Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records
Georgia dissolution of marriage records are public documents held by the Clerk of Superior Court in each of the state's 159 counties. When a marriage ends in Georgia, the county court where the case was filed keeps the full file. These records include the petition, the final decree, and all papers filed during the case. No central state database holds the full files. You must go to the right county to find them. You can search dissolution of marriage records in Georgia online through county court portals, by mail, or in person at the courthouse that handled your case. This guide covers all the key sources to get these records.
Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Quick Facts
Where Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records Are Kept
Georgia does not maintain a central state repository for dissolution of marriage records. Each of the 159 counties keeps its own divorce case files at the local Superior Court Clerk office. This is a critical point. If you need the full case file, including the divorce decree, property settlement, and custody orders, you must contact the county where the case was filed. The Superior Court Clerk in that county is the only place to get the complete record.
The Georgia Department of Public Health is a separate source, but it has limits. The state health office at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349 can only confirm that a dissolution of marriage took place between 1952 and 1996. They do not have full case files or divorce decrees. What they issue is a divorce verification, not a copy of the actual record. For divorces after 1996, the county court is your only option in Georgia.
The state health office can be reached at (404) 657-2700, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can also visit their online portal for more information. The Georgia Department of Public Health handles vital records information at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.
The Georgia DPH vital records page shows what records the state health office maintains and which require a county court visit.
Always verify which records are held at the state level versus the county level before submitting a request in Georgia.
How to Request a Dissolution of Marriage Verification in Georgia
For divorces between June 1952 and August 1996, the state health office can issue a divorce verification. This document shows the names of both parties, the date of the dissolution, and the county where it was granted. It does not show property terms, custody orders, or alimony details. A verification is useful when you need basic proof that a divorce took place in Georgia during that period.
To request a verification, complete Form 3917, which is the Request for Search of Divorce Verification form. Mail it to the State Office of Vital Records along with a copy of your photo ID and a $10.00 non-refundable search fee. Each certified copy costs an additional $5.00. Mail requests take 8 to 10 weeks to process. In-person requests at the state office in Atlanta are handled the same day. The about vital records page at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords/about-vital-records explains what documents the state holds and how to order them.
The state also offers a request portal online. You can start a vital records request through the main state services site at georgia.gov/request-vital-records, which connects you to the appropriate agency for your record type.
Note: The $10.00 search fee is non-refundable even if the state office cannot find a record for the dates you provide.
Georgia Superior Court Clerks and Dissolution Records
The Clerk of the Superior Court in each Georgia county is the primary source for dissolution of marriage records. This office maintains all case files from the day a petition is filed through the final decree and any post-judgment orders. You can get certified copies of any document in the case file from the clerk in the county where the dissolution was granted in Georgia. The clerk's office also handles name change filings and can tell you the status of pending cases.
The Superior Court Clerks' Association of Georgia provides a statewide directory of all 159 county clerks. Their association website at gaclerks.org is a good starting point if you are not sure which county handled your dissolution of marriage case. The association is reachable at (678) 222-4232 or by email at info@gaclerks.org.
The gaclerks.org Find My Clerk directory tool lets you look up a county clerk by name or location. It shows the clerk's address, phone, and website for every county in Georgia. This is the fastest way to identify which office handles dissolution of marriage records in a specific Georgia county.
Once you find the right county clerk, call ahead to ask about their specific procedures for requesting dissolution of marriage records. Hours, fees, and in-person appointment requirements vary by county across Georgia.
GSCCCA Portal and Georgia eCertification Services
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, known as GSCCCA, operates several online tools for accessing court records. Their main portal at gsccca.org provides access to UCC filings, lien indexes, real estate indexes, and notary searches across Georgia. The GSCCCA can be reached at (404) 327-9058 or toll-free at 800-304-5174. Their office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.
One of the most useful GSCCCA tools for dissolution of marriage records is the eCertification portal. This service at ecert.gsccca.org lets you request certified digital documents from court systems across Georgia. It runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can request certified copies of court documents without visiting a courthouse in person. Not all counties participate, but the service covers a growing number of Georgia courts.
The eCertification service is helpful when you need a certified copy quickly and the county clerk office is not nearby.
Online Search Tools for Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records
Georgia courts provide several online tools for searching dissolution of marriage case records. The main statewide courts portal at georgiacourts.gov links to county court websites and provides access to judicial services across Georgia. Many county clerks have connected their case management systems to this portal, making it easier to find dissolution of marriage cases filed across the state.
PeachCourt is Georgia's electronic filing and document access platform. The site at peachcourt.com handles civil and criminal eFiling for courts across Georgia. If a dissolution of marriage case was filed electronically, PeachCourt may have records accessible through this system. Attorneys and self-represented litigants both use PeachCourt for Georgia court filings.
The re:SearchGA system at researchga.tylerhost.net allows you to search case information and court documents across 25 Georgia counties at once. You can search by name or case number, which makes it useful when you are not sure which county a dissolution of marriage was filed in. The system also lets you research opposing counsel and look up multiple parties in a single search session across Georgia.
When searching online, have the full names of both parties and an approximate date of the dissolution. That information helps narrow results quickly in any Georgia court search system.
Historical Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records
For very old dissolution of marriage records, the Georgia Archives is a valuable resource. The archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260 holds a statewide divorce index covering the years 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999 on microfiche. For divorces granted before 1833, the Georgia Archives holds records that were recorded in the Georgia Laws volumes. A Name File Index covers legislative divorce approvals from 1793 to 1832. The archives is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and can be reached at (678) 364-3710.
It is important to know that the Georgia Archives does not hold actual dissolution records. They hold indexes only. If you find an entry in the statewide index, you still need to contact the specific county Superior Court Clerk to get the actual case file and decree. The archives at georgiaarchives.org can help you identify the right county to contact in Georgia.
Georgia Laws on Dissolution of Marriage
Georgia law sets clear rules for dissolution of marriage cases. Understanding these rules helps explain what records get created and how they are kept. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2, at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six months before filing for dissolution of marriage. You file in the county where you or your spouse lives now. This residency requirement determines which county holds the records for your case.
O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3 lists 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage in Georgia. The most commonly used ground is that the marriage is "irretrievably broken," which is the no-fault option. This is the easiest to prove and the most common choice for dissolution of marriage cases in Georgia. Fault-based grounds include adultery, willful desertion for one year, habitual intoxication, habitual drug addiction, and cruel treatment. Fault grounds can affect alimony awards. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-1, a spouse found to have committed adultery or deserted the other spouse may be barred from receiving alimony in Georgia.
The complete text of Georgia Title 19 on domestic relations, including all dissolution of marriage statutes, is available through FindLaw at codes.findlaw.com. Georgia has a mandatory 30-day waiting period after the respondent is served before the court can hold a final hearing. This wait applies to every dissolution of marriage case in Georgia. O.C.G.A. § 19-5-5 sets out what a dissolution petition must contain, including the grounds, names of minor children, and the date of separation. These requirements shape the documents that appear in every dissolution of marriage case file across Georgia.
The full Georgia Title 19 code with judicial decisions and annotations is also available at unicourt.github.io. Georgia is an equitable distribution state, meaning courts divide property fairly, which does not always mean equally.
Fees for Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records
Fees vary by county and by what type of record you need. Filing a new dissolution of marriage case costs roughly $200 to $220 in most Georgia counties, though exact amounts differ. Cases with minor children may carry higher filing fees. Getting copies of an existing dissolution of marriage file costs less. Most Superior Court Clerks in Georgia charge per page for plain copies and more for certified copies. Call the county clerk directly to confirm current copy fees before you make the trip.
If you need a divorce verification from the state health office for a case between 1952 and 1996, the fee is $10.00 for the search and $5.00 for each certified copy. Fee waivers are available for dissolution of marriage filings in Georgia for people who qualify based on low income. You ask for a waiver by filing an In Forma Pauperis form with the court. A judge reviews the request. Fee waivers do not cover copy costs for existing records, only filing fees for new cases in Georgia.
Legal Help for Dissolution of Marriage in Georgia
Georgia Legal Services Program provides free legal help to low-income residents facing family law issues, including dissolution of marriage. They focus on cases that involve domestic violence and other serious family matters. Visit glsp.org for more information and to find an office near you. The State Bar of Georgia runs a lawyer referral service where you can get connected with a family law attorney in your area. Visit gabar.org to use the referral service.
Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org has self-help guides, court forms, and step-by-step instructions for people who want to file their own dissolution of marriage case. The site explains each stage of the process and lists local resources across the state. For court forms needed in Georgia dissolution of marriage cases, the state court system offers forms through georgiacourts.gov.
Are Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records Public
Yes. Dissolution of marriage records are public in Georgia. The Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives every person the right to inspect and copy public records held by government agencies. This includes dissolution of marriage case files held by Superior Court Clerks across Georgia. You do not have to be a party to the case. You do not need to give a reason for your request. Any person can ask to see a dissolution of marriage record in Georgia.
Some limits apply. Financial account numbers and details about minor children may be removed from copies given to the public. A party to a case can ask a judge to seal the record. The judge holds a hearing and may seal the file if the person shows a compelling reason. Sealed dissolution records are not common in Georgia. In most cases, the full file is open to anyone who asks. The county clerk can tell you if a specific case file has any sealed portions.
Browse Georgia Dissolution of Marriage Records by County
Each of Georgia's 159 counties has a Superior Court Clerk who keeps dissolution of marriage records. Pick a county below to find contact details, local search options, and resources for that area.
Dissolution of Marriage Records in Major Georgia Cities
Residents of major Georgia cities file for dissolution of marriage at the Superior Court in their county. Pick a city below to find the courthouse and resources for that area.