Criminal Records in Atlanta: How They Work and How to Look Them Up

If you live in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s common to need information about criminal records—whether you’re checking your own history, looking up a case, or trying to understand how a past charge might affect work or housing. This guide breaks down how criminal records work in Atlanta, where they’re kept, and how you can find or address them.

What Counts as a “Criminal Record” in Atlanta?

In Atlanta, a criminal record is not stored in just one place. It’s made up of information collected by several systems:

• Arrest records (from police departments)
• Court records (from municipal, state, and superior courts)
• Jail and prison records (county jails, state prisons)
• Statewide history (Georgia Crime Information Center – GCIC)

Some key points:

• Traffic tickets, DUIs, and city ordinance violations may show up in Atlanta Municipal Court or other local courts.
• Misdemeanors and felonies are typically handled in Fulton County or DeKalb County (depending on where the incident happened).
• Many employers, landlords, and licensing boards look at state-level history, not just local court files.

Who Keeps Criminal Records in Atlanta?

Several agencies in and around Atlanta maintain parts of your record:

Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC)

The GCIC, part of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), maintains Georgia’s official statewide criminal history database.

• Collects data from law enforcement and courts across the state
• Used by law enforcement, courts, and approved agencies
• Public access is limited, but you can request your own record through approved channels

Atlanta Police Department (APD)

The Atlanta Police Department keeps:

• Incident and arrest reports for arrests made by APD officers
• Some records that can be requested through APD Central Records

APD Central Records Unit
226 Peachtree St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Main line: typically available through the City of Atlanta information line

Fulton County and DeKalb County Courts

Depending on where the offense occurred inside Metro Atlanta, your case may be in:

• Fulton County (includes most of the City of Atlanta)
• DeKalb County (parts of Atlanta on the east side)

Examples of key courts:

• Fulton County Superior Court – serious felonies, some appeals
  136 Pryor St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Fulton County State Court – many misdemeanors, traffic, and civil cases
  185 Central Ave SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Atlanta Municipal Court – city ordinance violations, some traffic, low-level offenses inside city limits
  150 Garnett St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303

Each court keeps its own case records, which are generally public unless sealed or restricted.

Are Criminal Records Public in Atlanta?

Many criminal records are public, but not everything is equally easy to access.

Generally public in Atlanta/Georgia:

• Adult court case information (charges, case numbers, dispositions)
• Many docket sheets and court calendars
• Some arrest information, especially after a case is filed in court

Often restricted or confidential:

• Juvenile records (strongly protected)
• Some mental health-related cases
• Certain records that have been sealed, restricted, or expunged
• Sensitive victim information

In practice:

• You can usually look up basic case info by name or case number.
• Getting a full background check often requires going through GCIC-approved agencies or law enforcement.

How to Look Up Criminal Records in Atlanta

Your approach depends on what exactly you need: your own history, someone else’s case, or a full background check.

1. Checking Your Own Georgia Criminal History

If you want to see what’s on your record at the state level:

• Georgia allows individuals to request their GCIC criminal history through law enforcement agencies that offer fingerprinting.

Common steps:

1. Contact a local law enforcement agency that provides GCIC record requests
   • Many people use the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office or other nearby agencies.
2. Schedule fingerprinting, if required.
3. Bring ID (government-issued photo ID).
4. Pay the fee, if applicable.
5. Receive a printed copy of your Georgia criminal history.

This will usually show:

• Arrest dates
• Charges
• Dispositions (convicted, dismissed, nolle pros, etc.)
• Sentences, where reported

2. Looking Up Court Cases in Atlanta

If you want information on a specific case (yours or someone else’s), you’ll usually deal with court records, not a background check.

Common paths:

Atlanta Municipal Court

For many traffic tickets, city code violations, and some misdemeanors:

Atlanta Municipal Court
150 Garnett St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303

You can:

• Search by name or citation number
• Confirm court dates, outcomes, and fines
• Request certified copies at the clerk’s office

Fulton County Courts

If the case occurred in the City of Atlanta or nearby areas in Fulton County:

• Fulton County Superior Court Clerk – felony cases, higher-level matters
  136 Pryor St SW, Suite C155, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Fulton County State Court Clerk – many misdemeanors, DUIs, and traffic
  185 Central Ave SW, Suite J-270, Atlanta, GA 30303

At the clerk’s office, you can usually:

• Search by name, date of birth, or case number
• View or purchase docket sheets and case records
• Request certified copies of judgments or dispositions

If the incident happened on the east side of Atlanta (in DeKalb County), you may need to check:

• DeKalb County State Court
• DeKalb County Superior Court
  (Both based in Decatur, just outside Atlanta)

Common Types of Criminal Records Seen in Atlanta

People in Atlanta often run into the following types of records:

• Traffic offenses – speeding, driving without a license, running a red light
• DUI charges – sometimes in Atlanta Municipal Court, sometimes in State Court
• Misdemeanor shoplifting, disorderly conduct, simple battery
• Felony drug charges, burglary, aggravated assault, and others in Superior Court
• Probation violations stemming from earlier convictions

Each case will have key details:

• Charge(s) – what law was allegedly broken
• Disposition – convicted, dismissed, nolle pros (not prosecuted), reduced, etc.
• Sentence – jail time, probation, fines, community service, classes

How Criminal Records in Atlanta Affect Employment and Housing

In Atlanta, as in the rest of Georgia, criminal records can affect:

• Job applications
• Professional licenses
• Rental housing applications
• Some volunteer roles

Common patterns:

• Many Atlanta employers use third-party background check companies that pull from GCIC and court records.
• Some landlords in the city routinely run criminal and eviction checks.
• Certain city- or state-regulated jobs (schools, healthcare, childcare, security) may have stricter background standards.

Important nuances:

• A charge that was dismissed or closed without conviction may still appear in a record search.
• Some employers look at only the last several years; others look further back.
• In many settings, felony convictions carry more weight than misdemeanors.

Can Criminal Records Be Cleared or Restricted in Georgia?

Georgia law allows for certain relief, sometimes called “record restriction” or “sealing”, rather than traditional “expungement” in the older sense.

Record Restriction (Sealing from Public View)

Under Georgia law, some records can be restricted so they are not available to the general public, though law enforcement can still see them.

Common situations where restriction may be possible:

• Charges that did not lead to a conviction (dismissed, nolle pros, not guilty)
• Certain cases resolved under conditional discharge or first offender laws
• Some older cases under specific conditions

In Atlanta, this usually involves:

1. Identifying the arresting agency (e.g., Atlanta Police Department).
2. Identifying the court where the case was handled (e.g., Fulton County State Court, Atlanta Municipal Court).
3. Submitting a record restriction application to the correct agency or court, depending on the situation.
4. Waiting for review and a final decision.

Because the rules are detailed and can change, many people in Atlanta discuss options with a Georgia-licensed attorney who handles criminal records or post-conviction work.

First Offender and Conditional Discharge

If you were sentenced under Georgia’s First Offender Act or conditional discharge, your record may be treated differently if you successfully completed all terms:

• In some cases, the conviction is not entered if all conditions were met.
• This may allow record restriction so that the matter is not publicly accessible.

People often find it useful to:

• Pull their current GCIC record, and
• Ask a lawyer or knowledgeable legal aid group to help interpret what it shows.

Quick Reference: Where to Go for Criminal Record Issues in Atlanta

Tips for Handling Criminal Record Questions in Atlanta

Some practical steps if you’re trying to understand or clean up your record:

• Get your own record first
  Before you apply for jobs or housing, know what GCIC and court records actually show.

• Check both city and county courts
  An incident in Atlanta might appear in Atlanta Municipal Court, Fulton County State Court, Fulton County Superior Court, or in nearby DeKalb County depending on where it happened.

• Keep copies of dispositions
  If your case was dismissed, reduced, or closed successfully, keep certified copies from the court. Employers and landlords sometimes accept these as proof.

• Ask about record restriction if your case was dismissed
  A dismissal doesn’t always make the arrest disappear from all systems. It may be possible to request record restriction to keep it from public view.

• Be honest but prepared on applications
  When allowed to, some people in Atlanta choose to explain the basic context of a past case, especially if it’s old, minor, or resolved positively. Having your paperwork ready can make that conversation easier.

Understanding criminal records in Atlanta means knowing that no single office holds everything. Your history is spread across police, courts, and state databases. If you start by pulling your own Georgia record, checking the right Atlanta-area courts, and keeping organized copies of your case outcomes, you’ll be in a much stronger position to answer questions from employers, landlords, or anyone else who might review your background.