Chatham County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Chatham County, Georgia, is home to over 296,200 people. It is considered one of the core counties in the Savannah Metropolitan Area and one of the most populous counties in Georgia. It operates a court system similar to Georgia's judiciary structure, primarily consisting of the Superior Court, the State Court, the Magistrate Court, the Probate Court, the Juvenile Court, and the Recorder's Court. The courts each have their jurisdictions, which can be exclusive or concurrent. Collectively the courts play the key role of ensuring order within Chatham County and preserving the rule of law.

The Superior Court, which is in the Eastern Judicial District, is a court of general jurisdiction and can hear criminal, civil, and family-related cases. It also has exclusive jurisdiction over certain matters, including felony criminal cases and divorce proceedings. The State Court, located in Savannah, has concurrent jurisdiction with the Superior Court and can hear civil disputes that are not exclusively within the Superior Court's jurisdiction. It can also hear misdemeanor and traffic offenses. The Magistrate Court, also located in Savannah, hears civil claims involving $15,000 or less, landlord/tenant disputes, applications for issuance of arrest, and related matters, while the Probate Court also shares jurisdiction with the Superior Court but primarily concerning estate-related matters. The Juvenile Court handles child delinquency complaints, while the Recorder's Court primarily handles traffic violations.

The wide structure of the Chatham County court system empowers the judiciary to address several types of cases across different legal areas. This has expectedly led to a large volume of caseload and some backlog. Likewise, the county has experienced some increase in crime between June 2023 and June 2024. While this is concerning, the courts are committed to clearing the backlog of cases and particularly ensuring that criminal cases are decided promptly. This can serve as a deterrent and possibly reduce the crime rate. The courts in Chatham County meticulously maintain a record of cases, documents, and applications filed, and orders issued by each respective court. These records collectively constitute the county's court records and are available on the Odyssey's case management system.

In summary, the Chatham County Court system is integral to the county's law and order and governance. Despite its mild setbacks, it is committed to the administration of justice, transparency, and securing public trust in the judiciary, which are qualities that are necessary for every county's court system across Georgia.