Find Criminal Records in Stephens County

Stephens County criminal court records are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court in Toccoa. Located in northeast Georgia, this county is part of the Mountain Judicial Circuit and has a population of about 17,000. The courthouse on South Broad Street is where all criminal cases get processed. You can search for Stephens County criminal records by visiting the clerk office, calling by phone, or using Georgia's statewide online databases. The clerk handles everything from case lookups to copy requests. Since Stephens County shares its judicial circuit with Habersham and Rabun counties, the Superior Court judge rotates through the area on a set schedule.

Stephens County Criminal Court Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court in Stephens County handles all criminal court records filed in the county. The clerk office is at 200 E. South Broad Street, Toccoa, GA 30577. Call (706) 886-4350 to ask about a case, check on a filing, or get info on court dates. Hours are Monday through Friday. The staff can pull case files, search by name or case number, and provide copies of criminal records. Stephens County sits in the Mountain Judicial Circuit with Habersham and Rabun counties. The circuit judge rotates through all three counties, but every Stephens County case file stays in the clerk office in Toccoa.

The GSCCCA page for Stephens County has the clerk contact info and links to filing indexes kept by the state cooperative authority.

From this page you can verify the Stephens County clerk details and access the filing data that the GSCCCA maintains for all 159 Georgia counties.

How to Search Stephens County Criminal Records

Call the clerk at (706) 886-4350 to get started. Staff can look up criminal cases by name or case number. If copies are needed, the fee is $0.10 per page under Georgia law. The first quarter hour of staff search time is free under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. You can also visit the courthouse on South Broad Street in Toccoa during business hours. Bring a photo ID. Written requests by mail work as well.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, criminal court records in Georgia are public. Anyone can request them, and you do not need to give a reason. The Stephens County clerk is required to respond within three business days. This Open Records Act rule is the same in every county across the state. Whether you ask in person, by phone, or in writing, the clerk must make records available for inspection and copying.

Stephens County does not have a standalone online court records portal. For remote access, use the statewide E-Access to Court Records system. You need an account. The GSCCCA indexes filings from all Georgia counties too. A standard GSCCCA account is $14.95 per month, premium is $29.95. The Stephens County Clerk of Superior Court website may have local forms and additional contact details for the office in Toccoa.

Stephens County Criminal Case Types

The Superior Court in Stephens County hears felony cases. Drug trafficking, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and burglary all go to Superior Court. The State Court handles misdemeanors including DUI, simple battery, shoplifting, and minor drug offenses. Magistrate Court takes bond hearings and preliminary matters. The Mountain Judicial Circuit covers Stephens, Habersham, and Rabun counties. The circuit judge sets criminal docket days for each county on a rotation. All courts create records that the Stephens County Clerk stores at the Toccoa courthouse.

A criminal case in Stephens County starts with an arrest and the filing of charges. Then come hearings, motions, and either a plea or trial. Every step produces court documents. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, records from active investigations can be held from the public while the case is open. Once the case ends, the full file is available for review. Court dates and basic docket data are usually accessible even while a case is still moving through the system.

Probation records connected to criminal cases also stay in the clerk's files. If someone is sentenced to probation and later has a violation hearing, that adds more documents to the record. All of it becomes public once the case reaches a final status, unless a judge seals the file for a specific legal reason. Stephens County's moderate case volume means the court calendar is manageable compared to metro counties.

Note: The Mountain Judicial Circuit's three-county setup means court dates in Stephens County are scheduled around the circuit judge's rotation.

Criminal Record Restriction in Stephens County

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, Georgia allows certain criminal records to be restricted from public view. This applies to arrests without a conviction, some misdemeanor convictions after a four-year wait, and cases on a dead docket for over 12 months. Stephens County residents file for restriction through the District Attorney's office for arrests on or after July 1, 2013. For older arrests, contact the arresting law enforcement agency. The processing fee can run up to $50. Georgia law limits misdemeanor conviction restrictions to two per person.

Automatic time-expired restrictions happen when the Georgia Crime Information Center does not get a final disposition. Two years for misdemeanors. Four for felonies. Seven for serious violent felonies. These only affect the state database. For a full restriction, go through the formal process. For your own Stephens County criminal history, visit the local sheriff's office and ask for a Purpose Code U report. The GBI Criminal History page explains the process statewide. Call (404) 244-2639 option 3 for help.

Stephens County Court Resources

Stephens County uses the Odyssey eFileGA system for electronic court filings. Attorneys can file documents online rather than making the trip to Toccoa. This creates a digital record that becomes part of the criminal case file. The system is up around the clock. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-11, the clerk may offer public access to view eFiled documents through the court site. Attorneys in Stephens County can also request criminal history records from the Georgia Crime Information Center under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 by submitting a written request with case details.

The GBI Open Records Unit processes state-level criminal history requests. Email is no longer accepted as of December 2023. Use the GBI online portal or send mail to P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, GA 30034. The FANS system from the GSCCCA is free. It sends alerts when new filings land in any Georgia county, including Stephens. This saves you from having to check with the clerk office every time you need a status update on a case.

Cities in Stephens County

All criminal cases from Stephens County go through the Superior Court or State Court in Toccoa. The courthouse on South Broad Street handles all felony and misdemeanor filings for the county.

Cities and towns in Stephens County include Toccoa and Martin. Criminal cases from all parts of the county are processed through the Stephens County court system.

Nearby Counties

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