
What is available online
Superior Court case dockets are searchable both through the Clerk's own site and through re:SearchGA, the Tyler-hosted portal that also covers a handful of other large Georgia counties. State Court and Probate Court maintain separate sites and are not part of the same search tool as Superior Court.
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
DeKalb County clerk offices
556 North McDonough Street, Ground Floor, Decatur, GA 30030 (Clerk of Superior Court)
Phone: (404) 371-2836
Superior Court records. Search online through the Clerk's site or re:SearchGA, or visit 556 North McDonough Street, Ground Floor, Decatur. Copies are available for a per-page fee, with certified copies costing more.
State Court records (misdemeanors, traffic, smaller civil). Contact the DeKalb County State Court Clerk's office directly through its own website.
Probate records. Contact the DeKalb County Probate Court at 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, Decatur; (404) 371-3022. Ask for the specific document you need.
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 DeKalb County court records online?
Superior Court records can be searched through the Clerk of Superior Court's own site and through re:SearchGA. State Court and Probate Court each maintain separate search tools on their own sites.
Which office has my DeKalb County divorce or felony case?
The DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court, located at 556 North McDonough Street in Decatur. Divorces, felonies, and larger civil suits are heard in superior court.
Where do I look up a DeKalb County misdemeanor or traffic case?
The DeKalb County State Court, a separate office from the Superior Court Clerk with its own website and search tool.
Who keeps DeKalb County probate records?
The DeKalb County Probate Court, a separate office at 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, in Decatur, reachable at (404) 371-3022.
Does re:SearchGA cover every DeKalb County court?
No. re:SearchGA covers Superior Court case dockets. State Court and Probate Court maintain their own separate systems and are not part of the same statewide search.
Sources
- DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court — https://www.dksuperiorclerk.com/
- DeKalb County State Court — https://dekalbgastatecourt.gov/
- DeKalb County Probate Court — https://dekalbprobatega.com/
- 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.