Welcome to the Cobb Second Chance Desk.

Cobb Second Chance Desk:  Helping citizens of Cobb clear eligible criminal records and access opportunity!

Watch the Second Chance Desk June 18th Ribbon Cutting on Youtube.

Welcome to the registration page for the Cobb Second Chance Desk. The Cobb Second Chance Desk is a first of its kind help desk resource in Georgia.  It is a partnership between the Georgia Justice Project, the Cobb County Circuit Defender, Cobb County District Attorney, the Office of the Solicitor General of Cobb County, and the Cobb Judicial Circuit. Our goal is to provide advice and self-help assistance to individuals regarding their Cobb County criminal history so they can restrict and seal eligible criminal records.

The Cobb Second Chance Desk is housed in the Cobb Circuit Defender’s Office located at 10 East Park Square, Marietta, GA. It is open and staffed on Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration for an appointment is highly recommended to save a spot. Currently, priority service is by appointment only. Walk-ins will be handled on a case-by-case basis depending upon availability. If you have any questions, please call 404-834-8604 or email at secondchancedesk@cobbcounty.org.

What is the Cobb Second Chance Desk?

The Cobb County Second Chance Desk is a help desk which will be housed in the Circuit Defender’s office where individuals can have their criminal history reviewed by an attorney, get a free consultation, and receive assistance with filling out restriction forms for eligible offenses.  

Why a Second Chance Desk?

Record restriction eligibility and the process for applying can be confusing and intimidating for many people. Many individuals with a criminal history who would be eligible to restrict and seal their record never do so because they are not aware what remedies are available to them and/or are not sure how to access those remedies.  As a result, millions of Georgians face barriers to employment, housing, and other opportunities – which has a negative impact on individuals, families, and on our community. This desk will be able to help people with this often confusing process of clearing their criminal histories. For more information about what criminal history is eligible to be cleared from a GA record, please visit: gjp.org/record-restriction-expungement/faq.

What is a record restriction?

Record restriction means that eligible records on your official criminal history report are restricted from public view and are only accessible to law enforcement for criminal justice purposes and some governmental agencies.

What is record sealing?

Sealing means that eligible court records are sealed from public view and only accessible to law enforcement for criminal justice purposes and some governmental agencies. Cases that have been sealed/expunged should not appear on a private background check.

How do I register for an appointment?

Currently, you must pre-register for an appointment to be seen at the desk. Appointments open on the third Friday of every month. If there are no available appointments (you only see red and white dates) you will have to wait for registration to reopen. Please click below to complete registration information and then select an appointment date and time.

If you have questions, call 404-834-8604.