Terrell County Court Docket Records

Terrell County court docket records are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court in Dawson, Georgia. These public records include filings and case histories for civil disputes, felony criminal cases, and domestic relations proceedings handled by the Terrell County Superior Court. Searching the court docket helps you track pending cases, review completed matters, or confirm that a specific case was filed in Terrell County. This guide explains where to search, how to request records, what each docket entry shows, and the legal framework that governs public access.

Terrell County Clerk of Superior Court

The Terrell County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 235 East Lee Street, Dawson, GA 39842. The main number is (229) 995-6313. The clerk's office keeps all Superior Court records for civil, criminal, and domestic cases in the county. Visit www.terrellcountyga.gov for any additional county resources.

Clerk staff can search case records by party name or case number. Since Terrell is a smaller county, the office handles a manageable volume of filings and staff are often able to respond quickly to basic inquiries. For older files, some records may be stored in an archive. Calling ahead before visiting confirms that your request can be addressed on arrival.

The clerk's office is generally open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. State holidays affect availability. The courthouse in downtown Dawson serves as the main public access point for Terrell County court records.

Search Terrell County Dockets Online

The re:SearchGA portal at researchga.tylerhost.net covers Superior Court docket records from Georgia counties using the Tyler Technologies platform. You can search Terrell County cases by party name or case number if the county is enrolled. Docket entries in the search results include filing dates, document types, and case status information.

To search Terrell County court docket records online, visit the re:SearchGA portal, Georgia's statewide public court search tool.

The GSCCCA portal at gsccca.org offers access to real estate, lien, and UCC records maintained by the Terrell County clerk. This is useful when a court case involves property or secured interests. For cases that are not yet available online, contacting the clerk at (229) 995-6313 is the most direct approach.

Requesting Court Records

Records requests can be submitted in person at 235 East Lee Street in Dawson or by mail. In-person requests are typically processed while you wait. Mail requests should include the case number or party names, a list of the specific documents needed, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment for copies.

Under O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77, standard copy fees are $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Checks or money orders are standard for mail-in payments. Call (229) 995-6313 before sending a mail request to confirm payment methods and estimated turnaround time.

Certified copies of select document types can be ordered online through the Georgia eCertification portal at ecert.gsccca.org. This is a good option when you need a certified copy for legal or financial purposes and cannot travel to Dawson.

What's in the Terrell County Docket

The Terrell County court docket is the complete log of every action taken in a Superior Court case. Civil cases generate entries for complaints, answers, motions, discovery orders, and final judgments. Criminal cases produce entries for arraignments, bond hearings, pretrial motions, pleas, and sentencing. Domestic relations cases result in entries for divorce petitions, custody orders, support rulings, and modifications. Each entry includes the date, the action type, and the parties involved.

The docket is the first place to look when you want to understand the history of a case. It tells you what was filed and when, without requiring you to read every document. Once you identify the entries relevant to your research, you can request those specific documents from the clerk's office. For attorneys, the docket is a daily working tool. For the public, it is the main window into what the court has done in any given case.

Open Records and Public Access

Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, gives anyone the right to access Terrell County court records. No explanation is required for a records request. The clerk must respond within three business days. Production of the actual records may take additional time if the request involves many documents or archived files.

Most court records are open to the public. Records sealed by court order, juvenile records, and records covered by specific state or federal laws are exceptions. If a record is sealed, the clerk will tell you that a restriction applies but will not disclose the protected information. You would need a court order to access sealed records.

Expunged or restricted records are not visible in public docket searches. The clerk can confirm that a restriction exists without describing the underlying record. Personal information such as victims' addresses may be redacted in released documents, which is standard practice and does not affect access to the rest of the case record.

Statewide Search Tools

The Georgia Courts E-Access portal at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records links to court systems across Georgia. Terrell County is in the Middle District of Georgia for federal court purposes. Federal cases involving county residents or businesses can be found through PACER at pacer.gov.

Georgia Legal Services Program at glsp.org provides free legal help to qualifying residents who need assistance with legal matters but cannot afford private attorneys. The eFileGA portal at odysseyefilega.com allows attorneys to file documents electronically. Those filings appear in re:SearchGA after the clerk's office processes them.

Cities in Terrell County

Dawson is the county seat and largest city in Terrell County. Parrott and Bronwood are small communities also in the county. None meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. The closest qualifying city is Albany in Dougherty County to the southeast, which serves as the regional hub for southwest Georgia.

Nearby Counties

Terrell County borders several counties in southwest Georgia. To the north is Webster County, and to the northeast is Sumter County. To the east is Lee County. To the south are Calhoun County and Early County. To the west is Randolph County, and to the northwest lies Dougherty County. Each has its own Superior Court clerk and separate docket records.