Stephens County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Established in 1905, Stephens County was named for Alexander Stephens, the first and only vice president of the Confederate States. Its county seat and largest city is Toccoa City. According to data from 2022, Stephens County has a population of 26,732 people and a land area of 178.9 square miles. The county has a court system that is made up of the Superior Court, State Court, Juvenile Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, and Recorder's Court.

The Superior Court in Stephens County is a court of general jurisdiction and the highest trial court in the county. It has exclusive jurisdiction over cases on land titles as well as felony, equity, and divorce cases. The court also has the exclusive authority to grant prerogative reliefs such as mandamus, certiorari, quo warranto, and prohibition. The jurisdiction of the State Court of Stephens County covers traffic cases, misdemeanors, and civil claims outside the exclusive jurisdiction of the Superior Court. The court also handles preliminary hearings and applications for search and arrest warrants. Furthermore, matters involving minors such as delinquency and dependency cases fall within the authority of the Stephens County Juvenile Court, while the Probate Court hears cases on wills, administration of estates, guardianships, and other probate matters to the exclusion of other courts. Similarly, the jurisdiction of the Stephens County Magistrate Court is limited to pre-warrant matters, preliminary hearings, and arraignments. The court also has civil jurisdiction over small claims of less than $15,000, garnishments, landlord-tenant matters, foreclosures, and abandoned motor vehicles. In addition to these courts, there is a Recorder's Court located in the City of Toccoa. Its jurisdiction is limited to misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and municipal ordinance violations within the city.

In 2022, Stephens County had a crime rate of 12.80 incidents per 1,000 people. Within the same period, the Superior Court recorded 752 case dispositions while the State Court had 3,408, the Magistrate Court had 1,016, the Juvenile Court had 206, and the Probate Court had 254. The Clerk of Superior Court maintains records of several cases in the county. Other courts in the county also maintain their records. Most court records are open to the public unless they are declared confidential by law such as adoption and mental health records. To obtain court records in Stephens County, contact the Clerk or records office in the relevant court. Records of the Superior and State Court are also available online.

In summary, Stephens County has a comprehensive court system consisting of the Superior Court, State Court, Juvenile Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, and Recorder's Court. By resolving cases efficiently, the courts play an important role in maintaining peace and order within the county. Public access to court records also promotes transparency and accountability of the judiciary.