Dawson County Court Records Search

Dawson County is a growing North Georgia county anchored by its county seat of Dawsonville. Its court system operates under the jurisdiction of the State of Georgia and is structured as part of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit (NEJC), which serves both Dawson and Hall Counties within the 9th Judicial Administrative District. Court records generated in Dawson County span criminal prosecutions, civil disputes, family law proceedings, probate matters, and magistrate actions — and are maintained across several court offices depending on case type.

People researching cases in Georgia can work through official court resources, in-person clerk visits, public access terminals, and online tools. GeorgiaStateCourts.us may assist in locating publicly available case information filed in courts throughout the state, including Dawson County. The Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts also operates statewide electronic access tools described throughout this guide.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Dawson County?

The primary records custodian for Superior Court and Juvenile Court matters is the Dawson County Clerk of Superior and Juvenile Courts. The Clerk’s office is responsible for civil case filings, criminal case filings, domestic matters, adoptions, garnishments, traffic violations, UCC recordings, and land records, and maintains case information that can be accessed both online and in person.

Dawson County Clerk of Superior and Juvenile Courts
Address: 25 Justice Way, Suite 1302, Dawsonville, GA 30534
Phone: (706) 344-3510
Fax: (706) 344-3511
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Available search methods:

Online case search — The Dawson County Clerk of Court website provides a case search feature where users can search by party name or case number and filter by case type, including criminal, civil, domestic, and land records.
Georgia AOC E-Access portal — The Administrative Office of the Courts maintains the E-Access to Court Records portal, a statewide platform that provides access to file-stamped civil records, domestic matters, probate filings, and felony criminal cases by party name or case number.
In-person requests — Visit the Clerk’s office at Suite 1302 during business hours to submit a direct over-the-counter request for physical copies or case file review.

Are Court Records Public in Dawson County?

Georgia law establishes a strong presumption in favor of public access to court records. Under the Uniform Superior Court Rules of the State of Georgia and the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, all public records are open for personal inspection and copying unless restricted by court order or law. The custodian is duty-bound to fulfill a records request unless a specific legal exemption applies.

Records that may be subject to restricted access include:

Sealed records — A party to a civil or criminal case may apply to have a record sealed, or a court may order sealing on its own motion. Sealed records are withheld from public inspection.
Juvenile records — Cases involving minors are confidential and handled through the Juvenile Court. The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) does not provide juvenile criminal history records; those are available only through the Juvenile Courts.
Expunged records — Criminal records that have been restricted or expunged pursuant to Georgia law are not available for public inspection.
Active law enforcement investigation materials — Records compiled as part of an ongoing investigation may be withheld.
Protected personal identifiers — Under Uniform Superior Court Rule 21.6, parties are required to redact sensitive personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and birthdates from public filings. Unredacted versions may be filed under seal.

Electronically filed court records carry the same public access rights as paper filings under the Uniform Superior Court Rules.

Dawson County Criminal Court Records

Felony criminal cases in Dawson County are tried before the Dawson County Superior Court, which holds exclusive authority over all felony matters. The Magistrate Court handles issuance of arrest and search warrants, bail proceedings, and preliminary hearings for criminal matters. Misdemeanor traffic citations and game and fish violations fall within the jurisdiction of the Probate Court.

Dawson County Superior Court
Address: 25 Justice Way, Suite 1302, Dawsonville, GA 30534
Phone: (706) 344-3510 | Fax: (706) 344-3511
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Dawson County Magistrate Court
Address: 25 Justice Way, Suite 3201, Dawsonville, GA 30534
Phone: (706) 344-3730 | Fax: (706) 265-8480
Open Records Requests: Email jcramblett@dawsonmagistrate.com or call (706) 344-3730
Payment note: The Magistrate Court accepts cash, checks with ID, or Visa/Mastercard (4% card processing fee applies)

How to search criminal case records:

Use the case search feature on the Dawson County Clerk of Court website and select the criminal case type filter.
Search through the Georgia AOC E-Access portal for felony case records statewide.
Visit the Clerk of Courts in person at Suite 1302 to request copies of criminal case files.

For criminal history background checks, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) manages the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), which maintains the state’s centralized criminal history records. Public access to criminal history is limited — for civil purposes, only felony conviction records are disseminated without the subject’s written consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. The Georgia Felon Search tool at georgia.gov allows the public to verify whether someone has been convicted of a felony offense in Georgia.

Arrest records and incident reports are maintained by the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office:

Dawson County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 19 Tucker Avenue, Dawsonville, GA 30534
Phone: (706) 344-3535
Detention / Warrants: (706) 344-3545
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Dawson County Civil Court Records

The Superior Court serves as Dawson County’s general jurisdiction trial court for civil matters and handles civil actions including contract disputes, premises liability, land title disputes, habeas corpus, mandamus, declaratory judgments, and equity matters. The Magistrate Court handles civil claims involving smaller monetary amounts, and Small Claims matters are also resolved at the magistrate level.

The Clerk of Superior Court maintains all civil case filings, judgments, and related records. The Dawson County Clerk of Court website provides an online case search where users can filter by civil case type — including domestic matters, contract disputes, and other civil actions — and search by party name or case number.

To request civil case records:

Online — Use the Clerk’s website case search or the Georgia AOC E-Access portal for file-stamped civil documents.
In person — Visit the Clerk of Courts, 25 Justice Way, Suite 1302, Dawsonville, GA 30534, during regular office hours.
Land records — Deeds, plats, liens, and UCC filings dating back to 1965 are searchable through the “Land Records” search feature on the Clerk’s website. The Land Records search allows filtering by party name, volume, page, and document type.

The Clerk of Courts also handles additional civil matters including notary public appointments, trade name registration, military discharge recording, and appeals to the Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Dawson County Family Court Records

Family law matters in Dawson County — including divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, paternity, legitimation, and protective orders — fall under the jurisdiction of the Superior Court as part of the Northeastern Judicial Circuit. The NEJC operates a Family Law Information Center that provides free appointments to individuals residing in Dawson County who need guidance on divorce and legitimation matters.

NEJC Family Law Information Center
Website: nejcga.gov/familylaw
Appointments are free and available to Dawson County residents eligible to file in Hall or Dawson County.

Divorce and custody case records can be searched through the Dawson County Clerk of Court website by selecting the domestic case type filter. For certified copies of divorce decrees or court orders, visit or contact the Clerk of Courts at (706) 344-3510.

Marriage licenses in Dawson County are issued by the Probate Court. Both applicants must appear in person at the Probate Court, located at Suite 4332, 25 Justice Way, Dawsonville, GA 30534. Marriage licenses are issued Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Current marriage license fees are as follows:

Certificate of Pre-Marriage Counseling	Fee (includes 2 certified copies)
With counseling certificate	$36.00
Without counseling certificate	$76.00
Additional certified copies	$10.00 each

Fees are payable by cash, credit, or debit (a 4.5% processing fee applies to in-office card payments processed through EZCourtpay). After the ceremony, the license must be returned to the Probate Court to be recorded in the marriage docket, after which certified copies can be issued.

For marriage records from June 1952 through November 1996, requests must be submitted to the Georgia State Office of Vital Records using this State Vital Records request form. The fee is $10.00 for a certified copy, plus $5.00 for each additional copy. For marriages outside that window, contact the Dawson County Health Department at 54 Highway 53 East, Dawsonville, GA 30534 (Phone: (706) 265-2611).

Birth records for events from 1919 onward are maintained by the Georgia State Office of Vital Records, 1680 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. The fee is $25.00 for a certified copy plus two additional copies at $10.00 each. Requests can also be submitted online through the Georgia Vital Records Rovers service, which charges $25.00 per certified copy plus an $8.00 processing fee. Pre-1919 birth records may be available at the Dawson County Health Department.

Death records from 1919 to present are also maintained by the State Office of Vital Records and can be requested using this death record request form. Mail processing takes 8 to 10 weeks. Certified death certificates are available only to the deceased’s adult children, siblings, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, and others with a documented tangible interest such as beneficiaries or insurance companies.

Dawson County Probate Court Records

The Probate Court of Dawson County is a court of limited — but exclusive — jurisdiction over probate matters within the county. All documents filed in Probate Court are required by law to be recorded in minute books and kept permanently available to the public, making probate records broadly accessible.

Probate Court of Dawson County
Address: 25 Justice Way, Suite 4332, Dawsonville, GA 30534
Phone: (706) 344-3580
Fax: (706) 265-6155
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Probate Court handles the following matters:

Estate administration and probate of wills
Guardianships of minors and incapacitated adults
Adoptions
Name changes
Marriage licenses
Firearms licenses
Misdemeanor traffic citations and game and fish violations

How to access probate records:

Visit the Probate Court at Suite 4332 in person during office hours to inspect case files or request copies of wills, petitions, guardianship orders, and estate documents.
Search through the Georgia AOC E-Access portal for probate-related case records available in the statewide system.
Use the Georgia Probate Records website to search recorded marriage licenses, wills, guardianship petitions, and traffic docket information.

For online marriage license applications, the Georgia Probate Records website offers a pre-application form that can be completed before appearing in person at the Probate Court.

Property records related to estate transactions — including deeds, plats, and liens — are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court and are searchable through the land records feature on the Clerk of Court website. The Dawson County Tax Assessor, also located at 25 Justice Way (Suite 1201), maintains property appraisal, tax, and parcel data relevant to estate valuations and can be reached at (706) 344-3590.