What Are DeKalb County Arrest Records?
DeKalb County arrest records are documents provided by county law enforcement that contain information about an arrest. Arrest records are generated in Georgia when a person is:
- Called for questioning
- Apprehended
- Detained
DeKalb arrest records contain details such as the arrestee's personal information and available arrest data. Georgia Laws classify arrest records as DeKalb public records, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office provides access to DeKalb arrest records. Statewide, arrest records may also be obtained from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Crime Statistics
Crime data for DeKalb County are available from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). A quick look at the county’s violent crime statistics shows 98 murders, 169 rapes, 1,535 robberies, and 2,060 assaults in 2017, the most recent year with available records. Larceny-theft was the leading property crime in DeKalb County in 2017, with 20,853 incidents. There were also 6,000 burglaries and 3,729 vehicle thefts.
Compared to 2016 crime statistics, the county reported higher rates of murder (18.1%), rape (3.7%), assault (3.7%), and larceny-theft (2.7%) in 2017. In contrast, robbery (21.3%), burglary (15.8%), and vehicle theft (14.5%) rates declined in the same period.
What Are DeKalb County Criminal Records?
DeKalb County criminal records are official documents that provide information on individuals’ illegal activities in the county. Under Federal and Georgia laws, an accused person is not a criminal until a reputable court has proven it. Available information on criminal records includes arrest records, conviction information, and descriptive details about the record's subject.
In Georgia, records on felony convictions are considered public records. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation provides a platform that enables the public to conduct a background check. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is the county's principal law enforcement authority and issues copies of criminal records.
How Do I Get DeKalb County Criminal Records?
Following Georgia law, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office makes its non-confidential records available to the public. These include police reports such as incident and accident reports and criminal records. To obtain any of these, complete the online Open Records Request Form. The Sheriff’s Office can deliver requested records by mail, fax, and email. Enquirers can also pick them up at the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters located at:
4415 Memorial Drive
Decatur, GA 30032
The office opens from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
How to Find DeKalb County Sex Offender Information
The Sexual Offender Registration Unit of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for registering and tracking sex offenders in the county. The Sheriff provides a simple search tool for finding registered sex offenders in the county. To use this local resource, residents can visit the county’s OffenderWatch page.
Enquirers can use the search tool to find registered sex offenders in different areas of the county. Another way to find information about registered sex offenders in DeKalb County is via the GBI’s Georgia Sex Offender Registry. The public can visit the Bureau’s Sex Offender Search page to find offenders by name and other information like offense type, race, and gender.
How Do I Visit an Inmate in DeKalb County Jail?
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office permits people to visit inmates detained in the county jail. Inmates are allowed two visits per week for 30 minutes each. The visitor must schedule an appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Visitation occurs at the jail visitation center but may also happen remotely. Visiting hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and between 4:00 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. The Jail Service Operation Center is at:
4425 Memorial Drive
Decatur, GA 30032
Visitors can log on to the Jail website for additional information.
Where and How to Find DeKalb County Inmate Information
The DeKalb Sheriff’s Office is also responsible for maintaining inmate records for the county. Persons who wish to locate individuals booked into any county’s jails may use the inmate lookup tool on the Sheriff’s website. A Dekalb County Inmate Search can also be performed using state-owned repositories and third-party databases, especially where a state-wide search may be required.
What Are DeKalb County Court Records?
DeKalb County has a publicly accessible online portal for case records from all of its courts. These include the county’s Superior, State, and Magistrate Courts. Visit the DeKalb County Judicial Information System to access documents from these courts. Interested persons may use the Search Hearing tool to find specific court hearings and the Smart Search tool to find other Dekalb County Court Records. Besides filtering search results by a court, users can also find documents quicker by providing filing date, names of individuals or businesses involved, and case type.
Location of All Courts in DeKalb County
DeKalb County Superior Court
556 North McDonough Street
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2836
Fax: (404) 371-4492
State Court of DeKalb County
556 North McDonough Street
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2261
State Court of DeKalb County - Traffic Division
Camp Circle Complex
3630 Camp Circle
Decatur, GA 30032
Phone: (404) 294-2099
DeKalb County Juvenile Court
4309 Memorial Drive
Decatur, GA 30032
Phone: (404) 294-2700
Fax: (404) 294-2702
Probate Court of DeKalb County
DeKalb County Courthouse
556 North McDonough Street
Room 1100
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 687-3563
Fax: (404) 371-7055
DeKalb County Magistrate Court
556 North McDonough Street
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2261 (Civil)
Phone: (404) 294-2150 (Criminal)
Fax: (404) 294-2145 (Criminal)
Municipal Court of Avondale Estates
21 North Avondale Plaza
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
Phone: (404) 294-0531
Fax: (404) 299-8137
Municipal Court of Brookhaven
2665 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30324
Phone: (404) 637-0660
Municipal Court of Chamblee
3518 Broad Street
Chamblee, GA 30341
Phone: (770) 986-5004
Fax: (770) 986-5017
Municipal Court of Clarkston
3921 Church Street
Clarkston, GA 30021
Phone: (404) 292-9465
Fax: (404) 298-1522
Municipal Court of Decatur
120 West Trinity Place
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (678) 553-6655
Fax: (678) 553-6660
Municipal Court of Doraville
3765 Park Avenue
Doraville, GA 30340
Phone: (770) 455-1001
Municipal Court of Dunwoody
41 Perimeter Center East
Suite 103
Dunwoody, GA 30346
Phone: (678) 382-6973
Fax: (770) 396-4717
Municipal Court of Lithonia
6920 Main Street
Lithonia, GA 30058
Phone: (770) 482-8947 ext. 112
Fax: (678) 526-0267
Municipal Court of Pine Lake
459 Pine Drive
P.O. Box 1325
Pine Lake, GA 30072
Phone: (404) 292-4250
Municipal Court of Stone Mountain
875 Main Street
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Phone: (770) 879-4981
What Are DeKalb County Vital Records
DeKalb vital records include birth records, death records, marriage records, and divorce records. Some vital records are subject to the Georgia Open Records Act, while others are available only to eligible individuals. The Vital Records Office of the DeKalb County Board of Health is the agency responsible for issuing copies of vital records at the county level. Georgia's Department of Public Health also maintains vital records at the state level. Requesters use the walk-in or mail-in services of these agencies to obtain copies of vital records.
Where and How to Get DeKalb County Divorce Records
The DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court is the custodian of the county's divorce records. Divorce records are open records, and the requester will need to provide information about the record when requesting from the Clerk's office. The Clerk's office can process written requests sent to:
1300 Commerce Drive
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2000
DeKalb County divorce records are also obtainable from the Georgia Department of Health. To obtain copies from the state office, the requester will need to pay a $10 fee to obtain a verification letter and complete a Divorce Verification Application Form. The Vital Records Office will process requests sent with required fees and documents to:
1680 Phoenix Boulevard
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Where and How to Get DeKalb County Marriage Records
The Georgia Department of Public Health processes requests for DeKalb marriage certificates. The state office has marriage records documented between June 1952 to 1996 and charges $10 per certified copy. Requests may be made online or by submitting a completed Marriage Application Form to:
1680 Phoenix Boulevard
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
DeKalb County's Probate Court Clerk provides copies of marriage certificates for marriages that occurred in the county. To obtain a marriage record from the Probate Clerk, the requesting party should send a written request, indicating essential information about the record. The written request should be enclosed in a stamped envelope and sent to:
1300 Commerce Drive
Decatur, GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2000
Where and How to Get DeKalb County Birth Records
Dekalb County birth certificates are available at the DeKalb County Board of Health or from the Georgia Department of Public Health. To obtain a birth certificate, the requester should obtain a Birth Certificate Request Form at:
Vital Records
Suite 191
Richardson Health Center
445 Winn Way
Decatur, GA 30030
The office opens from Monday to Friday between 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Alternatively, an applicant can fax the completed form to (404) 508-7895 or send a mail request to:
DeKalb County Vital Records Office
P.O. Box 639
Decatur, GA 30031
The Vital Records Office charges a non-refundable search fee of $25. This fee covers one certified copy of birth or death certificate if the record is available. Each additional certified copy of the same record ordered simultaneously attracts a charge of $5. The Vital Records Office accepts cash and credit card payments for in-person requests but only certified checks and money orders for mail and fax requests. The requesting party should make these fees payable to the DeKalb County Vital Records Office.
Where and How to Get DeKalb County Death Records
The Georgia Department of Public Health has death certificates filed since June 1919. A certified record costs $25 fee for each, and additional copies requested simultaneously cost $5 each. The state office processes online, mail, and walk-in requests.
To obtain a DeKalb County death certificate, the requester should obtain a Georgia Death Application Form and provide all the necessary information. Requesters must attach a valid photo I.D. to the request form, and the processing fees to:
1680 Phoenix Boulevard
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30349
Death certificates are also available at the DeKalb County Board of Health located in:
Vital Records
Suite 191
Richardson Health Center
445 Winn Way
Decatur, GA 30030
Are Property Records Open to the Public in DeKalb County?
Property records are open to the public in DeKalb County, as established by Georgia’s Open Records Act (OPA), which states that anyone has a statutory right to request public records. Interested persons can forward requests for DeKalb County property records to the appropriate custodians’ office.
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Where and How to Find Property Records in DeKalb County
The DeKalb County Board of Assessors takes responsibility for the equitable assessment and valuation of real property within the county. It gives public information on real property through online and offline channels. Individuals looking for DeKalb County property records may email the Property Appraisal office,call, or visit in person.
DeKalb County Property Appraisal office
1300 Commerce Drive Decatur,
GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2000
How to Look Up DeKalb County Property Records
In DeKalb County, the Property Appraisal office provides the public with online access to Dekalb County Property Records through its search portal. Individuals can find information on general property and personal property using a full or partial parcel number, the owner’s last name followed by first with no comma, or the street name with a full or partial address. Interested persons can also find parcel details by looking through the interactive DeKalb County Parcel Viewer.
DeKalb County Property Appraisal office
1300 Commerce Drive Decatur,
GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2000
Location of Cobb County Assessors
DeKalb County Property Appraisal office
1300 Commerce Drive Decatur,
GA 30030
Phone: (404) 371-2000