Douglasville Dissolution Of Marriage Records
Douglasville residents looking for dissolution of marriage records or preparing to file a case will deal with the Douglas County Superior Court, which is located in Douglasville itself. The county has an online case search portal in addition to the clerk's in-person office, giving residents multiple ways to find case information and get copies of dissolution records.
Douglasville Quick Facts
Douglas County Superior Court Clerk
Douglasville is the county seat of Douglas County, which means the Superior Court Clerk is right in the city. You do not need to drive anywhere else to file a dissolution petition or pick up certified copies of court records. The Douglas County Superior Court Clerk is located at 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville, GA 30134. The phone number is (770) 920-7252.
The clerk's main page is at douglascountyga.gov. That page has information on court services, fees, hours, and how to reach specific staff. It is a good first stop before you call or make the drive to the office.
The clerk is the official custodian of every dissolution of marriage record filed in Douglas County. This includes the initial petition, any motions filed during the case, the judge's final decree, and post-decree modifications. All of these are public records accessible to anyone who requests them.
Online Case Search: Douglas County WebSearch Portal
Douglas County offers a dedicated online case search tool called WebSearch, available at courts.dcga.us/WebSearch. This portal lets you look up dissolution cases by party name or case number without having to contact the clerk or visit in person. It is one of the more convenient county-level search tools in the Atlanta metro area.
The Douglas County Superior Court Clerk page at douglascountyga.gov lists office hours, contact information, and available services for those seeking dissolution of marriage records in Douglasville.
In addition to the county's own WebSearch portal, the statewide GSCCCA Portal indexes Douglas County Superior Court records as well. Both tools offer free basic searches. The GSCCCA is useful if you are checking records across multiple Georgia counties or need to use the eCertification service for certified electronic copies of recorded documents.
The Douglas County WebSearch portal at courts.dcga.us gives the public direct online access to dissolution case indexes, allowing name-based searches of filings handled by Douglasville's Superior Court Clerk.
Filing a Dissolution Case in Douglas County
To start a dissolution of marriage case in Douglas County, bring the completed petition to the clerk's office at 8700 Hospital Drive. The clerk will assign a case number, stamp the filing, and collect the fee. Georgia Superior Court filing fees for dissolution petitions generally run around $200 to $215. Call (770) 920-7252 to verify the exact current fee before you visit.
Georgia law requires at least one spouse to have been a state resident for six months before the petition is filed. Once the respondent spouse is properly served with the petition, the clock starts on a mandatory 30-day waiting period. The court cannot enter a final decree before those 30 days pass. This is true even in fully uncontested cases where both parties agree on everything.
Georgia is a no-fault dissolution state. The only ground you need is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. You do not have to prove adultery, abandonment, or any other misconduct to get a dissolution. This makes the process more efficient in straightforward cases. Contested matters involving child custody, property, or support take longer and require additional court proceedings.
When the case closes and the judge signs the final decree, the clerk records it and it becomes part of the permanent public record. Certified copies of the decree can be requested from the clerk in person or through the GSCCCA eCertification system.
Note: The clerk's office cannot give legal advice. For help with your case, contact a licensed Georgia attorney or a legal aid organization serving the Douglas County area.
Statewide Search Tools and Historical Records
Beyond the county WebSearch and GSCCCA portals, re:SearchGA provides another option for locating dissolution case records. Its coverage of Douglas County may vary, so treat it as a supplemental search tool rather than the primary one. For very old cases, the Georgia Archives maintains historical records that may not be in any digital system.
The Georgia DPH Vital Records office holds a dissolution verification index covering cases from 1952 through 1996. If you need to confirm a dissolution from that period, submit DPH Form 3917 with a $10 fee. This gives you a state-issued verification, not a copy of the decree itself. For the actual decree, the Douglas County Superior Court Clerk is the source regardless of the year.
Legal Framework and eFiling
Georgia dissolution law is found in Title 19, Chapter 5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The core grounds for dissolution are at O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3, and the full chapter is available at Title 19, Chapter 5. Superior Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over dissolution in Georgia, which is why all Douglas County filings go through the courthouse in Douglasville.
For electronic filing, Georgia uses the PeachCourt platform. Many attorneys use PeachCourt for Douglas County Superior Court filings. Self-represented filers should confirm with the clerk whether eFiling is accepted for their specific document type before submitting. The Find My Clerk directory at gaclerks.org keeps current contact info for every Georgia county clerk.
The Georgia Courts website provides helpful background on how the family law process works and what to expect from filing through final decree.
Douglas County Dissolution Of Marriage Records
Every dissolution of marriage case filed by Douglasville residents is maintained by the Douglas County Superior Court Clerk at 8700 Hospital Drive. The county page has the full clerk contact, WebSearch portal link, GSCCCA access, fee information, and guidance on certified copies.