Atlanta Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Atlanta are split between two main systems. The Atlanta Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations, traffic cases, and misdemeanor crimes that happen inside city limits. Felony cases and more serious criminal matters go to the Fulton County Superior Court. Some parts of Atlanta also fall in DeKalb County, so the county where the crime took place decides which court keeps the records. The Municipal Court sits at 150 Garnett Street SW in downtown Atlanta. Fulton County runs the larger criminal court system from the courthouse on Pryor Street. Both courts make records available to the public under Georgia open records law.

Atlanta Municipal Court Records

The Atlanta Municipal Court is the busiest municipal court in the state. It handles traffic tickets, city code violations, and misdemeanor criminal cases that fall under city jurisdiction. The court processes thousands of cases each year. If you got a ticket or were arrested for a misdemeanor in Atlanta, this is where your case file lives.

The court sits at 150 Garnett Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. You can call (404) 954-7914 for case info. Walk-in requests are taken during business hours. Staff can look up your case by name or citation number. Bring a valid photo ID if you plan to visit in person. The court clerk can give you copies of case records, including disposition letters and payment history.

Note: Atlanta Municipal Court does not handle felony cases, which go through the Fulton County or DeKalb County Superior Court instead.

Atlanta Criminal Records at Fulton County

Felony criminal cases in Atlanta are filed in the Fulton County Superior Court. This includes drug charges, violent crimes, burglary, and other serious offenses. The Atlanta Judicial Circuit covers all of Fulton County. The Fulton County Clerk of Superior Court keeps these criminal court records at the courthouse on Pryor Street in downtown Atlanta.

For the parts of Atlanta that sit in DeKalb County, felony cases go through the DeKalb County Superior Court system instead. The county line runs through the city, so the location of the alleged crime determines which court has the file. If you are not sure which county your case falls in, check the arrest report or call the Atlanta Police Department at (404) 546-4235 for help.

The Fulton County Clerk runs an eServices portal where you can search criminal court records online. You can look up cases by defendant name, case number, or attorney name. The system shows case status, court dates, charges, and filing history. Criminal case data from the Atlanta Judicial Circuit is indexed in this system going back many years.

The statewide E-Access to Court Records portal is another tool for searching Atlanta criminal cases. It pulls case data from courts across Georgia, including those in Fulton and DeKalb counties. You will need to set up a free account before you can search.

Atlanta Police Criminal Records

The Atlanta Police Department keeps arrest records, incident reports, and other law enforcement files. You can request these through the APD Open Records Unit. The police headquarters is at 226 Peachtree Street SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. Call (404) 546-4235 for the records unit.

Atlanta has a dedicated Open Records Unit for police record requests. You can also submit requests through the city's main open records portal or by email at openrecords@atlantaga.gov. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, the Georgia Open Records Act, all public agencies must release records unless a specific exemption applies. The APD must respond within three business days of getting your request.

How to Search Atlanta Criminal Court Records

There are several ways to look up criminal court records in Atlanta. The method you pick depends on what type of record you need and how fast you need it. Here are the main options.

The GSCCCA indexes court filings from all 159 Georgia counties. You can search for records tied to Fulton County through this tool. A regular account runs $14.95 per month. Premium costs $29.95 per month. The GSCCCA also runs the free FANS alert system, which lets you track new filings by name across any county in the state.

For your own criminal history, go to the Atlanta Police Department or Fulton County Sheriff and ask for a Purpose Code U report. This report pulls data from the Georgia Crime Information Center and shows your arrest records, charges, and court outcomes statewide. You will need to provide your name, date of birth, and fingerprints. The GBI Criminal History page explains the full process.

To search in person, you can visit either the Municipal Court on Garnett Street or the Fulton County Courthouse on Pryor Street. Bring the full name and date of birth of the person you need records for. A case number speeds things up. The clerk staff at both locations can pull records while you wait.

Note: Copy fees under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 are $0.10 per page, and the first 15 minutes of search time are free at any Georgia public office.

Atlanta Criminal Record Restrictions

Georgia allows certain criminal records to be restricted from public view. This process used to be called expungement. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you may be able to restrict records for arrests that did not lead to conviction, some misdemeanor convictions after four years, and cases that sat on a dead docket for more than 12 months. The lifetime cap is two misdemeanor restrictions.

For arrests in Atlanta on or after July 1, 2013, contact the Fulton County District Attorney to start the process. For older arrests, reach out to the Atlanta Police Department. Agencies can charge up to $50 to process a restriction request. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, restricted records are exempt from public disclosure once the court grants the petition.

Trafficking victims may qualify for free record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-21, the Survivors First Act. There is no fee for this type of request. Talk to a local attorney or the GBI for details.

State Resources for Atlanta Records

The GBI operates the state criminal history database. You can call the Criminal History Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 or email gacriminalhistory@gbi.state.ga.us for questions about your record. The GBI Open Records Unit accepts requests through their online portal only. They no longer take email requests as of December 2023.

The Georgia Supreme Court docket search is useful if a criminal case from Atlanta was appealed to the state's highest court. You can search by case name or docket number. The Georgia Court of Appeals also has a separate docket for cases on appeal from the Atlanta Judicial Circuit.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, defense attorneys can request criminal history data from the GCIC by sending a written request with the case style, case number, and identifying info. This is commonly used by lawyers handling criminal cases in Atlanta's courts. Fees apply but may be waived for indigent defendants.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Atlanta also have criminal court records resources. Each city has its own municipal court, but felony cases go through the county where the offense took place.