Access DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court Records

How to Search DeKalb County Superior Court Records

The Clerk of Superior Court's official site is dksuperiorclerk.com. For case-file lookup, use Odyssey Smart Search at portal-gadekalb.tylertech.cloud with location set to "DeKalb Superior Courts." The portal returns Superior Court docket entries, but certified copies must come from the Clerk of Superior Court.

For real estate records, use the Superior Clerk real estate page at dksuperiorclerk.com/real-estate. For notary, passport, civil, and criminal subdivisions, see the office's section pages.

The DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court Office

The Clerk of Superior Court office is one of DeKalb's busiest county courts offices. The clerk is the keeper of Superior Court civil and criminal case records, the recorder for real estate instruments, the notary commissioning office for DeKalb, and a federal passport acceptance facility.

The clerk's authority and duties come from O.C.G.A. § 15-6-61. Fees are tied to O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77 and the current Superior Clerk schedule.

DeKalb Superior Court Civil Records and Filings

Superior Court civil records cover divorce, family, equity, title to land, declaratory judgment, major civil tort and contract cases, and other civil matters under Superior Court jurisdiction. The Clerk of Superior Court civil division files complaints, accepts answers and motions, records orders and judgments, and indexes liens and other civil instruments tied to a case.

For a Superior Court civil search, use Smart Search with location set to "DeKalb Superior Courts" and the case-type filter set to a civil or family option. For certified copies, the route is the Superior Clerk civil division. The court records page covers the Smart Search form in depth.

DeKalb Superior Court Criminal and Felony Files

Superior Court criminal records cover felony cases prosecuted by the DeKalb District Attorney. The Clerk of Superior Court criminal division files indictments and accusations, records pleas, sentences, probation orders, and notices of appeal. The criminal page at dksuperiorclerk.com/criminal covers the office's criminal services.

For a felony case search, use Smart Search with location set to "DeKalb Superior Courts." For certified felony case copies, including indictments and sentence orders, the route is the Superior Clerk criminal division. The criminal records page covers the broader criminal case framework.

DeKalb Real Estate Records and Deeds

The Superior Clerk real estate division records deeds, plats, security deeds, liens, easements, and other real property instruments. The official real estate page is the right starting point.

The Superior Clerk real estate page is shown on the official site.

Real property recordings follow a different indexing and fee schedule from ordinary civil case copies. Certified real estate copies for legal use, including title insurance, refinancing, and probate transfers, come from this division.

Notary Commissions Through the Clerk

The Clerk of Superior Court commissions notaries public for DeKalb County. Applicants apply through the clerk, pay the current fee, and provide identification. Renewals follow the schedule set by Georgia law. The notary services page at dksuperiorclerk.com/notary covers the current process.

The Superior Clerk notary services page describes commissions and the application process.

A notary public is essential for many DeKalb court filings, affidavits, and real estate closings. The clerk does not give legal advice on notarization, but the office can explain the commissioning process.

Passport Acceptance Services

The Superior Clerk passport acceptance facility accepts federal passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. Passport fees are set by the State Department and change from time to time. The Superior Clerk page at dksuperiorclerk.com/passports covers the current accepted forms, ID rules, and acceptance hours.

The Superior Clerk passport services page describes the federal acceptance role.

Passport acceptance is a federal service offered by many county clerks. The DeKalb Superior Clerk's office provides this service in addition to its court record duties.

Certified Copies vs Online Search Results

The Smart Search portal returns case dockets and case summaries. A printout from the portal is not a certified copy. For employment, licensing, immigration, banking, real estate, school, military, or appellate use, a certified copy from the clerk is the right document.

A plain copy is a photocopy without the clerk's certification. A certified copy has the clerk's seal and statement that the copy is a true copy of the original on file. An exemplified copy carries additional certifications and is used for out-of-state or international proceedings. Each copy type has its own fee.

How to Request a Certified Copy

The step-by-step below covers the safer route to a certified copy from the DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court.

1. Identify the document. Case number, case caption, document type, and approximate filing date.
2. Confirm the document is held by the Clerk of Superior Court rather than State Court Clerk, Probate, or Magistrate.
3. Decide the copy type: plain, certified, or exemplified.
4. Confirm payment methods through dksuperiorclerk.com. Cash, card, money order, and check are common options at different counters.
5. Submit the request in person at the clerk's counter, by mail with check or money order, or through any online or e-filing channel offered for that record type.
6. For older or archived files, ask about retrieval time and extra retrieval fees.
7. For a sealed or restricted file, ask whether a court order is required and how to apply.

DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court Fee Schedule

Current fees are tied to O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77 and the Superior Clerk's published schedule. Stable amounts are not posted across all official pages. The table below covers categories to confirm with the office.

Note: Federal passport fees are set by the State Department and are separate from the clerk's acceptance fee.

Which DeKalb Counter Do I Need?

The routing table below sends a DeKalb request to the right counter. Many records pass between offices, and a request sent to the wrong counter will be returned or delayed.

When You Need the State Court Clerk Instead

The DeKalb State Court Clerk handles records that are not Superior Court matters. State Court misdemeanors, State Court traffic citations, State Court civil cases, and garnishment files are State Court Clerk records, not Superior Clerk records. For certified copies of those documents, the route is the State Court Clerk.

A common DeKalb mistake is asking the Superior Clerk for a State Court traffic record. The Superior Clerk cannot certify a State Court record. A user with a doubt about which clerk has the file should ask before mailing payment. The State Court page covers the trial court that sits behind the State Court Clerk.

Related DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court Resources

For Superior Court trial court information, see Superior Court. For State Court matters, see State Court and State Court Clerk. For Magistrate Court small claims and warrants, see Magistrate Court. For Probate Court estates and marriage licenses, see Probate Court. For broader case search, see court records. The FAQ covers more clerk-related questions.