Search Dade County Court Docket Records
Dade County court docket records document every civil and criminal case filed with the Superior Court in Trenton, Georgia, giving you a complete view of filings, hearings, and outcomes for matters handled in this northwest Georgia county.
Dade County At a Glance
Dade County Superior Court Clerk Office
The clerk of the Dade County Superior Court maintains the official court docket for all cases filed in this jurisdiction. The office is located at 255 West Main Street, Trenton, GA 30752, and can be reached by phone at (706) 657-4778. The clerk's office is the main point of contact for anyone who needs to look up a case, get copies of filings, or verify the status of a proceeding.
Court docket records here cover Superior Court matters including civil disputes, real property cases, felony criminal proceedings, divorce and family law, and equity matters. Each case gets its own docket, which is the running list of everything filed, served, ordered, and decided in that case. The docket is the starting point for any case research.
Georgia's Open Records Act, found at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 through § 50-18-74, gives the public the right to inspect government records, including court dockets. The right is not absolute. Some records are sealed or protected, but the general rule is that court filings are public. You do not need a lawyer or a special reason to ask for a docket entry.
Online Access to Dade County Court Records
Georgia maintains several state-level portals for searching court docket data. The Tyler Technologies case search is one of the main tools. It covers a growing list of Georgia counties and displays party names, case types, filing dates, and docket entries. You can search by name or case number. If Dade County is indexed on the platform, results will show the cases filed there.
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority maintains databases for Superior Court records across the state. Their platform at GSCCCA.org lets you search by name or document type. For certified electronic copies, the eCertification portal provides official documents you can use in legal proceedings. The Georgia Courts eAccess page lists all the digital access points maintained by the Judicial Council of Georgia.
For lien-related records that may be tied to civil judgments, the FANS portal from GSCCCA covers financing statements and certain lien filings. These records often appear alongside Superior Court docket entries in commercial and real estate cases.
Types of Cases in the Dade County Court Docket
Dade County is a smaller county in the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. The Superior Court there handles a range of matters despite the relatively small population. Felony criminal cases are a significant part of the docket. Civil cases involving contracts, property lines, tort claims, and business disputes also come through. Family law cases including divorce, custody, and legitimation are common in every Superior Court.
Beyond the Superior Court, Dade County has a Magistrate Court and a Probate Court. The Magistrate Court handles small claims under a set dollar limit, civil warrants, and dispossessory filings. The Probate Court handles wills, estates, and guardianship matters. These courts keep their own dockets, and you would contact each separately for their records.
State Court and Juvenile Court may also operate in Dade County depending on local organization. Your best starting point is the Superior Court Clerk, who can direct you to the right court if the case you are looking for is not in the Superior Court docket.
How to Get Copies of Court Docket Records
The easiest way to get court docket records is to visit the clerk's office in Trenton. Bring a photo ID and, if possible, the case number or the names of the parties involved. The clerk can pull up the docket and show you what is on file. You can also request printed copies on the spot.
If you cannot visit in person, you can send a written request by mail to the Dade County Superior Court Clerk at 255 West Main Street, Trenton, GA 30752. Include the party names, case number if known, and what specific documents you need. State clearly that you are requesting records under the Open Records Act. Copy fees are set by O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77 and apply to both certified and uncertified copies.
Online searches through the state portals are often free for basic index lookups. Getting official certified copies through those portals may involve fees. Always check the portal's fee schedule before submitting requests electronically.
Understanding What a Court Docket Contains
A court docket is a chronological log of every event in a case. Each line item shows the date of an action, a brief description, and sometimes a link to the underlying document. Typical docket entries include the filing of a complaint, service of process, the filing of an answer, motions and responses, hearing notices, court orders, and the final disposition of the case.
Reading a docket tells you the current status of a case at a glance. Is it active or closed? Was a judgment entered? Is there a scheduled hearing? Did someone file an appeal? The docket answers these questions without requiring you to read every document in the file. It is a summary of the case's history.
Court dockets are useful for many purposes. Attorneys use them to track opposing counsel's filings. Parties to litigation check them to know what their opponent has filed. Researchers and members of the public use them to verify case outcomes. Understanding how to read a docket is a practical skill.
Georgia Court Records Search
Georgia's court record search tools make it possible to find Dade County docket information without leaving home. The image below shows one of the main Georgia court records portals used by the public and legal professionals alike.
If a case does not appear in the online portal, it may be from before digital indexing began, or it may be in a court that is not yet on the system. In those cases, contact the Dade County clerk directly for help.
Nearby Counties
Cases sometimes span county lines, or parties may need to check records in adjacent jurisdictions. The following counties are near Dade and each has its own Superior Court Clerk.