Chatham County
Created in February 1777, Chatham County is named after William Pitt, First Earl of Chatham. The county has a total area of 632 square miles, and its county seat is Savannah. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 295,291.
The court system in Chatham County comprises the following:
- The Recorder’s Court of Chatham County - tries non-felony traffic infractions and county ordinance violations
- The Chatham County Probate Court - appoints guardianships and conservatorships, admits wills, and administers trusts and estates
- Chatham County municipal courts in Bloomingdale, Garden City, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Thunderbolt, and Tybee Island - hears municipal ordinance infractions and preliminary hearings for some criminal cases
- The Chatham County Magistrate Court - hears civil cases with claims of less than $15,000, minor criminal offenses, landlord-tenant relations, and county ordinance violations
- The Chatham County Juvenile Court - handles juvenile matters excluding felonies involving minors
- The State Court of Chatham County - hears misdemeanors and some civil cases
- The Chatham County Superior Court - court of general jurisdiction for criminal and civil cases. Hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts, Also hears appeals from other courts in the county
Chatham County public court records are documents of legal proceedings and rulings of all courts in Chatham County. These records include court filings, transcripts, writs, orders, and judgments. The county sends all court records to the re:SearchGA portal provided by the Georgia Judiciary. Court clerks organize and index court records and send them to this portal in compliance with state laws and regulations.
The records generated from the following types are cases are available on the search portal:
- Criminal Cases
- Juvenile Cases
- Family Law Cases
- Traffic Cases
- Probate Cases
- Civil Cases
Individuals must be registered on the re:SearchGA portal before accessing Chatham County’s public court records. A reference guide is provided to assist users in using the platform. The search is free and the result can be downloaded and printed.
