Putnam County Court Records Search
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Putnam County sits in the heart of Georgia, with Eatonton as the county seat and the location of all its trial courts. The county courthouse on South Jefferson Avenue brings the Superior Court, State Court, Juvenile Court, and Probate Court together under one roof — which makes in-person research considerably more straightforward than in counties where courts are scattered across multiple buildings. Court records from these proceedings are official documents prepared and maintained by the Clerk of Courts and the Probate Court Judge, capturing every stage of a civil or criminal case from the initial filing through final judgment.
If you're searching for Putnam County court records, you have a few practical options: the clerk offices at the courthouse, public-access terminals on-site, and online platforms. GeorgiaStateCourts.us can help you understand the court structure across Georgia's counties and locate publicly available case information. For Putnam County specifically, the Clerk of Courts website and the statewide Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) portal are the most direct digital tools for searching case records and requesting certified copies.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Putnam County?
Most court records in Putnam County are searchable through the Clerk of Courts office, either in person or through online tools. The Clerk of Courts — Trevor J. Addison — manages records for the Superior Court, State Court, and Juvenile Court. The Probate Court maintains its own separate records at a different suite in the same building.
Online Case Search
The Putnam County Clerk of Courts website includes a case search tool that lets the public look up civil and criminal cases by party name, petition number, or case number. It's free to use and covers cases filed in the Superior and State Courts.
GSCCCA Search Portal
The GSCCCA provides statewide access to Superior Court clerk records, including property instruments, UCC filings, and certain court documents indexed by the clerk. You can create a search account and pull records from any of Georgia's 159 counties, including Putnam.
eCertified Copies Online
If you need a certified digital copy of a court record, the GSCCCA eCertification portal lets you submit requests remotely without visiting the courthouse. Here's how the process works:
- Create an account at the GSCCCA eCertification portal
- Log in and click "Submit a New Request"
- Select Putnam County as the county of record
- Choose the document type (civil or criminal)
- Click "Continue", complete all required fields, and submit
- Authorize payment after the clerk processes the request
- Download the certified copy via the confirmation email link
Certified copies produced through eCertification are tamper-proof and self-validating, so they're accepted for legal and official purposes.
In-Person Access
Putnam County Clerk of Courts — Trevor J. Addison
Address: 100 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 236, Eatonton, GA 31024
Phone: (706) 485-4501
Email: info@putnamcourtclerk.org
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
The clerk also accepts requests by mail and phone. Electronic filing for both court and real estate documents is available through the e-filing portal on the clerk's website.
Are Court Records Public in Putnam County?
Georgia law starts from a clear presumption: court records are open to the public. Under the Uniform Superior Court Rules of Georgia, all court records are open for inspection during business hours unless a court order restricts access. Rule 21 of those Uniform Rules sets out the specific process for limiting access — a party must file a motion, and the court must hold a hearing before any restriction on a case file takes effect.
The broader framework for public records access in Georgia is the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq., which requires public records to be open for personal inspection and copying, with specific statutory exceptions.
Records Restricted from Public Access
Several categories of court-related records are not available to the general public:
- Juvenile Court records: Proceedings involving minors are confidential under Georgia law
- Sealed records: Any case file sealed by court order under Rule 21 is inaccessible without authorization
- Expunged records: Criminal records that have been restricted or expunged are removed from public view
- Birth certificates: Classified as vital records under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-25; restricted to the individual, immediate family, and those with a direct and tangible interest
- Death certificates: Confidential for 50 years under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-25; thereafter become public
- Adoption records: Sealed and unavailable to the general public
- Grand jury proceedings: Deliberations and records are protected from public disclosure
When a document within a publicly accessible case file contains restricted information — a Social Security number embedded in a court filing, for example — the custodian may redact that content before releasing the rest of the record.
Putnam County Criminal Court Records
Felony prosecutions in Putnam County are tried in the Superior Court. Misdemeanor criminal matters go to the State Court. The Magistrate Court processes arrest warrants, sets bonds, and handles certain lower-level criminal matters. The Clerk of Courts maintains the official records for all three courts.
Searching Criminal Records
Criminal case records are searchable through the Putnam County Clerk of Courts case search tool by defendant name or case number. If you need certified document copies from a criminal case file — indictments, sentencing orders, judgment sheets — submit a request through the GSCCCA eCertification portal or visit the clerk's office directly.
Arrest Records and Criminal History
Arrest records are generated and maintained by law enforcement agencies, not the courts. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated Putnam County and handles inquiries about recent arrests and bookings.
For a comprehensive statewide criminal history record, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) operates the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), which is the official repository for criminal history data. Members of the public can obtain their own criminal history record from most county Sheriff's offices or police departments. The GCIC fee schedule details applicable charges, including a $25.00 fee for a fingerprint-based criminal history record requested at GBI Headquarters.
Magistrate Court — Warrant Applications
Arrest warrant applications in Putnam County are filed through the Putnam County Magistrate Court, which has jurisdiction over warrant issuance, bond setting, and preliminary matters. The filing fee for a warrant application is $20.00.
Putnam County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Putnam County is spread across the Superior Court, State Court, and Magistrate Court depending on the dollar value and nature of the claim.
Jurisdictional Breakdown
| Court | Civil Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Superior Court | All civil matters; unlimited dollar amount; equity cases |
| State Court | Civil claims; concurrent jurisdiction with Superior Court |
| Magistrate Court | Civil claims of $15,000 or less; dispossessory; garnishment |
Magistrate Court Filing Fees (Effective July 1, 2024)
| Case Type | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Statement of Claim | $111.00 (includes $50.00 service of process for 1 defendant) |
| Dispossessory (eviction) | $86.00 |
| Writ of Possession/Foreclosure | $111.00 |
| Garnishment | $111.00 |
| Warrant Application | $20.00 |
| Abandoned Vehicle | $38.00 + $14.00 for certified copies |
| Additional defendant service | $50.00 per additional location |
The Putnam County Magistrate Court handles civil claims up to $15,000, landlord-tenant disputes including dispossessory proceedings, county code violations, and garnishment actions. Self-represented parties are permitted, but representing another person without a law license constitutes the unauthorized practice of law under Georgia rules.
Searching Civil Records
Civil case records for the Superior and State Courts are accessible through the clerk's online case search. The GSCCCA portal also indexes certain civil instruments recorded with the clerk, including liens, lis pendens, and real estate-related filings. In-person inspection is available during business hours at Suite 236 of the courthouse.
Property Records
Deeds, liens, plats, and real estate instruments are recorded with the Clerk of Superior Court and indexed through the GSCCCA. The Putnam County Tax Assessor's Office, located at 100 S. Jefferson Avenue, Suite 204, Eatonton, GA 31024, Phone: (706) 485-6376, maintains property valuations, assessments, and parcel mapping data.
Putnam County Family Court Records
Family law matters — divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and domestic violence protective orders — are handled primarily in the Superior Court. Juvenile matters involving minors are heard in the Juvenile Court, which is also clerked by the Clerk of Courts office.
Divorce Records
Divorce proceedings are civil cases filed in the Putnam County Superior Court, with records maintained by the Clerk of Courts at Suite 236. You can search those records through the clerk's online civil record search tool using the petitioner's and respondent's names or the petition number. Physical copies can be obtained in person or through the eCertification portal. If you specifically need a certified copy of the divorce decree, submit that request directly to the clerk's office.
Domestic Violence and Protective Orders
Applications for temporary protective orders can be initiated through the court clerk's office. Crisis intervention services and document preparation assistance for temporary protective orders are also available through the Probate Court as part of its broader public functions.
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses in Putnam County are issued by the Putnam County Probate Court, located at Suite 318 of the courthouse. The marriage license fee is $66.00. The Probate Judge performs marriage ceremonies subject to availability. Certified copies of marriage records issued by the Probate Court can be obtained directly from that office.
For marriages that took place between June 1952 and August 1996, certified copies are available from the Georgia State Office of Vital Records. You'll need to complete and mail a marriage record request form or a marriage verification request to the State Vital Records Office. The non-refundable search fee is $10.00, and certified copies are an additional $5.00 each.
Birth and Death Records
Birth certificates are available from the Georgia State Office of Vital Records for records dating from January 1919 to the present. Certified copies cost $25.00 for the first copy and $5.00 for each additional copy requested at the same time. Submit a completed birth certificate request form with a valid photo ID and payment by U.S. Money Order or certified check. The State Office of Vital Records is located at 1680 Phoenix Blvd., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, Phone: (404) 679-4702 Mail-in submissions are accepted at the same address.
The Putnam County Health Department, at 103 Industrial Boulevard, Eatonton, GA 31024, Phone: (706) 485-8591, also assists with death certificate requests for local residents. Death records are confidential for 50 years under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-25 and are available to immediate family members, legal representatives, and persons with a direct and tangible interest. The base fee for a death record search is $25.00, which covers a three-year search period and one certified copy if the record is found. Each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $5.00. The required death certificate request form must accompany payment made by U.S. Money Order or certified check payable to the State Office of Vital Records.
Putnam County Probate Court Records
The Putnam County Probate Court occupies Suite 318 on the third floor of the Putnam County Courthouse, accessible from the Marion Street public entrance. Probate Court handles a wide range of proceedings that extend well beyond estate administration, making it one of the more active courts in the county.
Putnam County Probate Court
Address: 100 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 318, Eatonton, GA 31024
Phone: (706) 485-5476
Fax: (706) 485-2515
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Matters Within Probate Court Jurisdiction
- Administration of testate estates (decedent left a valid will)
- Administration of intestate estates (decedent died without a will)
- Appointment and supervision of executors and administrators
- Guardianships for minors and adults with incapacity
- Conservatorships for individuals unable to manage their own finances
- Involuntary commitment proceedings (crisis intervention services)
- Marriage license issuance and marriage ceremonies
- Firearms license applications
- Vital records (birth and death certificates for local issuance)
- United States Passport acceptance agent
Searching Probate Records
Probate Court records are generally public under Georgia law and can be accessed in person at Suite 318 or searched through Georgia Probate Records, the statewide portal for probate case data. The portal lets you search for recorded marriage licenses, will information, guardianship petitions, and traffic dockets handled by probate courts across Georgia.
If you need certified copies of probate documents — letters testamentary, orders appointing guardians, or filed wills — contact the Probate Court directly. The court charges modest fees for copies and certified documents; confirm specific amounts with the court at the time of your request. For more complex estate matters, the Probate Court can also provide document preparation assistance for parties navigating involuntary commitment or temporary protective order proceedings.