Search Clayton County Criminal Records

Clayton County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Superior Court at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center in Jonesboro. This south metro Atlanta county handles a large number of felony and misdemeanor cases each year through its own judicial circuit. You can search Clayton County criminal records online through the county's Court Case Inquiry system or visit the Jonesboro courthouse in person. The Clayton Judicial Circuit covers only Clayton County, so all criminal cases here stay within one set of judges and court staff. Whether you need a court date, a case file, or a copy of a criminal record, the clerk's office on Tara Boulevard is the primary source for that information.

Clayton County Court Clerk Office

Chanae Q. Clemons is the Clerk of Superior Court for Clayton County. Her office is the central place to get criminal court records in the county. The main office sits inside the Harold R. Banke Justice Center at 9151 Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro. The clerk's office is in Room 1CL25. The main phone number is (770) 477-3395. Hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Staff at the front desk can pull case files, check court dates, and make copies of criminal records for you. Bring a valid ID if you plan to visit in person.

For specific divisions, the phone numbers break out by case type. Call 770-477-3405 for Superior Court records, which includes felony cases, divorces, and adoptions. The main line at 770-477-3395 also covers real estate records and notary filings. Magistrate Court matters like small claims and warrants go through 770-477-3443. The Jury Division number is 770-477-3400. Each of these lines can point you to the right staff member for your Clayton County criminal records request.

The GSCCCA page for Clayton County lists the clerk's contact details and links to statewide filing records tied to Clayton County.

The GSCCCA page connects you to deed records, lien indexes, and UCC filings for Clayton County. While it focuses on real estate and commercial filings, the clerk contact info here is the same office that handles criminal court records.

Note: Clayton County does not have a branch or satellite clerk office, so all in-person requests go through the Jonesboro courthouse.

How to Search Clayton County Criminal Records

Clayton County offers an online Court Case Inquiry tool where you can search criminal records by name or case number. This is a free tool. It covers cases in the Superior Court, State Court, and Magistrate Court systems. You can not access juvenile or adoption records through the online system. Those are sealed by law. For everything else, the online inquiry is a good first step. It shows basic case data like charges, court dates, and case status.

The Clayton County Court Case Inquiry page gives you direct access to search criminal court records and other case types in Clayton County.

You can also use re:SearchGA for Clayton County case lookups. This is a statewide tool that some counties participate in. It pulls data from the same clerk records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask to see them. The agency must respond within three business days. Copy fees run $0.10 per page for standard copies, and the first 15 minutes of search time are free under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. If you need a certified copy, expect to pay more.

To search for criminal records in Clayton County, you will need:

• Full name of the person you are looking for
• Date of birth or approximate age if known
• Case number if you have one
• Type of case (felony, misdemeanor, or warrant)

Clayton County Criminal Case Courts

Three main courts handle criminal matters in Clayton County. The Superior Court takes felony cases. These are the most serious charges, like murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and aggravated assault. The Superior Court sits at the Harold Reuben Banke Justice Center at 9151 Tara Boulevard. The office number is (770) 477-3436 and the fax is (770) 477-3465. All felony criminal court records in Clayton County are filed here.

State Court handles misdemeanors. Think DUI, simple battery, shoplifting, and minor drug charges. The State Court office is also at the Banke Justice Center. Call (770) 477-3354 to reach them. The fax is (770) 473-5991. Misdemeanor criminal records in Clayton County are filed and stored through this court. Below that, Magistrate Court deals with preliminary hearings for felony cases, bond hearings, and warrant applications. Reach the Clayton County Magistrate Court at (770) 477-3444. These three courts all operate under one roof, which makes it simpler for people who need to handle multiple case types in one visit.

Clayton County also has a Juvenile Court at 9163 Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro. You can reach it at (770) 477-3270. Juvenile records are sealed from public access in most cases under Georgia law. Probate Court sits at a different site: Clayton County Administration Annex 3 at 121 South McDonough Street in Jonesboro. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records can be restricted from public view. This covers arrests that did not end in a conviction and certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait.

Clayton County Criminal Record Resources

Several agencies beyond the clerk's office deal with criminal court records in Clayton County. The District Attorney's office handles all felony prosecutions and works closely with the Superior Court. The Solicitor General deals with misdemeanor prosecutions in State Court. Both of these offices create records that become part of the criminal case file in Clayton County. The Clayton County Probation Office has two locations. The Adult State Court office is at 9151 Tara Boulevard, Suite 3BS10 in Jonesboro. The Adult Superior Court office is at 1331 Citizen's Parkway, Suite 201 in Morrow. You can reach probation at (770) 960-4100.

The statewide E-Access to Court Records portal is another way to search criminal court records from Clayton County and other Georgia counties. You need an account to use it. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all 159 counties. A regular GSCCCA account costs $14.95 per month. Premium access is $29.95 per month. While GSCCCA focuses on real estate and lien records, it can help you find the right clerk for criminal case files in Clayton County.

For your own criminal history, visit a local sheriff's office or police station. Ask for a "Purpose Code U" report. This is the standard way 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 statewide record, including cases that started in Clayton County. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the Georgia Crime Information Center can share criminal history data with attorneys who submit a written request with case details and subject info.

Restricting Criminal Records in Clayton County

Georgia uses the term "record restriction" instead of expungement. A restricted record is hidden from the public but still on file for law enforcement. Clayton County residents who want to restrict a criminal record need to follow the right steps based on when the arrest happened. For arrests before July 1, 2013, you apply through the law enforcement agency that made the arrest. For arrests on or after that date, go through the prosecuting attorney's office in the county where the arrest took place.

Eligibility has limits. Serious violent felonies and sex offenses do not qualify. Some misdemeanor convictions may qualify after four years have passed since you finished the sentence, as long as you have no other convictions on your record. Georgia caps it at two misdemeanor record restrictions per person. Agencies can charge up to $50 for a restriction request. The whole process takes anywhere from two weeks to 90 days.

Cases on the dead docket for more than 12 months may also qualify. Arrests that never led to a conviction are eligible too. Victims of trafficking can get free record restriction under the Debbie Vance Act at O.C.G.A. § 17-10-21. There is no fee for that kind of request. Some records get restricted on their own after a set time if the Georgia Crime Information Center never gets a final disposition. That is two years for misdemeanors, four years for felonies, and seven years for serious violent felonies. But these time-expired restrictions may still show on FBI or out-of-state background checks.

Clayton County residents can also file documents through the eFileGA system. Attorneys and parties to a case can submit motions and paperwork online rather than going to the courthouse. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-11, Superior Court Clerks in Georgia may offer public access to view cases and eFiled documents through their websites. This digital trail becomes part of the criminal court record in Clayton County.

Note: The GBI Open Records Unit no longer accepts requests by email as of late 2023, so use their online portal or mail your request instead.

Cities in Clayton County

Clayton County sits just south of Atlanta and includes several cities and towns. All criminal cases filed in these areas go through the Clayton County court system at the Harold R. Banke Justice Center in Jonesboro. No cities in Clayton County meet the population threshold for their own page on this site, but you can still find information about the court system that serves each of them through the county resources above.

Cities and towns in Clayton County include Jonesboro, Riverdale, Forest Park, Morrow, and Lake City. Criminal cases from all of these areas are handled by the Clayton County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Clayton County. If you are not sure which county handles a criminal case, check the address where the arrest happened. Criminal cases must be filed in the county where the alleged crime took place.