Stockbridge Dissolution Of Marriage Records
Residents of Stockbridge, Georgia who need to search dissolution of marriage records will find those records held at the Henry County Superior Court in McDonough. Whether you are looking for your own case file, verifying a prior dissolution, or researching a court matter, this guide covers where to look, how to get copies, and what to expect when working with the Henry County court system and related state resources.
Stockbridge Quick Facts
Where Dissolution Records Are Kept
Stockbridge sits in northern Henry County. All dissolution of marriage filings for Henry County residents, including those who live in Stockbridge, are handled by the Henry County Superior Court. The clerk's office is located at the courthouse in McDonough, which is the county seat. That office maintains the official case files, final decrees, and supporting documents tied to every dissolution filed in the county.
Georgia law places jurisdiction over dissolution of marriage cases with the Superior Court in each county. There is no city-level court in Stockbridge that handles these matters. If you need a copy of a decree, a certified document, or just want to look up a case number, the Henry County courthouse is the place to go.
Note: Stockbridge itself does not have a courthouse for family law filings. All Superior Court matters go through McDonough.
Henry County Superior Court Clerk
The Henry County Superior Court Clerk accepts dissolution filings, issues certified copies of final decrees, and maintains the official court index. In-person visits are the most direct way to get documents, but the office also handles requests by mail. Call ahead to confirm current processing times before you make the trip from Stockbridge.
- Address: 1 Courthouse Square, McDonough, GA 30253
- Phone: (770) 954-2121
- Court: Henry County Superior Court
- Judicial Circuit: Towaliga Judicial Circuit
The clerk's office keeps regular weekday business hours. Fees apply for certified copies, and exact amounts should be confirmed with the office directly since fee schedules can change. Bring a valid photo ID when requesting records in person, and have the full names of both parties and an approximate filing year ready if you can.
Note: Mail requests should include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check or money order for the copy fee.
How to Search Dissolution of Marriage Records
There are a few ways to search for dissolution of marriage cases connected to Stockbridge or Henry County. The most reliable starting point is the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Authority, which runs the GSCCCA portal. That system lets you search court records by name across many Georgia counties, including Henry.
The GSCCCA portal indexes a wide range of court documents. You can enter a party name and narrow results by county and date range. Not every old case is indexed online, but filings from roughly the past two decades tend to show up. For older records, you may need to contact the clerk's office directly or visit in person.
The GSCCCA portal provides a centralized search tool for Georgia court records across multiple counties and case types.
Using this portal, you can locate Henry County dissolution of marriage cases, verify case numbers, and determine what documents are available before visiting the courthouse.
Another option is re:SearchGA, a statewide case lookup tool that covers many Superior Court counties in Georgia. It allows searches by party name, case number, or attorney, and results show case type, filing date, and status. Henry County is among the counties available through this system.
Note: Online indexes may not reflect the most recent filings. Confirm current case status with the clerk if timing matters.
Getting Certified Copies
A certified copy of a dissolution of marriage decree is a court-issued document with an official seal. It is often needed for name change requests, remarriage, insurance updates, and legal proceedings. The Henry County Superior Court Clerk issues certified copies for cases filed in Henry County.
You can request a certified copy in person at the McDonough courthouse, or submit a written request by mail. The clerk will need the full names of both parties and the approximate year of the dissolution. If you have the case number, include it. Fees apply per page, and certified documents carry an additional certification charge on top of the per-page rate.
For dissolutions that occurred before 1952 or after 1996, certified copies come directly from the county clerk. For the period between 1952 and 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health also holds a statewide index of dissolution verifications. That office is reached through the Georgia DPH Vital Records page, and a verification costs $10 using Form 3917. A verification is not a certified copy of the decree, but it does confirm that a dissolution occurred.
Georgia DPH Vital Records and Dissolution Verifications
The Georgia Department of Public Health holds a statewide index of dissolution of marriage records from 1952 through 1996. This is a verification service, not a copy of the original court decree. A verification shows the names of the parties and the county where the dissolution was filed, but does not include all the terms or details of the final decree itself.
The Georgia DPH Vital Records office maintains statewide dissolution verification records for the period 1952 to 1996.
To request a verification for a Henry County dissolution, use Form 3917 and submit it with the $10 fee to the DPH Vital Records office. Processing times vary, and expedited options may be available.
If you need the full decree with all case details, only the Henry County Superior Court Clerk can provide that document. The DPH verification is useful when you just need to confirm that a dissolution happened and get basic identifying information about the case.
Note: Dissolutions filed before 1952 or after 1996 are not in the DPH index. Contact the county clerk for those records.
Filing a Dissolution in Henry County
To file a dissolution of marriage in Henry County, at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for at least six months before filing. The case is filed with the Henry County Superior Court Clerk in McDonough. Georgia law requires a 30-day waiting period after the respondent is served before a final decree can be entered, though most cases take longer depending on complexity and whether the parties agree.
Uncontested dissolutions where both parties agree on all terms tend to move faster than contested cases. The clerk's office can provide blank petition forms, and the Georgia Courts website at georgiacourts.gov also has self-help resources. For contested matters or cases involving children and property, getting legal advice is a good idea before you file.
PeachCourt, available at peachcourt.com, is Georgia's official eFiling platform. It allows parties to submit dissolution filings electronically to courts that accept it. Check whether Henry County Superior Court is currently accepting eFiling through PeachCourt before using that option.
Note: Filing fees are set by the court and are subject to change. Confirm the current fee with the clerk before submitting your petition.
Older and Historical Records
Henry County dissolution of marriage records going back many decades are held in the clerk's office archives. For very old records, the Georgia Archives in Morrow also holds historical court documents. The Georgia Archives can be a useful resource when courthouse records are incomplete or when you need genealogical documentation of a dissolution from the early 20th century or earlier.
For genealogy research, the GSCCCA's eCertification portal at ecert.gsccca.org allows you to order certified digital copies of certain court documents online. This can save a trip to the courthouse for cases that are indexed in the system. Check whether the specific Henry County case you need is available through that portal before ordering.
Henry County Dissolution Of Marriage Records
All dissolution of marriage records for Stockbridge residents are filed and maintained at the Henry County Superior Court in McDonough. The county page has full details on the clerk's office, search tools, certified copy procedures, and local legal resources for Henry County.