The Clerk of Superior Court is a Constitutional Officer, meaning the position was created by act of the Legislature in the state constitution, and has been a county constitutional officer since the framers of the Georgia Constitution of 1798 provided for election of the Clerk of Superior Court in each of Georgia’s counties. The Clerk is the person responsible for protecting the integrity of public records and public funds. The Clerk receives, manages, and processes all court documents, collects and disburses all court fees, fines, and costs, and provides the public with access to court records. As keeper of public records, the Clerk records deeds, mortgages, and notaries public. Citizens’ case files, court records, property deeds, and mortgages are handled and protected by the Clerk; an impartial officer elected.
Courts ~ the Clerk's Original File is the Official File of the Court:
Criminal and Civil documents are filed and maintained in the Clerk's Office. Each case is assigned a case number and Judge. Each civil case can have numerous parties as plaintiff or defendant. The District Attorney's Office, the Public Defender's Office, private attorneys, plaintiffs and/or defendants file all original documents pertaining to a case in the Clerk's Office. Once a criminal case is sentenced or closed, the Clerk's Office processes the necessary paperwork to send to the applicable State agency. The Clerk's Office collects the fines, either from the individual or through the probation office, whichever is applicable, and processes and disburses the fine monies to local and State agencies.
Sustain ~ Case Management System:
In August 1993, the Georgia Court Automation Commission provided The Douglas County Clerk of Superior Court with the Sustain software at no cost to Douglas County taxpayers. The Clerk's Office continues using Sustain to this day.
The Clerk of Superior Court’s office has allowed the following departments to use Sustain as their Case Management System which saves Douglas County taxpayer dollars that otherwise would have to be used to furnish additional Case Management Systems:- State Court
- Magistrate Court
- Probate Court
- Juvenile Court
- Solicitor General’s Office
Additional departments are granted access to Sustain:- Judges & Staff
- District Attorney’s Staff
- Public Defender’s Staff
There are two (2) computers located in the Clerk of Superior Court’s Record Room for public access. At this time there are no plans to allow public access via the internet to the court docket. The office of the Superior Court Clerk is subject to Superior Court Rule 21 that requires all court records be open for inspection and copying by the public. This office complies with these requirements by having court records available each normal working day from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. for public inspection and copying.
Sustain Web Access
The Clerk of Superior Court’s Office has provided web access to attorneys & court officials since July of 2006 that allows viewing of the Court Docket via Case Number, Party Name or Attorney bar number. All requests for access to this system must be submitted to the Clerk of Superior Court who will issue a user id and password.
Judge Assignment
- Civil Judge Assignment
- Computer Assigns Judge Randomly
- Criminal Judge
- Warrant issue via the Magistrate Judge are processed by Law Enforcement
- Douglas County Sheriff’s Department transmits warrants to the Clerk of Superior / State Court for Judge Assignment.
- Clerk of Superior or State Court transmit warrants to the District Attorney’s Office or Solicitor General’s Office.
- District Attorney’s Office or Solicitor General’s Office will draw a case to be presented to the Grand Jury or filed in the Clerk of Superior/State Court’s Office
- Clerk will then assign a Criminal Case Number.
Any document filed prior to the issuing of a Criminal Case Number can be filed listing the Warrant Number. These documents will be forwarded to the assigned Judge if necessary as the Judge is assigned during the warrant stage prior to the case being drawn by the District Attorney’s Office or Solicitor General’s Office.
Services
- Divorcing Parents Seminar in Douglas County began 2/14/2003
- Please visit the below website for information
- Description of Trans-Parenting Seminar for Divorcing Parents
- Registration
- Schedule
- Locations
- http://www.7jad.com/
- Douglas County Courthouse Jury Assembly Room, 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville, GA 30134-2264
- Superior Court Mediation
- 7th District Alternative Dispute Resolution Program
- http://www.7jad.com/
- What is Mediation? "Mediation is an informal way for people to come together and talk through their conflict with the help of an impartial third party. During the mediation, each person has the opportunity to vocalize their issues and concerns surrounding the conflict. The mediator helps each person evaluate their needs and goals for reaching a solution. All decisions are made by the parties, not the mediator."
- Mediation information obtained from the above website.
Jury Pool (Grand and Traverse):
Jury Commissioners are responsible for preparing a balanced jury box. The jury box must comprise a cross-section of the community, adequately representing each identifiable group in the County population. Eligible names for the jury box can be taken from the voter's list, driver's license list, personal knowledge, etc. The law provides for the following excusals/deferrals from jury service when a called juror completes and returns an affidavit that is provided on the back of the jury summons:
- OCGA 15-12-1(2) full-time student at a college, university, vocational school or other postsecondary school;
- OCGA 15-12-1(a)(1) primary caregiver which has active care and custody of a child under six years of age, and there is no reasonable available alternative child care;
- over 70 years of age;
- permanent medical excuse statement provided by a doctor;
- primary teacher in a home school program (Home Study Code Section (c) 20-3-690;
- service member on ordered military duty
- convicted of felony unless your rights have been restored.
Real Estate and Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Filings:
In 2001, the Clerk's Office filed more than 38,000 real estate documents (warranty, quit claim, security, cancellation, liens, plats, etc.) and UCC Financing Statement documents for Douglas County properties. The Clerk's Office can record approximately 1100 pages per deed book, and in the first six months of 2002, over 113 deed books have been recorded. The real estate division of the Clerk's Office is responsible for receiving, processing, recording, indexing and processing all fees relating to real estate, including the collection of real estate transfer taxes and intangible taxes. UCC documents are scanned to the Georgia Superior Court Clerk's Cooperative Authority where they are indexed and listed on their web site (see green bar to the right for link).
Other Records and Services:
- Federal, State, and County tax liens are sent to the Clerk's Office for filing by the issuing agency.
- FiFa's are recorded in the General Execution Docket.
- DD214, Military Discharge Records, are recorded at no charge to the veteran and they are no longer public record.
- The Clerk's Office has an in-house scanning department.
- Real estate, UCC and civil protective orders are scanned and transmitted to the Georgia Superior Court Clerk's Cooperative Authority.
- The Clerk's Office processes appeals to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
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