Find Civil Court Records in Clayton County

Clayton County civil court records are maintained at the Harold Reuben Banke Justice Center in Jonesboro, Georgia, where the Superior Court, State Court, and Magistrate Court all operate under one roof for the county's nearly 298,000 residents.

Clayton County Courts and Civil Records

Most civil court records in Clayton County come from the Harold Reuben Banke Justice Center at 9151 Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro. This building houses the Superior Court, State Court, and Magistrate Court. Each one handles a different type of civil case, and each keeps its own records within the building.

The Superior Court handles the most serious civil matters in Clayton County. This includes divorce, child custody, name changes, parentage actions, and large monetary claims. The clerk's office for Superior Court is at the Justice Center and can be reached at (770) 477-3436. Fax is (770) 477-3465. Superior Court civil records in Clayton County cover all family law matters and major civil litigation. These are the records most people search when looking for divorce files or civil judgments in Clayton County.

The State Court at the same address handles mid-range civil claims and misdemeanor offenses. State Court civil records in Clayton County include personal injury claims, contract disputes, and some traffic matters. Reach the State Court clerk at (770) 477-3354 or fax (770) 473-5991. The Magistrate Court handles small claims and civil warrants. For Magistrate Court records in Clayton County, call (770) 477-3444 or fax (770) 473-5750.

The Probate Court has a separate location at the Clayton County Administration Annex 3, 121 South McDonough Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236. Probate handles wills, estates, and guardianship matters that may relate to civil cases. The Juvenile Court is at 9163 Tara Boulevard and can be reached at (770) 477-3270. Juvenile records in Clayton County are generally not public, but civil matters involving youth may have related Superior Court files that are accessible.

Clayton County Online Civil Case Search

Clayton County provides a free online case inquiry tool that lets you search civil court records without visiting the Justice Center in Jonesboro. This is one of the more direct options compared to what some counties offer. You can search by name or case number and view case status, filing dates, and basic party information.

The screenshot below shows the Clayton County case inquiry page, which allows searches of both civil and criminal court records from the county's official government site.

The Clayton County Court Case Inquiry tool at claytoncountyga.gov allows name and case number searches for both civil and criminal cases filed in Clayton County. Results show party names, case type, filing date, and current status.

Clayton County also participates in re:SearchGA. This statewide platform provides another way to search civil court records across Georgia, including Chatham, Cherokee, and Clayton counties. The re:SearchGA portal at researchga.tylerhost.net covers Superior Court civil filings and can return results from the Clayton County docket.

The screenshot below shows re:SearchGA, the statewide case search tool that includes Clayton County civil court records.

Use researchga.tylerhost.net to search Clayton County civil records alongside records from other participating Georgia counties in a single search session.

Georgia E-Access is another statewide option for looking up civil cases. This tool covers case data that flows through the Georgia Courts integrated system. For older Clayton County civil records not available online, an in-person visit or mail request to the Superior Court Clerk at the Justice Center is the best path.

Types of Civil Cases Filed in Clayton County

Civil court records in Clayton County cover a broad range of case types. The type of case determines which court handled it and where the records are stored. Most people searching for civil records in Clayton County are looking for one of three categories: family law, civil claims, or criminal records.

Family law civil records are among the most common in Clayton County Superior Court. These include divorce filings, name change petitions, parentage actions (to establish paternity), child custody orders, and spousal and child support cases. Legitimation petitions are another type of family civil record filed in Clayton County. Each of these generates a case file that is kept by the Superior Court Clerk at the Justice Center.

Civil claim records cover disputes between people or businesses. Clayton County civil courts handle monetary claims, personal injury lawsuits, contract breach cases, and tort actions. Small claims, which are simpler civil disputes over smaller dollar amounts, go through the Magistrate Court. For civil cases involving real estate disputes or large dollar amounts, Superior Court is the right venue in Clayton County.

Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-94, all clerk offices must keep accurate records of every civil proceeding. This means Clayton County civil records are maintained in a structured system that supports both public access and long-term archive needs. Whether the case was filed last month or twenty years ago, the clerk can locate it by name or case number.

How to Get Civil Court Records in Clayton County

There are three ways to get civil court records in Clayton County: online, in person, or by mail. The method you choose depends on what you need and how fast you need it.

Online is the fastest method for basic civil case information in Clayton County. Use the county's own case inquiry tool or re:SearchGA for free name and case number searches. These tools show case status, filing dates, and party names. They do not always show the full file content. For complete documents, you need to contact the clerk directly.

In-person visits to the Justice Center at 9151 Tara Boulevard let you view full case files for civil records in Clayton County. You can see all filed documents, not just the summary data available online. Staff can make copies while you wait. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. Bring the full name of a party or a case number to speed up the search. Hours for the clerk's office follow standard business hours on weekdays.

Mail requests work for people who can't visit in person. The Superior Court Records Request form must be completed and sent to the clerk's office at 9151 Tara Boulevard, Jonesboro, GA 30236. Include a check or money order for the copy fee. Note that mail requests take longer to process than in-person or online requests for Clayton County civil records. Standard per-page copy fees apply, and certified copies carry a higher nominal fee. Exemplified copies, which are needed for use in other states, cost more than standard certified copies.

Legal Help for Civil Matters in Clayton County

Clayton County residents who need help with civil cases can turn to several local and statewide resources. Legal aid organizations serve people with lower incomes, and bar association programs offer reduced-cost help for others.

Georgia Legal Aid serves Clayton County through its network of regional offices. They handle a range of civil matters including eviction defense, family law, and consumer cases. The GSCCCA e-learning site at elearn.gsccca.org has free training on how to search civil records and use the clerk's online tools. This is a good starting point for people who are new to navigating civil court records in Clayton County.

For electronic filing of civil cases in Clayton County, attorneys can use the state e-filing portal at efilega.tylertech.cloud. The GSCCCA main site at gsccca.org also links to real estate and lien records for Clayton County, which can support civil cases involving property disputes. CourtTRAX at courttrax.org is a third-party platform that aggregates court records including civil filings from Clayton County.

Cities in Clayton County

All cities in Clayton County file civil cases at the Superior Court Clerk's office in the Banke Justice Center in Jonesboro, the county seat. No cities in Clayton County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site.

Cities and communities in Clayton County include Jonesboro, Morrow, Forest Park, Lake City, Lovejoy, Riverdale, Rex, Ellenwood, and College Park. Civil cases from all of these areas go through the Clayton County courts at 9151 Tara Boulevard.

Nearby Counties

Clayton County borders five other Georgia counties. File civil cases in the county where you live or where the matter took place. If you are unsure which court has authority, call the clerk before you drive to the courthouse.