Berrien County Criminal Court Records

Berrien County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Nashville, Georgia. This South Georgia county processes felony and misdemeanor criminal cases through its local court system. You can search for criminal records by calling the clerk, visiting the courthouse on North Davis Street, or checking statewide online tools that cover Berrien County. The clerk office handles records requests during normal business hours and staff can pull case files, look up court dates, and provide copies of documents. Berrien County shares a judicial circuit with neighboring counties, and the Nashville courthouse is the center for all criminal filings in the county.

Berrien County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Superior Court in Berrien County manages all criminal court records for the county. The office is at 201 N. Davis Street in Nashville. You can reach the clerk at (229) 686-5501 for questions about criminal cases, filings, or to request copies. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Staff can search for cases by name, date of birth, or case number. They can also make copies of court documents while you wait. Walk-in visits are welcome at the Nashville courthouse.

The GSCCCA page for Berrien County lists the clerk contact information and links to the statewide filing system for the county.

From this page, you can check the Berrien County clerk details and access the GSCCCA filing indexes that include data from all 159 Georgia counties.

Note: Bring a valid photo ID when you visit the Berrien County courthouse for criminal records requests.

How to Search Berrien County Criminal Records

There are several ways to search for criminal court records in Berrien County. You can call the clerk at (229) 686-5501 and ask about a case over the phone. You can also drive to the courthouse on North Davis Street in Nashville. Staff can look up records by name or case number and make copies for you. Georgia law sets the copy fee at $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first quarter hour of staff time for searching is free. Most basic requests at the Berrien County clerk office take less than that, so the search itself usually costs nothing.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask for them. No reason is needed. The Berrien County clerk has to respond within three business days. You can submit your request in person, over the phone, by fax, or in writing. Written requests should go to the clerk at 201 N. Davis Street, Nashville, GA 31639.

For online access, Berrien County does not run its own court records portal. Use statewide tools. The E-Access to Court Records system lets you search case data from Georgia courts. You need an account. The GSCCCA also indexes filings from all counties. A regular account runs $14.95 per month. These tools can help you search Berrien County criminal records from home.

Criminal Courts in Berrien County

Berrien County has several courts that handle criminal matters. Superior Court takes felony cases. Drug trafficking, armed robbery, aggravated assault, murder, and other serious crimes go through this court. State Court handles misdemeanor charges. DUI, simple battery, minor drug possession, and petty theft are common misdemeanor cases. Magistrate Court holds preliminary hearings, sets bonds, and processes warrant applications. All these courts create criminal records that the Berrien County clerk maintains at the Nashville courthouse.

Criminal cases in Berrien County follow Georgia's standard process. An arrest leads to charges. The case enters the court system with hearings and filings. A plea or trial settles the matter. Each step produces records that go into the court file. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from active investigations may not be available to the public. Once a case is done, the record opens up. Court docket info and hearing dates are usually available even for cases that are still pending in Berrien County.

To look up criminal records in Berrien County, have this info ready:

• Full name of the person you need records for
• Date of birth or approximate age
• Case number if you have it
• Whether the charge is a felony or misdemeanor

Berrien County Record Restriction

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, Georgia allows certain criminal records to be restricted from public view. This process used to be called expungement. It covers arrests without a conviction, some misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait, and dead docket cases over 12 months old. In Berrien County, contact the District Attorney for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. For earlier arrests, go to the arresting agency. The processing fee can be up to $50, and the whole thing takes two weeks to 90 days.

Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions. Serious violent felonies and sex crimes are off the table. Time-expired restrictions happen on their own when the Georgia Crime Information Center does not get a final disposition within certain windows. Two years for misdemeanors. Four years for felonies. Seven years for serious violent felonies. These automatic restrictions only cover the state database.

For your own Berrien County criminal history, visit the local sheriff's office and request a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History page explains the statewide process. You can call (404) 244-2639 option 3 for questions about your record. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, attorneys in Berrien County can also request criminal history data from the Georgia Crime Information Center for trial prep by sending a written request with case details and subject information.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit stopped accepting email requests in December 2023. Use their portal or mail instead.

Berrien County eFiling and Resources

Berrien County uses the Odyssey eFileGA system for electronic court filings. Attorneys and case parties can file motions, documents, and other papers online. This creates a digital record that becomes part of the criminal court file. The eFileGA system is available 24 hours a day. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-11, Superior Court Clerks may offer public online access to eFiled documents. The GSCCCA also runs a free Filing Activity Notification System that lets you monitor filings under your name across Georgia counties, including Berrien.

Cities in Berrien County

All criminal cases from Berrien County cities and towns go through the Superior Court or State Court in Nashville. The courthouse on North Davis Street is the filing location for all felony and misdemeanor cases in the county.

Cities and towns in Berrien County include Nashville, Ray City, Alapaha, and Enigma. Criminal cases from these communities are all processed through the Berrien County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Berrien County. Criminal cases are filed in the county where the crime allegedly took place. Check the arrest location if you are not sure which county holds the record you need.