Dougherty County
Dougherty County was founded in 1853 from parts of Baker County, Georgia. It was named after Charles Dougherty, an American politician and judge. The county covers about 329 square miles of land in southwestern Georgia and has a population of over 85,000 residents. Its county seat and most populous city is Albany.
Dougherty County has six trial courts: the Superior, State, Juvenile, Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. The Superior Court, the county's general jurisdiction court, handles all felonies, real estate disputes, and civil equity cases. Family law cases, including child custody/support, marriage dissolution, and parental rights termination, are also exclusive to the Superior Court's Family Division. Dougherty County's State Court adjudicates misdemeanors punishable by up to 12 months incarceration.
On the other hand, the Magistrate Court resolves minor criminal cases such as traffic violations, warrants, and bail. Small claims lawsuits and other monetary claims outside the jurisdiction of the Superior Court are handled by the county's magistrates. Dougherty County also features a Juvenile Court responsible for juvenile cases like child dependency, truancy, and delinquency. The county's Probate Court rules on the authenticity of wills, guardianships, and distribution of deceased estates. Municipal ordinance violations and criminal pre-trials are handled by the Municipal Court in Albany.
Dougherty County public court records refer to books, recordings, documents, and other materials maintained by the Clerk of Court during court proceedings. Examples of details available on these records include testimonies, evidence, party names, attorney names, witness lists, and judgments. According to the Georgia Open Records Act, public access to court records promotes open and transparent judicial processes in Dougherty County. As such, anyone can view and request the following court records:
- Criminal court records
- Civil records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
- Property records
- Domestic relations records
However, court documents revealing sensitive and confidential information related to juvenile, mental health, and adoption cases are not publicly accessible. Only record owners, their legal representatives, and other authorized persons can access confidential court records in Dougherty County. To get copies of public court records or make inquiries, requesters can contact the clerk at:
Dougherty County Clerk of Court
225 Pine Avenue, Suite 126
P. O. Box 1827
Albany, GA 31701
Phone: (229) 431-2198
Email: dococlerks@dougherty.ga.us
Note that obtaining court records copies from the Clerk's Office may attract duplication or search fees. Interested persons can access Dougherty County public court records online through the Georgia re:SearchGA portal.
