Search Dissolution Of Marriage Records in Dalton
Dalton residents searching for dissolution of marriage records or preparing to file a case have a notable advantage: the Whitfield County Superior Court Clerk is located right in downtown Dalton, making in-person visits convenient for people throughout the county. This page walks through how to find records, how to file, and which online tools are available for case research.
Dalton Quick Facts
Whitfield County Superior Court: Right in Dalton
Dalton is the county seat of Whitfield County, which means the Superior Court Clerk's office is located within the city itself. You do not have to travel to a separate county seat to file or pick up records. The Whitfield County Superior Court Clerk is at 205 North Selvidge Street, Dalton, GA 30720, and the office can be reached at (706) 275-7450.
The clerk's office is the official keeper of all dissolution of marriage records filed by Whitfield County residents, including those from Dalton. When a dissolution case is opened, the clerk assigns a case number, accepts the petition and fee, and maintains the record through final decree and any post-decree filings. When you need a certified copy of a decree, this is where you go.
There is no city court in Dalton with authority over dissolution matters. Georgia law gives exclusive jurisdiction to Superior Courts, so the Whitfield County Superior Court is the only court that can grant a dissolution of marriage for Dalton residents.
Online Tools to Search Dalton Dissolution Records
The primary statewide online search tool for Georgia dissolution records is the GSCCCA Portal, maintained by the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority. Whitfield County records are indexed here. You can search by party name and pull up basic case information including filing dates and case numbers at no charge.
For certified copies of recorded court documents, the GSCCCA also runs an eCertification system. This lets you request official certified copies online rather than making a trip to the Dalton courthouse. The certified electronic document carries the same legal standing as a paper certified copy.
The GSCCCA Portal provides free public access to Georgia Superior Court case indexes, including Whitfield County dissolution of marriage records filed by Dalton residents.
The re:SearchGA portal is another option for finding case records across Georgia courts. Coverage and depth can vary by county and time period, so it works best as a secondary check. For older historical cases, the Georgia Archives may have records that do not appear in digital databases.
How to File for Dissolution in Whitfield County
Filing a dissolution of marriage case in Whitfield County begins at the Superior Court Clerk's office on North Selvidge Street. You submit the petition, pay the filing fee, and the clerk processes the case. Georgia Superior Court filing fees for dissolution petitions are generally around $200 to $215, though the clerk's office at (706) 275-7450 can confirm the current exact fee.
One spouse must have been a Georgia resident for at least six months before filing. Once the petition is filed and the respondent has been properly served, the law imposes a 30-day waiting period before the court may enter a final decree. Even if both parties agree on all terms, the case cannot close faster than that statutory minimum.
Georgia follows a no-fault dissolution framework. Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage is sufficient grounds. You do not need to allege or prove that either spouse did something wrong. This simplifies the process considerably for uncontested cases where both spouses have worked out a settlement agreement covering property, debts, and any children involved.
Contested cases take longer. If the parties disagree on any material issue, the case proceeds through discovery, possible mediation, and eventually a hearing or trial before a Superior Court judge. The clerk's office records the final outcome once the judge enters the decree.
Note: The clerk can tell you about procedures and fees but cannot help you complete your forms or advise you on strategy. Reach out to a Georgia attorney or a legal aid clinic if you need that kind of help.
Dissolution Verifications Through Georgia DPH
For dissolutions that were finalized between 1952 and 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health Vital Records office maintains a statewide verification index. You can request a dissolution verification by submitting DPH Form 3917 with a $10 fee. The verification confirms the dissolution took place and provides basic identifying details about the case.
This DPH verification is not a copy of the court decree itself. It is a confirmation record drawn from the statewide index. If you need the actual decree, with all its terms and provisions, you must go to the Whitfield County Superior Court Clerk. The DPH index ends at 1996, so for more recent cases the clerk is always the right starting point.
Georgia DPH Vital Records maintains dissolution of marriage verifications for cases from 1952 through 1996, providing a useful supplement to court records for older Dalton and Whitfield County cases.
Georgia Dissolution Law and the Superior Court System
Dissolution of marriage in Georgia is governed by Title 19, Chapter 5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The key statutory provision listing grounds for dissolution is O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. That section confirms that irretrievable breakdown is a valid ground, which is what most Dalton filers use. The full chapter covering dissolution procedures is available at Title 19, Chapter 5 on Justia.
Georgia's court structure assigns dissolution cases exclusively to Superior Courts. There are no exceptions. Local city courts and state courts do not have authority to grant a dissolution decree. For Dalton, that means the Whitfield County Superior Court is the only option, which is also the court that happens to be right in your city.
The Georgia Courts website has resources explaining the family law process in accessible terms, including what to expect from filing through final order. The Superior Court Clerks of Georgia site and its Find My Clerk tool let you verify clerk contact information any time.
Electronic Filing Options
Georgia's statewide eFiling platform is PeachCourt. Attorneys file dissolution documents through PeachCourt in many Georgia Superior Courts. Whether the Whitfield County Superior Court accepts PeachCourt submissions for all dissolution case types is something to confirm with the clerk directly at (706) 275-7450 before submitting anything electronically.
For self-represented parties, checking with the clerk first is especially important. Some courts want in-person filing for initial petitions in family law matters even when they accept eFiling for motions and other subsequent documents. A quick call to the clerk's office can save you from a rejected filing.
Whitfield County Dissolution Of Marriage Records
All dissolution of marriage filings for Dalton and the rest of Whitfield County are held at the Superior Court Clerk's office on North Selvidge Street in Dalton. The county page provides full contact details, search portal links, and certified copy request information.