Search Lawrenceville Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records in Lawrenceville are split between the city and county court systems. The Lawrenceville Municipal Court handles traffic tickets, city code violations, and misdemeanor offenses within the city limits. Felony cases go to the Gwinnett County Superior Court, which also sits in Lawrenceville since the city is the county seat. The Gwinnett Judicial Circuit covers all of Gwinnett County. Having both courts in the same city makes it easier to search records in person, since the municipal court and county courthouse are just a few blocks apart in downtown Lawrenceville.
Lawrenceville Criminal Records Quick Facts
Lawrenceville Municipal Court Records
The Lawrenceville Municipal Court handles traffic citations, city ordinance violations, and misdemeanor criminal cases that happen in Lawrenceville. The court does not hear felony cases. If you were cited or arrested for a misdemeanor within city limits, this is where your case file lives. The clerk keeps records indexed by defendant name and case number.
The court is at 300 Jackson Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. Call (770) 963-6666 for case info. Walk-in requests are taken during business hours on weekdays. Bring a valid ID when you come. The clerk can provide copies of case records, disposition letters, and payment history. Most basic requests get filled the same day.
| Lawrenceville Municipal Court |
300 Jackson Street Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Phone: (770) 963-6666 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Case Types | Traffic violations, city ordinance violations, misdemeanors |
| Copy Fee | $0.10 per page |
Note: Felony charges and serious criminal cases are not handled by the municipal court and go through the Gwinnett County court system instead.
Gwinnett County Criminal Records
Felony criminal cases from Lawrenceville go to the Gwinnett County Superior Court. Drug charges, violent crimes, burglary, and other serious offenses are all filed at the county level. Since Lawrenceville is the county seat, the Gwinnett County Courthouse is right in town on Langley Drive. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps all felony records and maintains a searchable index.
Gwinnett County runs an online case search portal. You can look up records by defendant name, case number, or attorney. The system shows charges, court dates, case status, and filing history. Criminal records in the system go back many years. This is one of the best ways to find felony records without making a trip to the clerk's office, though in Lawrenceville the courthouse is close enough that an in-person visit is easy.
The Gwinnett County Solicitor General handles misdemeanor cases at the state court level. Some cases that start in Lawrenceville Municipal Court get bound over to Gwinnett State Court when the charges escalate. DUI cases in particular sometimes move up this way. If you cannot find a case in the municipal system, try the county state court records next.
The E-Access to Court Records portal also includes Gwinnett County court data. A free account is all you need to start searching. The portal covers courts from across the entire state.
How to Search Lawrenceville Records
Multiple options exist for finding criminal court records in Lawrenceville. The right approach depends on what you need and how quickly you need it.
The GSCCCA indexes court filings from all 159 Georgia counties. Search Gwinnett County records through this tool. A standard account is $14.95 per month. The GSCCCA also runs the free FANS alert system. Set up name alerts and get notified when new filings appear in any county.
If you need your own criminal history, get a Purpose Code U report. This pulls data from the Georgia Crime Information Center. It shows arrest records, charges, and court outcomes from across the state. You need to give your name, date of birth, and fingerprints. The Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office can process this for you, or contact the GBI at (404) 244-2639 for more details.
Searching in person is straightforward in Lawrenceville. The Municipal Court on Jackson Street and the Gwinnett County Courthouse on Langley Drive are both in the downtown area. Bring the full name and date of birth of the person you are looking for. A case number speeds up the search. Staff can pull records while you wait at both locations. You could check both courts in a single trip since they are so close.
Note: Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees are capped at $0.10 per page and the first 15 minutes of search time are free at any Georgia public office.
Lawrenceville Record Restrictions
Georgia allows people to restrict certain criminal records from public access. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you may qualify if you had an arrest that did not lead to conviction, a misdemeanor conviction that is at least four years old, or a case that sat on a dead docket for more than 12 months. The lifetime limit is two misdemeanor restrictions.
Contact the Gwinnett County District Attorney to begin the process for Lawrenceville cases. File a petition with the court. Agencies can charge up to $50 to process each restriction request. Once the court signs the order, the record is pulled from public search results. Police and prosecutors can still see it, but it will not show up in standard public searches.
If the case was in Lawrenceville Municipal Court, follow up with the clerk at (770) 963-6666 to make sure local records match the restriction order. This extra step prevents the record from showing up in municipal court searches even after the county has processed the restriction.
State Resources for Lawrenceville
The GBI maintains the state criminal history database. Call (404) 244-2639 option 3 with questions about your criminal history. The GBI Open Records Unit now only takes requests through their online portal. Email submissions are no longer accepted.
The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 guarantees public access to government records, including criminal court files. Both city and county courts must comply. Agencies have three business days to respond. If they refuse, they must point to a specific legal exemption. The Georgia Attorney General handles complaints about denied records requests.
Lawrenceville residents have the advantage of the Gwinnett County Law Library being right in town. It is open to the public and has forms for restriction petitions, sample open records request letters, and other legal research tools. For those who need a lawyer but cannot afford one, the Georgia Legal Services Program serves Gwinnett County. They help with criminal record issues among other things. Their office can tell you if you qualify based on income.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Lawrenceville also have criminal court records. Each one has its own municipal court for local offenses, while felony cases go through the county court system.