DeKalb County Superior Court implements mandatory e-filing for criminal cases effective Aug. 1

DECATUR, GA – DeKalb County Superior Court has begun using a mandatory electronic system for filing criminal cases via Tyler’s Odyssey eFileGA. Effective Aug. 1, attorneys and those who are representing themselves can open cases and file documents from a user-friendly, secure website 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Superior Court bench issued “Order Implementing Electronic-Filing for Criminal Cases” on Aug. 1, 2022, made effective on the same date. The following cases are excepted from the Order: documents filed pre-indictment; indictments; accusations; any other case initiation filings; Sealed documents; Ex Parte Matters, or any other pleading imposing a penal sanction. The Court made civil e-filing mandatory on December 31, 2016.

“We have reached a pivotal moment in our transition to electronic court records and now documents can be digitally filed, served, distributed and delivered at any time and any place,” said Debra DeBerry, Clerk of the DeKalb County Superior Court. “The transition to electronic filing over time has achieved efficiencies and created time savings for attorneys and clerks, as well as garnered greater access to justice for self-represented litigants.”

DeBerry’s office stated that eFileGA helps courts streamline processes, reduce costs, and save paper. Nationally, Tyler is seeing the number of electronically filed transactions steadily rise while processing times are getting faster, with many filings taking less than 60 seconds.

DeBerry stated by providing court participants with simplified and immediate access to court documents, DeKalb County is using Odyssey eFileGA to increase efficiency and more effectively use taxpayer dollars. This supports its strategic plan, which prescribes use of “equipment and technology in a way that enables high performance.”