Established in 1818, Gwinnett County, named after Button Gwinnett, one of the singers of the Declaration of Independence, has a population of over 1 million residents. The county is located northeast of Atlanta and has a land mass of 437 square miles, making it the 50th largest county in Georgia. Gwinnett County, home to the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center, has its county seat in Lawrenceville.

Courts in Gwinnett County

The Gwinnett County court system comprises different levels: Superior, State, Juvenile, Magistrate, Probate, and Municipal Courts. Each court has its scope and jurisdiction. The Gwinnett County Superior Court is the highest trial court in the county, with general jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases, but typically presides over cases beyond the authority of other courts. In addition, the Superior Court has the authority to correct the errors made by the lower courts. Superior Courts has a Family Court Division.

The Gwinnett County State Court is a trial court with limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. The State Courts preside over misdemeanors and traffic violations. The Magistrate Court has limited jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases and typically presides over preliminary hearings, court ordinance violations, and minor criminal offenses.

The Gwinnett County Probate Courts has exclusive jurisdiction over lawsuits involving the probate of wills, guardianship and conservatorships of minors, and administration of estates. The Juvenile Courts have sole authority over cases involving delinquent and unruly minors or children in need of treatment due to mental illness. The 13 Municipal Courts in Gwinnett handle municipal ordinance violations and preliminary hearings for some criminal cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Gwinnett County

Public Court records are court documents open to the general public. The Clerk of the Superior, State, Magistrate, and Juvenile Courts maintains all official court records and provides access to them using the Re:SearchGA portal. Record seekers may also access public court documents at the various courthouses during business hours.

Types of Public Court Records in Gwinnett County

Public court records allow for transparency in the legal process and provide the public access to these records. Examples of public court records open to the public in Gwinnett County include:

• Criminal Court Records: They include felonies such as armed robberies, aggravated assault, and drug trafficking, and misdemeanors such as petty theft, disorderly conduct, and simple assault
• Civil Court Records: Pubic civil court records include property records, bankruptcy filings, injunctions, business disputes, contract disputes, and intellectual property litigation records
• Probate Court Records: These include wills and estate planning records. Letters of administration, guardianship and conservatorship court records, estate dispute court records, and trust records
• Family Court Records: Public Family Court records include divorce, child visitation orders, and child custody arrangement records

Confidential Court Records in Gwinnett County

Confidential court records are documents from legal proceedings closed to the public. Confidential court records in Gwinnett County are sealed to protect sensitive information, such as those involving minors or victims. Accordingly, confidential court records include juvenile court records, trade secrets, grand jury information, and personal information of crime victims.

Court records containing sensitive personal information are also exempted from public view to ensure the privacy of the person named on the court record. Therefore, sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, or medical records are redacted from public court records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Gwinnett, GA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Gwinnett County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Georgia often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1837 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Gwinnett County. Of that total, 33% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 613 court cases. Another 17% were dependency cases that accounted for 304 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Gwinnett County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Gwinnett County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Gwinnett County, GA

https://georgia.gov/

County Seat:	Lawrenceville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1818
Total Square Miles:	437
2019 Population:	920,260
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Gwinnett County, GA Courts