Cartersville Court Records Search
Cartersville is the county seat of Bartow County, and the city has both a Municipal Court for local matters and access to the full Bartow County court system for county-level cases. Court records for Cartersville span two systems, and this page explains which court holds which type of case, where to search online, and how to contact the right clerk's office when you need documents or case information.
Cartersville Quick Facts
Cartersville Court Records: Two Systems to Know
Cartersville operates a Municipal Court for city ordinance violations and local traffic matters. Details on the Municipal Court are at cartersvillega.gov/289/Municipal-Court. This is the court you deal with for Cartersville city code violations. Municipal records are separate from the county court system and are not found in state or county online search tools.
For all county-level matters, Cartersville cases go through the Bartow County court system. As the county seat, Cartersville is where the Bartow County courthouse and Superior Court are located. The Clerk of Superior Court for Bartow County is Josh Biddy. His office is at 135 W. Cherokee Ave., Suite 233, Cartersville, GA 30120. Phone: (770) 387-5025. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The Superior Court handles felony criminal cases, major civil suits, divorces, child custody, adoptions, and property-related filings. The clerk's office at that address maintains all Superior Court records. Being the county seat means the courthouse is conveniently located within the city for in-person record requests.
Cartersville Municipal Court: Local Cases and Ordinances
The Cartersville Municipal Court is the city's own court for ordinance violations and local traffic citations issued by Cartersville Police. The Municipal Court is separate from Bartow County courts, and its records are not part of the county clerk's system. If you have a citation from Cartersville Police or a city ordinance case, start at cartersvillega.gov/289/Municipal-Court for information on hearings, plea options, and how to get records.
The screenshot below is from the Cartersville Municipal Court page on the city government website. It's the primary resource for city-level court matters in Cartersville.
The Cartersville Municipal Court page at cartersvillega.gov covers city ordinance violations, traffic citations, and how to address local court matters in Cartersville.
Bartow County Courts Handling Cartersville Cases
Bartow County has a full set of courts for county-level matters. Each division handles a specific range of cases, and records are maintained by different clerks. Here is how they break down:
Superior Court is the main trial court of general jurisdiction in Bartow County. Clerk Josh Biddy's office at 135 W. Cherokee Ave., Suite 233 maintains all Superior Court records. Cases include felony criminal matters, civil suits over $15,000, divorces, child custody, adoptions, and real property filings. This is the most likely court for significant legal matters tied to Cartersville.
State Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations issued by county law enforcement or the Georgia State Patrol, and civil claims. State Court records are accessible through county search tools and the GSCCCA system.
Magistrate Court handles small claims up to $15,000, eviction (dispossessory) filings, and preliminary hearings. Magistrate records are kept separately. Contact the Magistrate Court clerk directly for these cases. They may not appear in the GSCCCA statewide search.
The GSCCCA Find My Clerk tool at gaclerks.org/Clerks/FindMyClerk.aspx confirms current contact details for the Bartow County Clerk of Superior Court and other clerks in the county.
Online Search for Cartersville and Bartow County Court Records
The GSCCCA search at gsccca.org/search is free and includes Bartow County. Search by name or document type for Superior Court clerk records, including real property deeds, liens, mortgages, UCC filings, and other instruments filed with Clerk Josh Biddy's office. Basic searches require no account. Results show document type, filing date, and links to scanned images when available.
PeachCourt at peachcourt.com handles electronic civil case filing for Bartow County courts. If a civil case was filed through e-filing, its docket is searchable through PeachCourt's public access portal. The Georgia Judicial Gateway at georgiacourts.gov provides links to court resources statewide and includes information on how municipal courts like Cartersville's operate within Georgia's court structure.
The FANS notification system, shown below, lets Cartersville residents sign up for free email alerts on Superior Court filings in their name anywhere in Georgia, including Bartow County.
Set up FANS alerts at fans.gsccca.org to get notified when documents are filed in your name at the Bartow County Superior Court clerk's office or any other Georgia county.
How to Request Cartersville Court Records in Person or by Mail
For Superior Court records, visit the Bartow County Clerk of Superior Court at 135 W. Cherokee Ave., Suite 233, Cartersville, GA 30120. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (770) 387-5025 before your visit to confirm hours and to ask about specific documents. Bring a case number or the full names of both parties. Copy fees apply for printed documents.
Mail requests work as well. Write to the clerk at the address above, include case details, specify which documents you need, and include payment. Call first to confirm the current per-page copy rate. Certified copies cost more than plain copies and take longer to process.
Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect and copy most court records. Clerks must respond within three business days. Denials require citation of a specific exemption under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72.
Traffic Tickets in Cartersville
Cartersville Police Department traffic citations for city ordinance violations go to Cartersville Municipal Court. Bartow County Sheriff's citations for state traffic violations go to Bartow County State Court. State Patrol citations also go to State Court. The issuing agency determines the court.
Use the Georgia Courts ticket lookup at georgiacourts.gov/municipal/locate-or-pay-my-ticket/ to find which court holds your citation. Enter your citation number or license plate to locate the case and see if online payment is available for your specific court.
Don't miss a court date. A failure to appear on a traffic citation adds a separate criminal charge and can lead to a license suspension. If you're unsure which court to go to, call the number on your citation first.
Bartow County Court Records
Cartersville is Bartow County's county seat, and the county court system operates here. The Bartow County page covers Clerk Josh Biddy's full contact details, all court divisions, filing procedures, and search tools for county cases.