Chatham County is located in the State of Georgia. It was established in 1777, and its county seat is the City of Savannah. The county is part of the Savannah metropolitan area and has over 289,000 residents. There are seven incorporated cities in Chatham County.

Courts in Chatham County

Several trial courts in Chatham County handle legal issues arising within their jurisdictions. Chatham County's highest court is the Superior Court, which has general authority over all cases. However, the court mainly handles cases outside the jurisdiction of the lower courts.

The State Court of Chatham County has limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. It has the authority to hear most civil cases in the county, except cases that the Superior Court exclusively hears. The State Court also handles criminal cases involving misdemeanors and traffic violations. Additionally, decisions from the Magistrate Court may be appealed at the State Court.

Delinquency matters concerning minors who are under the age of 17 are brought before the Juvenile Court. The court also handles child dependency cases involving minors who are younger than 18 years old.

The Probate Court handles probate cases concerning wills, settlement of decedent estates, mental health commitments, and guardianship for minors or incapacitated individuals. Besides probate matters, the Probate Court is authorized to conduct jury trials and shares concurrent jurisdiction with the Superior Court over certain cases.

Chatham County Magistrate Court's jurisdiction includes small claims cases not exceeding $15,000, landlord-tenant disputes, preliminary hearings for criminal cases, and arrest or search warrants issuance/applications.

There are also Municipal Courts in Chatham County's municipalities. These courts hear cases concerning the violation of municipal or city ordinances. These courts may also conduct the preliminary hearings of certain criminal cases.

Lastly, the Recorder's Court handles cases involving traffic infractions or the violation of city or county ordinances.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Chatham County

The Clerks of the Courts in Chatham County maintain the public court records within their jurisdictions. These records are available online, and the Clerks may also provide them in person at the courthouse where the case was filed. Individuals may send requests by mail to obtain copies of public court records or get them at the Clerk's Office.

Types of Public Court Records in Chatham County

The following types of court records in Chatham County are publicly accessible to anyone:

• Criminal Court Records
• Civil Court Records
• Traffic Court Records
• Small Claims Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Chatham County

Confidential court records in Chatham County are not publicly accessible because Georgia state statutes prohibit the disclosure of such information. Individuals may also petition the courts in Chatham County to restrict or seal certain court records. Unlike open court records, confidential court records are only accessible to individuals authorized by the court and the parties to the case.

Examples of such records are:

• Juvenile records
• Medical records
• Mental health records
• Sealed/restricted criminal records
• Records revealing Social Security numbers or financial information of individuals
• Records disclosing the identifying information of jury member
• Records containing the details of the  abuse, neglect, or exploitation of disabled individuals

Juvenile Delinquency in Chatham, GA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Chatham County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Georgia often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1413 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Chatham County. Of that total, 68% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 961 court cases. Another 12% were dependency cases that accounted for 166 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Chatham County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Chatham County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Chatham County, GA

https://georgia.gov/

County Seat:	Savannah
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1777
Total Square Miles:	632
2019 Population:	290,501
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Chatham County, GA Courts