The categories of files to be established by the clerk shall be civil, criminal, and adoptions. [In State Court, see State Court Rule 36.8.]
Rule 36.8.File Categories
Rule 36. FILING AND PROCESSING · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 17, 2026
In one sentenceDirects the clerk to sort every superior court file into one of three categories — civil, criminal, or adoptions — the basic classification that underlies how matters are docketed, identified, and stored throughout the rest of Rule 36.
Full Text of Rule 36.8
Plain-English Summary
Rule 36.8 sets the top-level sorting system for every file a superior court clerk maintains: civil, criminal, or adoptions. Everything the court handles falls into one of these three buckets, and that categorization is what makes the rest of the filing system in Rule 36 work — the case numbering sequence in Rule 36.9, the separate filing requirements for civil and criminal matters, and the exclusion of adoptions from the Minutes and Final Record all depend on knowing which category a file belongs to.
Three categories sounds minimal, and it is meant to be. A simple classification scheme is easier for clerks to apply consistently across every filing that comes through the door, and it is easier for anyone searching the court’s records later to know where to look.
The rule does not say why adoptions get their own category rather than being folded into civil cases, but the separate treatment is consistent with how adoptions are handled elsewhere in Rule 36 — including their exclusion from the combined Minutes and Final Record in Rule 36.6.
Frequently Asked Questions
What file categories must the clerk establish under Rule 36.8?
The clerk must establish civil, criminal, and adoption categories.
Is there a fourth catch-all category for files that do not fit civil, criminal, or adoption?
The rule lists only three categories, so every file is expected to fall within civil, criminal, or adoptions.
Why are adoptions treated as their own file category rather than part of civil files?
The rule does not state a reason directly, but it separates adoptions out as their own category, consistent with the special treatment adoptions receive elsewhere in Rule 36, such as their exclusion from the Minutes and Final Record.
Who is responsible for establishing the file categories?
The clerk is responsible for establishing the civil, criminal, and adoption categories.
Do civil and criminal filings have separate procedural requirements under Rule 36?
Yes — Rule 36.10 sets filing requirements specific to civil matters and Rule 36.13 sets filing requirements specific to criminal matters.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Uniform Superior Court Rules, published by the
Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. Last verified July 17, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: Georgia superior court file categoriesUSCR 36.8 civil criminal adoption fileshow are superior court files classifiedclerk file category rule Georgiacivil criminal adoption case types