DeKalb County Criminal History

DeKalb County criminal history records can be searched through the Superior Court Clerk's office in Decatur and the county sheriff's department. With more than 759,000 people in DeKalb County, the local court system deals with a high volume of criminal case filings each year. The county sits just east of Atlanta and its criminal records date back decades. Searching for criminal history in DeKalb County starts with knowing which office holds the records you need. The Superior Court Clerk keeps case files while the sheriff and police handle arrest data and booking logs. State tools from the GBI also cover DeKalb County criminal records.

DeKalb County Criminal Records at the Clerk's Office

The DeKalb County Superior Court Clerk is the main source for criminal case files in the county. This office sits at 556 North McDonough Street in Decatur, GA 30030. You can call them at (404) 371-2261. The clerk keeps records of all criminal cases that go through DeKalb County Superior Court. That means felony cases, certain misdemeanor appeals, and other matters that land in the superior court system. Each case file holds the charges, court dates, plea info, and the final outcome. If you need to pull a specific case, you can visit the clerk's office in person during business hours.

Criminal history searches through the DeKalb County clerk's office can also be done for past cases. The office has records going back many years in its system. You may need the defendant's name or case number to look up a file. Staff at the clerk's office can help point you in the right direction if you are not sure where to start. For more complex record searches in DeKalb County, you might need to fill out a written request form.

The Superior Court Clerk portal for DeKalb County gives an overview of available services and contact details for the office.

This page from the DeKalb County government site shows how to reach the clerk and what services the office provides for criminal case lookups.

DeKalb County Sheriff Criminal History Access

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office plays a big role in criminal history for the county. The sheriff's main office is at 4415 Memorial Drive in Decatur, GA 30032. You can reach them by phone at (404) 298-8100. The sheriff handles the county jail and keeps booking records for all arrests made in DeKalb County. When someone is brought in on criminal charges, the sheriff's office logs the arrest and stores that data.

One helpful tool is the online inmate search run by the DeKalb County Sheriff. This search lets you check who is currently held in the county jail. You can look up inmates by name to see their charges, booking date, and bond status. This is a free tool. It does not give you a full criminal history for a person, but it tells you if someone is in custody right now and what they were booked on. The sheriff also helps with fingerprint-based criminal history checks for those who need them through the GBI process described under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37.

The DeKalb County Sheriff's website provides details on the inmate search tool and other services the office offers.

This screenshot shows the sheriff's department page with links to the inmate lookup and other public safety tools available in DeKalb County.

Note: The sheriff's inmate search shows current jail population only and does not include past booking records.

Criminal History Through DeKalb County Police

The DeKalb County Police Department handles law enforcement for parts of the county that are not served by a city police force. Their records division is at 1960 W Exchange Place in Tucker, GA 30084. The main phone line is (770) 724-7600 and the records section can be reached at (770) 724-7610. If you were arrested by DeKalb County Police, your arrest record sits with this department.

You can get copies of police reports and arrest records from the DeKalb County Police records division. Walk-in requests are taken during normal business hours. There may be a fee for copies. The records section can tell you what they need from you to process a request. Keep in mind that DeKalb County Police records are separate from what the sheriff or court clerk hold. The police deal with arrest reports and incident data. The clerk handles court case files. The sheriff manages jail records. All three offices play a part in DeKalb County's criminal history system, but they each hold different pieces of the picture.

DeKalb County Records on State Databases

Two state-run tools cover DeKalb County criminal history. The Georgia Felon Search lets you check if someone has a felony conviction on file with the Georgia Crime Information Center. This search costs $15 per query. You need the person's name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back fast. The search checks the GCIC database, which pulls data from all 159 Georgia counties, including DeKalb.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people who are in the state prison system right now. You can look up anyone by name or GDC ID number. This tool does not show people in the DeKalb County jail or those who have already served their time. It only covers state correctional facilities. Both of these state tools can fill gaps when local DeKalb County office searches come up short on criminal history data.

The GBI's FAQ page on criminal history records walks you through more options for searching records statewide. It covers how to request your own record, how to correct errors, and what the fees are for different types of checks.

Note: Georgia Felon Search results show felony convictions only and will not include misdemeanor charges from DeKalb County courts.

DeKalb County District Attorney and Case Records

The DeKalb County District Attorney's Office prosecutes criminal cases in the county. Their office is at 556 North McDonough Street in Decatur, GA 30030. The phone number is (404) 371-2561. The DA decides which cases move forward and what charges to pursue. This office can affect your criminal history record in DeKalb County because the DA has power over charge decisions, plea deals, and whether to drop a case.

If charges against you were dismissed or reduced, the DA's office is part of that process. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, when a prosecutor drops all charges or the case ends in an acquittal, the criminal history record tied to that arrest may qualify for restriction. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, you contact the prosecuting attorney directly to start the restriction process. The DeKalb County DA's office handles those requests for cases in this jurisdiction.

Criminal History Restriction in DeKalb County

Record restriction is how Georgia handles sealing criminal history from public view. It is not the same as expungement. A restricted record still exists in the system. Law enforcement and certain agencies can still see it. But it drops off public searches. Several paths lead to restriction of a DeKalb County criminal history record.

Charges that the DA never prosecuted get restricted after a waiting period. Misdemeanors take two years. Most felonies take four years. Serious violent felonies and sex offenses take seven years. Cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal also qualify. People who complete First Offender programs under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 can have their DeKalb County criminal record restricted once they finish their sentence. The court discharges them without a conviction, and the record gets sealed from public view. This is a common path for first-time offenders in DeKalb County who finish all terms of their sentence without any violations.

To start a restriction request in DeKalb County, the steps depend on the arrest date. For arrests before July 1, 2013, apply through the arresting agency. For arrests on or after that date, go straight to the DeKalb County DA's office. The process can take several months to work through the system.

Get Your Own DeKalb County Criminal History

Georgia law gives you the right to check your own criminal history record. Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, any person can file a written request to see their record. The fee is capped at $15, not counting fingerprint costs. You can start this process at the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office or a local police department in the county. They take your fingerprints and send the request to the GBI's Georgia Crime Information Center.

If your record has wrong data, you can challenge it. The GCIC has 60 days to respond to a correction request. You can also send a written dispute by mail to the GCIC office in Decatur at P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, GA 30037-0808. Phone inquiries go to (404) 244-2639. Getting your own DeKalb County criminal history is a good first step before applying for jobs or housing, just so you know what shows up.

Criminal History in DeKalb County Cities

DeKalb County has several cities with their own police departments. Criminal cases from these cities still flow through the DeKalb County court system for felony matters. Each city handles its own municipal court for minor offenses. Here are the major cities in DeKalb County where you might need to search for criminal history records.

City police in places like Brookhaven and Dunwoody keep their own arrest records. For felony criminal history, those cases get handled through the DeKalb County Superior Court system. Misdemeanor cases from city arrests may stay in the municipal court of that city.

Nearby Counties for Criminal History Searches

DeKalb County sits in the metro Atlanta area and borders several other counties. If a criminal case was filed in a neighboring county, you would need to search that county's records instead. Here are the counties that border DeKalb.

Criminal records do not transfer between counties. Each county clerk holds its own case files. If someone has a criminal history that spans more than one county, you need to check each one. The state-level Georgia Felon Search pulls from all counties at once, which can save time when the case location is not clear.