Find Brookhaven Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Brookhaven are managed by the city's municipal court and the DeKalb County Superior Court. The Brookhaven Municipal Court hears traffic cases, city code violations, and misdemeanor crimes that happen within city limits. Felony charges go to DeKalb County Superior Court in the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit. Brookhaven incorporated in 2012 and is one of the larger cities in DeKalb County, sitting just northeast of Atlanta along the Buford Highway corridor. All court records here are public under Georgia's Open Records Act, and you can get them in person, by mail, or through state and county online tools.

Brookhaven Municipal Court Records

The Brookhaven Municipal Court handles criminal cases at the city level. This includes traffic tickets, city ordinance violations, and misdemeanor offenses. The court does not hear felony cases. Those go through DeKalb County. Since Brookhaven incorporated in 2012, the municipal court has built up its own caseload and record keeping system.

The court is at 2660 Buford Highway NE, Brookhaven, GA 30324. You can call (404) 637-0500 for case info. Walk in during business hours to ask about a case or get copies. The clerk can pull up records by name or case number. Bring a photo ID if you plan to pick up documents. Copy fees follow the state rate.

Note: Brookhaven Municipal Court records may not all appear in the DeKalb County online search tools, so check with the court clerk for the most complete local records.

DeKalb County Criminal Court Records

Felony cases from Brookhaven are filed in the DeKalb County Superior Court. This covers drug charges, violent crimes, theft, and all other serious criminal offenses. The Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit handles all of DeKalb County. The county courthouse is in Decatur, about a 15-minute drive south from Brookhaven.

DeKalb County has an online case search through the clerk's office. You can look up criminal cases by defendant name, case number, or attorney. The system shows charges, court dates, case status, and document filings. There is no cost to search. You pay only when you order copies of specific documents.

The E-Access to Court Records system from the Georgia courts is another option. It pulls data from courts statewide, including DeKalb County. Create a free account to start searching. You can filter by county, date range, or case type to narrow results down.

Before Brookhaven was a city, all cases from this area went through DeKalb County courts and unincorporated DeKalb police. Records from before 2012 are filed under DeKalb County, not Brookhaven. If you need older records, search by the defendant's name in the DeKalb County system or ask the county clerk for help finding them.

Brookhaven Police Records

The Brookhaven Police Department keeps arrest records, incident reports, and other law enforcement files. You can request these through an open records request. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, the Georgia Open Records Act, public agencies must release records unless a specific exemption applies. The department has three business days to respond.

Submit your request in writing. Include the full name of the person involved, the date of the incident, and any report or case numbers you have. The more detail you provide, the quicker staff can find the right records. You can call (404) 637-0500 to ask how to submit your request.

Copy fees are $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first 15 minutes of search time are free at all Georgia public offices. After that, the agency can charge a reasonable hourly rate for staff time. For large requests, plan to wait a few extra days.

How to Search Brookhaven Records

There are several ways to find criminal court records linked to Brookhaven. Here are the main ones.

The GSCCCA indexes court filings from all 159 Georgia counties. DeKalb County records are included. A standard account runs $14.95 per month. The GSCCCA also runs FANS, a free alert system. You can track a name and get notified when new court documents are filed in any county across the state.

For in-person searches, go to the Brookhaven Municipal Court on Buford Highway for city-level cases. For felony records, head to the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur. Bring the full name and date of birth of the person you are looking for. A case number makes the search go much faster. The clerk can pull records while you wait.

For your own criminal history, ask the Brookhaven Police Department or the DeKalb County Sheriff for a Purpose Code U report. This pulls data from the Georgia Crime Information Center and shows arrests, charges, and court outcomes from across the state. You need valid ID and fingerprints to get this report.

Restricting Brookhaven Criminal Records

Georgia allows certain criminal records to be restricted from public view. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you can petition to restrict records for arrests that did not lead to conviction. Some misdemeanor convictions become eligible after four years. Cases on a dead docket for over 12 months can also qualify. The lifetime limit is two misdemeanor restrictions per person.

For Brookhaven arrests on or after July 1, 2013, start the process with the DeKalb County District Attorney. Older arrests go through the arresting agency. Processing fees can be up to $50. Once the court grants the restriction, those records are sealed from public access. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 exempts restricted records from open records requests after the court order is in place.

Trafficking victims may qualify for free record restriction under the Survivors First Act. There is no fee for this kind of request. Contact the GBI or a local attorney for more details on this process.

State Resources for Brookhaven

The GBI runs the state criminal history database. Call (404) 244-2639 for help. The GBI Open Records portal handles requests online only. They no longer accept email requests as of late 2023.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, defense attorneys can request criminal history data from the GCIC with a written request that includes the case number and defendant info. This is used by lawyers in the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit regularly. Fees may be waived for defendants who cannot pay.

Local legal aid for Brookhaven residents is available through the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, which serves DeKalb County. They help with record restriction petitions, court navigation, and other legal issues for people who meet the income guidelines. The DeKalb County Bar Association can also connect you with a private attorney if needed.

Nearby Cities

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