Search McDonough Residents Directory

The McDonough residents directory covers public records for about 32,800 people in this Henry County city. McDonough is the county seat, so the main courthouse and clerk offices sit right in town. You can search court files, property deeds, voter rolls, and vital records that touch McDonough residents through both city and county systems. The city also runs its own open records process with separate forms for police and non-police requests. This page walks you through each record source in McDonough, where to find it, and what it costs to get copies.

McDonough Open Records Requests

The City of McDonough has its own open records process that runs through the city clerk office. What makes McDonough a bit different is the city provides separate forms for police records and non-police records. If you need a police report or incident file, you fill out one form. For everything else held by city departments, you use the other. The McDonough Open Records Request page has both forms and explains the steps. The main city office is at 71 Macon Street, McDonough, GA 30253. You can call (770) 898-3100 to ask about your request or get help with the forms.

Under O.C.G.A. Sections 50-18-70 through 50-18-74, any person can ask for public records from McDonough city offices. The law does not require you to explain why you want the records. Agencies must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the fee is based on the hourly pay of the lowest paid worker who can do the search. Paper copies cost $0.10 per page. These are the same rates across all of Georgia.

The city clerk office also accepts requests by email at cityclerk@mcdonoughga.org. You can reach the office at a second location at 136 Keys Ferry St, McDonough, GA 30253, or by phone at (770) 957-3915. These records include code enforcement files, permit data, city meeting minutes, and other documents held by McDonough departments. Police records go through a separate review since some active investigation files are exempt under state law.

McDonough Municipal Court Records

The McDonough Municipal Court handles misdemeanor cases and traffic violations within city limits. This court does not deal with felonies, civil lawsuits, or family law matters. Those all go through the Henry County court system. If someone got a traffic ticket or was charged with a low-level offense in McDonough, the municipal court has that file.

One thing to know about the McDonough Municipal Court is that it does not accept cash payments. You need to pay fines and fees by check, money order, or card. This applies to court fines, probation fees, and any charges tied to a case. The City of McDonough website has details on court dates, payment methods, and how to request records from municipal cases. Contact the city clerk at (770) 898-3100 if you need a copy of a municipal court file.

Municipal court records in McDonough are public under Georgia law. O.C.G.A. Section 15-6-11 says court records must be open for inspection. Sealed cases and juvenile files are the main exceptions. For most cases handled by the McDonough Municipal Court, you can get a copy by filing an open records request with the city clerk.

Henry County Records for McDonough

McDonough is the county seat of Henry County. That means the main courthouse and all county offices are right here in town. The Henry County Clerk of Superior Court is the primary keeper of court records, property deeds, liens, and other public documents. The clerk office is at 1 Courthouse Square, McDonough, GA 30253. You can call (770) 288-8022 for help. This office handles a large share of the records that make up the McDonough residents directory.

Henry County also runs an ePortal through the Clerk of Superior Court. This tool lets you search court documents from home at no cost. You can look up civil and criminal case filings by name, case number, or date. The results show party names, case type, filing dates, and case status. You can view uncertified copies of documents right on screen. For certified copies, you still need to go through the clerk office in person or by mail. The ePortal is one of the best free tools in the McDonough residents directory because it pulls from the same data the clerk uses at the courthouse.

The Henry County government website connects you to tax records, code enforcement data, permit files, and other county documents that cover McDonough. The main county office is at 140 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253. The general line is (770) 288-6000. For a full look at all Henry County resources, visit the Henry County residents directory page. That page covers the clerk, probate court, voter rolls, and more in detail.

McDonough Property Records Search

Property records are one of the most useful parts of the McDonough residents directory. They show who owns a home, lot, or building in the city. The GSCCCA Real Estate Records Search lets you look up property deals across all of Georgia. You can filter by Henry County to find transactions in McDonough. The statewide index goes back to 1999. It shows buyer and seller names, property address, liens, and the book and page where each deed was filed. This tool is free to use.

Henry County keeps a local real estate index that goes back to 1940. That is deeper than the statewide system by several decades. If you need to trace who owned a piece of land in McDonough long before the digital age, the local index at the clerk office can help. The clerk office at 1 Courthouse Square holds these older records. You can search them in person or call (770) 288-8022 to ask about a specific filing.

The GSCCCA also runs a free alert tool called F.A.N.S. It stands for Filing Activity Notification System. You sign up with an email or phone number and get alerts when someone files a new document against a property in McDonough. It covers all of Georgia. This is a good way to watch for fraud on your own deed.

Voter Records in McDonough Directory

Voter registration data is public in Georgia and is one of the easiest ways to check if someone lives in McDonough. The Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page lets you search any voter by name and date of birth. It is free. The tool shows registration status, polling place, election district, and when the person last voted. It works for any registered voter in Henry County and across the state.

The My Voter Page also shows absentee ballot request status and which elections a voter took part in. If someone moved to or from McDonough, the record updates once the new info goes through. Under Georgia law, voters must update their address at least 30 days before an election. Voter data ties people to addresses, which makes it a strong search tool in the residents directory.

• Search by name and date of birth on the My Voter Page
• Check voter status and registration details for free
• See polling place and district for any McDonough voter
• Full voter lists can be purchased from the Secretary of State

McDonough Vital Records

Vital records in McDonough cover birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. These records are handled at the state level by the Georgia Department of Public Health Vital Records office. You do not go to a McDonough city office for these. The state office is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. The phone is 404-679-4702. Hours are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

Birth and death certificates each cost $25.00 per copy. The state does not take personal checks. Send a certified check or money order. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks to process. Marriage records from June 1952 to August 1996 have a $10.00 search fee. These records can help trace someone in the McDonough residents directory because they list names and addresses at the time of filing.

Birth records have strict limits on who can get them. Only the person named, a parent, legal guardian, grandparent, adult child, adult sibling, or spouse can order a copy under O.C.G.A. Section 31-10-25. Death certificates are open to the public. The Henry County Probate Court also issues marriage licenses locally, which is a separate process from ordering copies through the state office. For McDonough residents, the probate court at 1 Courthouse Square is the closest option for marriage license matters.

Georgia Courts Access for McDonough

The Georgia Courts eAccess portal gives online access to court records from Superior Courts across the state. That includes cases filed through the Henry County Superior Court, which covers McDonough. You can search by party name or case number. The system covers both civil and criminal cases. Basic searches are free.

Results from the eAccess system show case type, filing date, parties involved, and case status. For certified copies, you still go through the Henry County Clerk at 1 Courthouse Square in McDonough. But for a quick check on whether someone has a case on file, the eAccess portal is a fast way to start your search without leaving home. It pulls from the same case management systems the courts use in person. Some cases in specialized courts or older cases may not show up right away.

O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-72 lists records that are not open to the public. Sealed court files, medical records, and records that would reveal Social Security numbers are off limits. But the law says these exceptions must be read narrowly. Most court records tied to McDonough addresses in the residents directory are open for anyone to inspect and copy.

McDonough Records and Georgia Law

Georgia has one of the stronger open records laws in the country. O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70 sets the tone by saying the state has a "strong public policy in favor of open government" and that access should be encouraged. This law covers every office in McDonough that holds public documents. It applies to city departments, county offices, and the courts alike.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-71, any McDonough agency must respond to a records request within three business days. If the records exist, the office must produce them or give a written reason why they cannot. Fees are capped at $0.10 per page for paper copies. Electronic records cost the price of the media used to store them. If the estimated cost goes over $500, the agency can ask for prepayment before they start the search. These rules protect your right to access McDonough public records without running into surprise costs.

Some records are off limits. O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-72 lists the exemptions. Active law enforcement investigation files, records with Social Security numbers, medical records, and sealed court files are all protected. Public employee home addresses get protection too. But beyond these carve-outs, most records that make up the McDonough residents directory are open for public inspection. Georgia courts have said that exemptions must be read as narrow as possible to keep government open and transparent across the state.

Which County Handles McDonough Records

All of McDonough sits in Henry County. McDonough is the county seat, so the Henry County Clerk of Superior Court at 1 Courthouse Square is right in the middle of town. This is the main office for court records, property deeds, and other public filings that cover McDonough. The city also keeps its own records for municipal court cases and open records requests at 71 Macon Street. For most directory searches, you will use a mix of both the city and county offices.

Nearby Cities in Georgia Directory

These cities sit close to McDonough and have their own pages in the residents directory. If your search for someone in McDonough comes up short, they may have records filed in one of these nearby cities instead.