DeKalb court offices, Fulton facilities, Cobb library closed for flooding repairs

Online filing of certain court documents remains available in DeKalb
05/27/2021 — Decatur, Georgia — A police K-9 searches the perimeter of the DeKalb County Courthouse in downtown Decatur, Thursday, May 27, 2021.  (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com

Credit: Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com

05/27/2021 — Decatur, Georgia — A police K-9 searches the perimeter of the DeKalb County Courthouse in downtown Decatur, Thursday, May 27, 2021. (Alyssa Pointer / Alyssa.Pointer@ajc.com)

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new information about Fulton County facilities.

Damage from frozen water pipes has forced officials in Fulton and DeKalb counties to shut down certain facilities, with some offices in DeKalb’s courthouse expected to be closed for the remainder of this year.

All Fulton County libraries, senior centers, arts centers, behavioral health offices and facilities serving adults with development disabilities will be closed to the public Tuesday, the county announced. Some of the facilities experienced damage due to the severe cold.

Reopening updates will be provided on Tuesday. Other Fulton County offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court’s office will be closed Tuesday through Jan. 3 after a water pipe burst and flooded multiple areas of the clerk’s office on the ground floor of the county courthouse, the office said Christmas Day. The physical office will remain closed to employees and the public during that time with employees working remotely during the cleanup and repairs.

The Judicial Tower will also be closed until further notice. According to an order, no courthouse staff or members of the public should attempt to access the Judicial Tower without approval of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.

All offices at the Judicial Tower will operate remotely until further notice. The Board of Equalization’s office will open and all hearings will be held as scheduled on Tuesday.

The public will still be able to file online criminal, civil, real estate, tradenames and UCC documents at dksuperiorclerk.com. Online filing is available 24 hours a day. No passport or notary applications can be processed during the closure and temporary protective orders will be processed through the website.

Anyone who received prior notice for an in-person hearing should contact the judge’s chambers or other administrative offices.

In Cobb County, the Vinings Branch library at 4290 Paces Ferry Road will remain closed for the time being after the deep freeze led to indoor showers.

“This weekend’s frigid weather caused a sprinkler line to burst, and the cascading water damaged the building. It is not yet known how long repairs will take,” the facility said in a social media post.