PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN
The DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court Civil and Family Department is currently closed to the public. However, the Clerk's office is continuing to provide socially distant, online services. The department is available from (8:30AM – 5:00PM, Monday thru Friday). If you have any questions or need to get in touch with the office, please click here to send an email to the department.
DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court began mandatory eFiling January 1st, 2017 and went paperless January 1st, 2018. eFiling is a way to securely transmit legal documents to a court. This is a paperless method for the court and provides easy access to customers. Additional benefits include: instant access to file stamped copies; online tracking and proof of submission, acceptance, and/or rejection; and searching capabilities. For exceptions to this, please see 'Over-the-Counter Filings' below.
New Service Alert
eCertification Portal - Records Request
The eCertification Online Records Request portal, through the Georgia Clerk's Authority, allows you to order certified copies of documents online, using your debit or credit card.
**PLEASE SEE DROP DOWNS BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL CIVIL AND FAMILY INFORMATION **
NEW: eCERTIFICATION ONLINE RECORDS REQUESTSNew Service Alert
eCertification Portal - Records Request
The eCertification Online Records Request portal, through the Georgia Clerk's Authority, allows you to order certified copies of documents online, using your debit or credit card.
Certified documents can be accessed via eCertification Portal.
2. Create an account and submit a request.
The Clerk's Office will review your request and if possible, submit your certified documents via the eCertification Portal. If we are unable to submit the documents via the portal, you will receive a rejection reason with additional information.
You will have six (6) days to pay for the documents. If you do not pay for the documents within the six (6) days, your request will be automatically rejected and you will need to resubmit your request.
eFILING FOR CIVIL AND FAMILYFor information on eFiling Civil or Family cases, please click here.
OVER-THE-COUNTER FILINGSPlease click here to read the mandatory eFiling Order and the exceptions to eFiling discussed within. These exceptions can be mailed in or filed in-person by appointment only (click to schedule appointment).
Exceptions to electronic (eFiling) filing:
Ex Parte Motions;
Domestic and Non-Domestic Foreign Judgments (require certified copy of Order);
Open Adoption Records;
Surrogacy Declaratory Judgment;
Termination of Parental Rights.
Over-the-Counter Process
Mail in completed, signed, and dated paperwork with any appropriate attachments (ex. certified Order for Foreign Judgments). Click here for information on filing costs. Fees should be paid with either a money order or business check (please include bar number or phone number). If you would like any copies returned to you, include a copy of the paperwork and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Mail over-the-counter filings to:
Clerk of Superior Court
DeKalb County Courthouse
556 North McDonough Street
Ground Floor, Room 210
Decatur, Georgia 30030
Most of these cases require a Summons, Case Initiation, and Amended Standing Order. See the 'Forms' section below for fillable options.
INMATE FILINGSAll inmate filings are to be mailed in to the following:
Clerk of Superior Court
DeKalb County Courthouse
556 North McDonough Street
Ground Floor, Room 210
Decatur, Georgia 30030
Requirements for Inmate Filings:
Request to Proceed In Forma Pauperis;
All documents need to be signed, dated, and notarized;
Petition/Complaint or Inmate Form for Civil Action;
Non-Domestic/Civil cases require Summons and Case Initiation (see 'Forms' below);
Domestic/Family cases require Summons, Case Initiation, and Amended Standing Order (see 'Forms' below);
Include prior related actions on Case Initiation.
REQUESTS: REGULAR COPIES, CERTIFIED COPIES, SUBPOENAS, EXEMPLIFIED* For documents filed prior to 2011, please visit the Archives page .
Copies via Judicial Information System (Portal):
Documents can be accessed via Odyssey Portal. You can check Portal to locate your case number and to determine which documents you may need copies of. You do not need an account to simply see the case and events. However, if you would like to see the actual document, you need to register for an account and request access to view documents. You can also purchase/view documents (the first page is visible for free) from Portal for only $0.50 per page.
Subpoenas and Exemplified Copies:
Requests for subpoenas are to be mailed in. Subpoenas are $5.00 each. We sell Witness and Production of Documents subpoenas. If you need something different than these, you can create your own subpoena and submit it for the signature and seal. There must be a line available for signature, and it must have 'Clerk of Superior Court Debra DeBerry' underneath the signature line.
Request for exemplified copies are to be mailed in. Copies are $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. These requests are sent to the judge and may take longer to process than regular copies.
For subpoenas and exemplified copies, use the Request Form below. Mail in the request and include a money order or business check and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Mail the request to:
Clerk of Superior Court
DeKalb County Courthouse
556 North McDonough Street