Georgia Court Records

Georgia Court Records

The earliest colonial court records were kept by the Common Council in England and the governor and council in Georgia. Later court records were kept by the General Court of Pleas and the Court of Quarter Sessions. None of these records exist today.

After the colonial period, Georgia courts that kept records of genealogical value were as follows:

1777-present Superior courts These county courts kept records of divorce, civil and criminal cases, naturalization, military discharges, homesteads, slaves, and prisons.

1777-present Courts of ordinary These county courts kept records of probates from 1777 to 1798 and again after 1852. Other records kept by the court include: homesteads, land warrants, licenses, indentures, paupers registers, voting registers, and marriage records.

1790-present U.S. Circuit Court District of Georgia.

1798-present Inferior courts These county courts had jurisdiction over probates from 1798 to 1852, civil matters (except for divorce and equity cases), and minor criminal offenses.

Check out the following website to read about and share experiences from courthouse research.
http://www.bcpl.net/%7Edmg/courthouse.htm#Georgia
"The Goodman Clearinghouse:
Experiences In Researching in Court Houses"

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