Gwinnett County Criminal Court Records

Gwinnett County criminal court records are managed by Clerk of Superior Court Tiana P. Garner at the courthouse on Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. This is one of the largest counties in Georgia, and the court system sees a high volume of felony and misdemeanor filings each year. You can search Gwinnett County criminal records by calling the Criminal Court Records line at (770) 822-8120 or by visiting the clerk office in person. The Gwinnett Courts website also has a phone directory and links to online tools for looking up case data. Several courts handle criminal matters here, from Superior Court for felonies to State Court and Magistrate Court for lesser charges and bond hearings.

Gwinnett County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court keeps all criminal court records in Gwinnett County. The main office is at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. This is where you go to pull case files, check on court dates, or get copies of criminal records. The clerk staff can search by name or case number. Walk-ins are welcome on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can also call the Criminal Court Records line at (770) 822-8120 to ask about a case over the phone. For general info, the main clerk number is (770) 822-8100. Bring a valid ID if you plan to visit in person.

The Gwinnett Courts website is the main hub for court info, contacts, and case resources in the county.

From this site you can find phone numbers for each court division, check hours, and get links to online services for Gwinnett County criminal records. The site also has a Google Translate option for residents who need info in another language.

Note: Court records from Superior, State, and Magistrate Court in Gwinnett County are not subject to Open Records requests through the county portal and must be requested through Gwinnett Courts directly.

Searching Gwinnett County Criminal Records

There are a few ways to get criminal court records in Gwinnett County. The most direct path is to call or visit the Clerk of Superior Court at 75 Langley Drive. Staff can look up any case by name, date of birth, or case number. They can print copies and tell you the status of a criminal case. For phone requests, the criminal records line at (770) 822-8120 is your best bet. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The clerk must respond within three business days.

Copy fees are $0.10 per page for standard copies. The first 15 minutes of search time cost nothing under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. After that, the clerk can charge based on the salary of the lowest paid qualified person who does the work. Most simple lookups fall within that free window.

The Gwinnett Courts courthouse phonebook lists direct lines for each court division so you can reach the right office on your first call.

Use this directory to find the exact phone number for the division you need. The State Court line is (770) 822-8000 for misdemeanor cases. Magistrate Court uses the same number and handles bond hearings and preliminary hearings. If you need the Probate Court, call (770) 822-8250. The Juvenile Court line is (770) 619-6300.

Criminal Cases in Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County has several courts that deal with criminal matters. The Superior Court handles all felony cases. These include violent crimes, drug trafficking, theft above certain dollar amounts, and other serious charges. The State Court takes misdemeanor cases like simple battery, DUI, shoplifting, and minor drug offenses. Magistrate Court deals with preliminary hearings, arrest warrants, and bond settings. Each of these courts creates criminal records that the Gwinnett County Clerk of Superior Court stores and maintains. The Recorder's Court handles traffic citations and some code violations. That court sits at 115 Stone Mountain Street in Lawrenceville.

The District Attorney at (770) 822-8400 handles felony prosecutions in Gwinnett County. The Solicitor at (770) 822-8300 takes on misdemeanor cases in State Court. These offices decide which cases go to trial and which get plea deals. Their work feeds into the criminal court records that the clerk files keep. The Gwinnett County Sheriff at (770) 822-8200 handles warrants, inmate transport, and court security. You can also reach the sheriff for background check info.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, some criminal records in Georgia can be restricted from public view. This used to be called expungement. It covers arrests that did not lead to a conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait, and cases on the dead docket for more than 12 months. To start this process in Gwinnett County, contact the District Attorney for arrests that took place on or after July 1, 2013. For arrests before that date, go through the arresting law enforcement agency.

Note: Agencies in Georgia may charge up to $50 to process a criminal record restriction request.

Gwinnett County Recorder's Court Portal

Gwinnett County runs a Recorder's Court that handles traffic citations and certain ordinance violations. This court has its own online portal where you can look up cases, check court dates, and make payments. The Recorder's Court is at 115 Stone Mountain Street in Lawrenceville. You can call (877) 794-0988 for general questions or reach the prosecutor at (770) 619-6126. Jeff C. West serves as the Recorder's Court Clerk. The fax number is (770) 619-6005, and you can email questions to recorderscourtinfo@gwinnettcounty.com.

The Gwinnett County Recorder's Court portal gives you online access to look up traffic and ordinance cases.

Through this portal, you can search by name or citation number. You can also pay fines and check your next court date. While this court mainly deals with traffic matters, the records it creates are still part of the broader criminal court system in Gwinnett County. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-11, court clerks in Georgia may offer public access to view cases and filed documents through their websites. This Recorder's Court portal is one example of that access in Gwinnett County.

Gwinnett County Records and State Tools

Beyond the local clerk office, there are statewide tools that can help you find criminal court records tied to Gwinnett County cases. The E-Access to Court Records portal connects you to case data from counties across Georgia. You need an account to search. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority indexes filings from all 159 counties. While GSCCCA focuses on real estate and liens, it can point you to the right clerk for criminal files in Gwinnett County. A regular GSCCCA account runs $14.95 per month. Premium access costs $29.95.

For your own criminal history, visit the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office or a local police department. Ask for a "Purpose Code U" report. This is how you get your own Georgia criminal record 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 Gwinnett County. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, the Georgia Crime Information Center can also share criminal history data with attorneys who submit a written request with case details and subject info. Defense lawyers in Gwinnett County use this when they prep for trial.

eFiling is available for Magistrate Court criminal cases in Gwinnett County through the Tyler Technologies eFileGA system. Attorneys and parties to a case can file motions and documents online rather than going to the courthouse. This creates a digital trail that becomes part of the criminal court record. The Gwinnett County government website has links to departments and services across the county, though court record requests must go through Gwinnett Courts directly.

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

Criminal Record Restriction in Gwinnett County

Georgia law allows certain criminal records to be restricted from public view. The process works through the arresting agency or the local DA, depending on when the arrest took place. In Gwinnett County, the District Attorney's office at (770) 822-8400 handles restriction requests for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. For older arrests, you go through the agency that made the arrest.

Not all records qualify. You can get a restriction for arrests that did not lead to a conviction. Misdemeanor convictions may qualify after four years if you have completed your sentence and have no other convictions. Cases on the dead docket for over 12 months also qualify. Georgia limits each person to two misdemeanor conviction restrictions in a lifetime. Serious violent felonies and sexual offenses are not eligible at all. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, certain records tied to pending investigations are already exempt from public disclosure. The Gwinnett County Clerk can tell you what is public and what is not for any given case file.

Time-expired restrictions happen on their own in some cases. If the GBI does not get a final disposition on a case, records may be automatically restricted after two years for misdemeanors, four years for felonies, and seven years for serious violent felonies. Even so, these may still show up on FBI or out-of-state checks. For a full restriction, follow the formal application process through the Gwinnett County DA or the arresting agency.

Cities in Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County covers a large part of the northeast metro Atlanta area. All criminal cases filed in these cities go through the Gwinnett County Superior Court or State Court system. The courthouse in Lawrenceville is the main location for felony and misdemeanor proceedings.

Other cities and towns in Gwinnett County include Snellville, Buford, Suwanee, Lilburn, Norcross, and Dacula. Criminal cases from these areas are handled by the Gwinnett County court system as well.

Nearby Counties

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