Search Brooks County Criminal Records

Brooks County criminal court records are kept by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Quitman. This office handles all felony and misdemeanor case filings for the county. Brooks County sits in the Southern Judicial Circuit, which also covers Colquitt, Echols, Lowndes, and Thomas counties. You can search criminal records in person at the clerk office on Screven Street, call to ask about a case, or use statewide online tools that pull data from Georgia courts. The clerk staff in Quitman can help you find case files, court dates, and copies of criminal court documents. Walk-ins are accepted during regular business hours on weekdays.

Brooks County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court in Brooks County manages all criminal court records for the county. The main office is at 100 Screven Street in Quitman. Call (229) 263-4747 to check on a criminal case or ask about getting copies of court documents. The staff can search by name or case number. Bring a valid ID if you plan to visit the courthouse in person. Office hours run Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, copy fees are $0.10 per page for standard copies. The first 15 minutes of search time are free.

The GSCCCA page for Brooks County shows the clerk contact info and links to the county filing system.

From the GSCCCA site, you can verify the Brooks County clerk address and phone number. The site also links to statewide filing tools that index records from all 159 Georgia counties.

How to Search Brooks County Criminal Records

You can search for criminal court records in Brooks County a few different ways. The most direct path is to call the clerk office at (229) 263-4747 and ask about a specific case. Staff can look it up by name or case number. You can also visit the courthouse in Quitman during business hours. For online searches, use the statewide E-Access to Court Records portal, which connects to case data from courts across Georgia. You need an account to search E-Access.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. You can request them from the Brooks County Clerk without giving a reason. The agency must respond within three business days. If they charge a fee for searching, it cannot go past the hourly rate of the lowest paid qualified employee. This is the law for every county in Georgia, and Brooks County is no different. Anyone can walk in and ask to see a criminal case file.

To search criminal records in Brooks County, you should have:

• Full name of the person you are searching for
• Date of birth or approximate age
• Case number if you have one
• Whether the case is a felony or misdemeanor

Criminal Cases in Brooks County

Brooks County Superior Court handles all felony criminal cases. These include violent crimes, drug charges, and theft above a certain dollar amount. The court sits at the courthouse in Quitman. Magistrate Court handles preliminary hearings, bond settings, and some misdemeanor cases. Both courts create criminal court records that the Brooks County Clerk stores and manages. The District Attorney for the Southern Judicial Circuit prosecutes felony cases from Brooks County along with cases from the other counties in the circuit.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, certain criminal records in Georgia can be restricted from public view. This was once called expungement. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction may qualify. So can certain misdemeanor convictions after four years pass, and cases placed on a dead docket for more than 12 months. Brooks County residents should contact the District Attorney's office for arrests on or after July 1, 2013 to start the process. For older arrests, the arresting law enforcement agency handles the request.

Georgia allows each person up to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in a lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are not eligible for restriction. The process can take anywhere from two weeks to 90 days, and agencies may charge up to $50 for processing.

Brooks County Records Online Tools

Brooks County does not run its own online case search portal. But statewide tools give you access to criminal court records from this county. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all Georgia counties. GSCCCA mostly covers real estate and lien records, but it can direct you to the right clerk office for criminal case files. A regular account costs $14.95 per month. Premium access is $29.95 per month.

The GBI Criminal History page is the place to go if you need your own criminal history record. Visit the Brooks County Sheriff's Office and ask for a Purpose Code U report to get your Georgia criminal history for personal use. The GBI Criminal History Records Helpline at (404) 244-2639 option 3 can answer questions about your record statewide, including cases that started in Brooks County.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, some records are exempt from public access. This includes pending criminal investigations, confidential informant info, and certain juvenile records. Once an investigation wraps up, the records become public. If the Brooks County Clerk denies your request, they must cite the specific legal exemption that applies. You have the right to challenge a denial through the courts.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit no longer accepts requests by email, so use their online portal or send your request by mail.

Brooks County Criminal Record Access

Attorneys who need criminal history records for trial work in Brooks County can submit a written request to the Georgia Crime Information Center under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. Include the case style, case number, and identifying info for the subject. The fee is waived for defendants who cannot pay. Defense lawyers in the Southern Judicial Circuit use this route often when they get ready for trial.

For victims of trafficking, the Survivors First Act under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-21 provides free record restriction. This applies to people convicted as a direct result of being trafficked. Written requests go to the GCIC. There is no fee. Time-expired restrictions may also happen on their own in Brooks County. If no final disposition is reported to GCIC within two years for a misdemeanor, four years for a felony, or seven years for a serious violent felony, the record may be restricted automatically.

Cities in Brooks County

All criminal cases from Brooks County cities go through the Superior Court or Magistrate Court in Quitman. The courthouse on Screven Street is the central location for felony and misdemeanor cases from across the county.

Cities and towns in Brooks County include Quitman, Morven, and Barwick. Criminal cases from these areas are handled by the Brooks County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Brooks County. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the alleged crime occurred. If you are not sure which county handles a case, check the arrest location.