Find Clay County Court Records

Clay County court records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk in Fort Gaines, Georgia, covering civil filings, criminal case documents, property instruments, and other public records. Clay County is one of Georgia's smallest and least populous counties, but the same open records rules apply here, and this page explains where to find Clay County court records and how to request them.

Clay County Court Records: What You Need to Know

Clay County is in southwestern Georgia along the Chattahoochee River, with Fort Gaines as the county seat. It is one of the smallest counties in Georgia by population, with roughly 3,000 residents. Despite its small size, the Superior Court Clerk in Fort Gaines maintains the official record of all court filings, property instruments, and recorded documents for the county. The low volume of filings means searches are often simpler here than in larger counties.

Georgia's open records law at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect and copy court records. Exemptions listed at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 cover sealed proceedings and certain sensitive materials. Most Clay County court records fall outside those exemptions and are available on request.

Clay County is part of the Pataula Judicial Circuit. The circuit covers several rural southwest Georgia counties and handles the docket for Clay County Superior Court.

Searching Clay County Records Online

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority is the main online platform for Clay County records. Through the GSCCCA search portal, you can search real estate instruments, UCC filings, and civil case data for Clay County. Subscriptions cost $14.95 per month for regular access. Individual document searches are available on a per-use basis as well.

For a county as small as Clay, the volume of online records may be limited. Older records that predate digital scanning may only be accessible in person at the Fort Gaines courthouse. PeachCourt at peachcourt.com covers participating counties for e-filed documents, and the Georgia Judicial Gateway at georgiacourts.gov provides general court information including circuit resources for the Pataula Circuit.

Clay County Clerk: In-Person Access

For records not found through online searches, the Superior Court Clerk's office in Fort Gaines is your direct resource. The office can search physical index books, pull case files, and provide certified copies of any document in the system. Because Clay County is small, the clerk's office operates with a limited staff, so calling ahead before visiting is a good idea.

Bring a photo ID and as much information about the record as you have. For a small county, the clerk can often locate records relatively quickly once you provide the party name or approximate date. Certified copies carry a state-set fee. The eCert tool at ecert.gsccca.org lets you order certified electronic copies of recorded instruments without traveling to Fort Gaines.

Court Cases and Property Records in Clay County

Clay County Superior Court handles felony criminal matters, civil disputes, divorce and domestic cases, and equity proceedings. Given the county's small population, the docket is not large. Criminal records include indictments, sentencing documents, and case dispositions. Civil records include complaints, orders, and final judgments. All of these are part of the public record under Georgia law.

Property records in Clay County primarily involve rural agricultural land and residential properties. Deeds, mortgages, timber rights instruments, and liens are recorded with the clerk and searchable through the GSCCCA real estate system. The FANS notification service at fans.gsccca.org lets you set up alerts when new documents are recorded in Clay County under a name you track. This is useful for landowners, attorneys, and anyone monitoring property interests in the Fort Gaines area.

Nearby Counties

Clay County is in southwestern Georgia, bordering these counties.