Search Smyrna Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Smyrna are kept by two courts. The Smyrna Municipal Court handles city code cases, traffic offenses, and some misdemeanor crimes that take place in city limits. Felony cases and more serious charges go to the Cobb County Superior Court. Smyrna sits in Cobb County just west of Atlanta, and all felony case files move through the Cobb Judicial Circuit. The Municipal Court is at 2640 Atlanta Road in Smyrna. You can get public records from both courts under Georgia's open records law, which gives any person the right to look at most criminal case files held by a public agency.

Smyrna Municipal Court Records

The Smyrna Municipal Court handles cases that come from city ordinance violations, traffic stops, and misdemeanor arrests within Smyrna. The court is not a court of record in the traditional sense, but it does keep case files for each matter it hears. You can reach the court clerk to ask about a case or get copies of court documents.

The court sits at 2640 Atlanta Road, Smyrna, GA 30080. Call (770) 434-6606 for case questions. Walk-in requests work fine during business hours. Staff can look up cases by name or citation number. Bring your ID if you plan to go in person. The clerk can print records for you on the spot, though you may have to pay the standard copy fee.

Note: Smyrna Municipal Court does not hear felony cases, which are routed to Cobb County Superior Court.

Cobb County Criminal Court Records

Felony cases that start in Smyrna are filed in the Cobb County Superior Court. This covers drug trafficking, armed robbery, assault, and other serious crimes. The Cobb Judicial Circuit handles all criminal matters at the superior court level for the county. The Cobb County Clerk of Superior Court manages these files at the courthouse in Marietta.

Cobb County also has a State Court that handles misdemeanor cases, including some that start in Smyrna but get bound over from the municipal level. The State Court sits in the same complex in Marietta. If a case began as a Smyrna Municipal Court matter and then got transferred, the file moves to one of these county courts. You can check with the clerk's office if you are not sure which court has the record you need.

The Cobb County Clerk provides online case search tools. You can look up criminal records by defendant name, case number, or filing date. The system shows case status, charges, court dates, and the judge assigned to the matter. Criminal case data from the Cobb Circuit goes back several years in their online index.

The statewide E-Access to Court Records portal also lets you search for Smyrna-related criminal cases. It pulls from courts across Georgia, including Cobb County. You need to set up a free account to use it.

How to Search Smyrna Criminal Records

There are a few ways to find criminal court records for cases in Smyrna. What you pick depends on what kind of record you are after and how quick you need it.

The GSCCCA indexes court filings from all 159 Georgia counties. You can search for Cobb County records through this statewide tool. A basic account costs $14.95 per month. The GSCCCA also runs the free FANS alert system. FANS lets you track new filings by name across any county. So if you want to know when a new case hits the Cobb County docket, FANS can send you a notice.

To get your own criminal history, go to the Cobb County Sheriff's Office or any local law enforcement agency and ask for a Purpose Code U report. This pulls data from the Georgia Crime Information Center. It shows your arrest records, charges, and how each case turned out statewide. You need to give your name, date of birth, and fingerprints. The GBI Criminal History page has the full steps.

For in-person lookups, visit the Smyrna Municipal Court on Atlanta Road or the Cobb County Courthouse in Marietta. Bring the full name and date of birth of the person you want records on. A case number helps speed things up. Clerk staff at both spots can pull records while you wait in most cases.

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.

Smyrna Criminal Record Restrictions

Georgia law lets you restrict some criminal records from public view. The state used to call this expungement but now uses the term "record restriction." Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you may qualify to restrict records for arrests that did not lead to a conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait, and cases that sat on a dead docket for more than 12 months. You can restrict up to two misdemeanor convictions in your lifetime.

For arrests in Smyrna on or after July 1, 2013, contact the Cobb County District Attorney's Office to begin the restriction process. For older arrests, reach out to the Smyrna Police Department. Agencies can charge up to $50 to process a restriction request. Once the court grants it, the record is pulled from public access under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72.

Victims of trafficking may qualify for free record restriction under the Survivors First Act. There is no fee for this type. Talk to a local attorney or the GBI for more details on how to file.

State Resources for Smyrna Records

The GBI runs the state criminal history database. You can call the Criminal History Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 for help with your record. The GBI Open Records Unit takes requests through their online portal only. They stopped taking email requests in late 2023.

The Georgia Open Records Act, found at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, gives you the right to request records from any public agency in the state. This covers courts, police departments, and county offices. If a Smyrna agency denies your request, they must cite the specific legal exemption. You can challenge a denial through the Georgia Attorney General's office or by filing a civil action in superior court.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, public agencies must respond to your records request within three business days. They can ask for more time if the request is broad or if the records are stored off-site. But they cannot ignore it or stall without giving you a reason in writing. These rules apply to the Smyrna Municipal Court, Smyrna Police, and all Cobb County agencies.

Nearby Cities

These cities near Smyrna also have criminal court records you can search. Each city runs its own municipal court, but felony cases go through the county where the crime took place.