Whitfield County
Whitfield County was founded in 1851 and named after Reverend George Whitfield, an English Anglican minister. As of 2020, the county's population was 102,864 while covering about 290 square miles of land in the western region of Georgia. Its county seat and most populous city is Dalton.
Whitfield County's judicial system comprises the Superior, Juvenile, Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. Felonies, real estate disputes, and civil equity cases are exclusive to the Superior Court. Family law cases, including child custody/support, marriage dissolution, and parental rights termination, are also exclusive to the Superior Court's Family Division. Meanwhile, the Magistrate Court resolves minor criminal cases such as traffic violations, misdemeanors, warrants, and bail. Small claims lawsuits and other monetary claims outside the jurisdiction of the Superior Court are handled by the county's magistrates.
Whitfield 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. There are Municipal Courts located in Dalton and Varnell. These courts have authority over criminal pre-trials and municipal ordinance violations.
All case filings, court documents, and recordings maintained by the Clerk of the Superior Court are regarded as Whitfield County public court records. Examples of details available on these records include testimonies, evidence, party names, attorney names, witness lists, and judgments. To promote open and transparent judicial processes, the state's Open Records Act mandates public access to the following Whitfield County court records.
- Criminal records
- Civil records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
- Land records
- Family law 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 Whitfield County. To get copies of public court records or make inquiries, requesters can contact the clerk at:
Whitfield County Clerk of Courts
205 North Selvidge Street
Dalton, GA 30720
Phone: (706) 275-7450
Note that obtaining court records copies from the Clerk's Office may incur duplication or search fees. Interested persons can access Whitfield County public court records online through the Georgia re:SearchGA portal.
