Newton County
Newton County lies 35 miles east of Atlanta. The county boasts diverse cultural, natural, and historic resources. It is home to the Covington Municipal Airport and was named after Sergeant John Newton, a notable figure from the American Revolutionary War. The county covers 272 square miles and has its governmental seat in the City of Covington. According to data recorded in 2020, Newton County is home to approximately 112,483 residents.
The county's judicial system comprises a Superior, Juvenile, Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. The Superior Court has the highest jurisdiction in the county's judicial system. It typically handles felonies, equity matters, real property issues, and civil disputes exceeding $15,000. The Juvenile Court manages cases involving minors, including delinquency and truancy. It also shares jurisdiction with the Superior Court on some domestic relations cases. The Probate Court handles wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and cases related to involuntary mental health commitments. The Magistrate Court conducts preliminary hearings for felonies and hears minor criminal cases and civil disputes under $15,000. Finally, the Municipal Courts, which are located in Covington, Oxford, and Porterdale, deal with local ordinance violations and minor offenses.
Public court records in Newton County are legal documents that contain details of court proceedings in the county. Per provisions of Georgia's Open Records Act (ORA), anyone can view public court records in Newton County. The office of the Newton County Superior Court Clerk is responsible for maintaining and managing these court records. The office provides access to the following records:
- Criminal records
- Civil records
- Probate records
- Family records
To obtain public court records, interested individuals may search online via the Newton County public records search portal. Alternatively, requesters can mail a request to the clerk's office or visit in person.
The costs for accessing public records in Newton County differ based on the method of request and the type of record. Civil and criminal records cost $1 per page if copied by staff. On the other hand, records that are sourced by self-service cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies of court records cost $10 for the first copy and $5 for each additional copy.
