Access Houston County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage records in Houston County are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk in Perry and are public records under Georgia law. Houston County requires eFiling for civil cases, which affects how new dissolution petitions are submitted. This page covers how to search existing records, what the filing process requires locally, and where to find legal and state resources.

Houston County Superior Court Clerk

The Houston County Superior Court Clerk's office in Perry handles all dissolution of marriage filings and maintains the official case records for the county. The office has multiple department lines for different case types. Use the civil line when calling about dissolution matters. Walk-in requests for records are accepted during regular business hours. Passport services are available from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM only. Note that Houston County requires eFiling for civil cases, meaning new dissolution petitions must be submitted electronically rather than by hand delivery at the counter.

Because civil cases require eFiling, prospective filers should set up an account on PeachCourt before attempting to submit a new dissolution petition. The clerk's office can answer questions about the process if you call the civil line.

Searching Houston County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Houston County's eFiling requirement means that more recent dissolution case records are accessible through digital tools. Several options exist for searching before you visit the courthouse in Perry.

The Superior Court Clerks' Association of Georgia directory at gaclerks.org lists current contact information for the Houston County clerk and links to local resources. It is a reliable starting point if you need to confirm the clerk's current contact details or check for any local updates.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) maintains a statewide index of recorded documents and civil filings. Checking the GSCCCA system can tell you whether a case entry exists for the parties you are researching. Their eCertification system at ecert.gsccca.org allows you to request certified copies of certain court documents online without visiting Perry.

PeachCourt is the state's eFiling platform and also serves as a case lookup tool. Since Houston County uses PeachCourt for new civil filings, dissolution cases filed in recent years are likely accessible through the platform's public search. This is often the fastest way to find a case number or confirm that a filing was received.

The re:SearchGA platform at researchga.tylerhost.net provides case data for participating courts across Georgia. It is worth checking for Houston County, as it can return basic case details without requiring a call to the clerk's office. For older records not in any digital system, call the civil line at (478) 218-4740 directly.

The gaclerks.org directory shown below is where you can find the Find My Clerk tool used statewide to locate Superior Court Clerk contact information for all 159 Georgia counties, including Houston County.

The directory is maintained by the Superior Court Clerks' Association and is kept current as offices update their contact details or hours.

Filing for Dissolution of Marriage in Houston County

Houston County requires eFiling for all new civil case filings, including dissolution of marriage petitions. This means you cannot simply walk in and hand-file a new petition at the clerk's counter. New filings must be submitted through PeachCourt, which is the state's approved eFiling platform. Create an account and follow the system's filing steps for a civil domestic relations case.

To file in Houston County, at least one spouse must have been a Georgia resident for six months. Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3 lists 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage. Most cases in Houston County use the no-fault ground of irretrievable breakdown, which requires no evidence of wrongdoing by either party.

After the petition is filed and the other party is served, Georgia requires a minimum 30-day waiting period before the court can enter a final decree. This wait applies even when both parties agree on all issues. Contested cases take longer depending on the number of disputed matters and the court's schedule. Houston County is home to Robins Air Force Base, and service members or spouses dealing with military-specific issues, such as the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, should note those factors when consulting with an attorney.

The filing fee in Houston County is $218 for a new dissolution of marriage case. This fee is paid through the eFiling platform at the time of submission. Confirm this amount with the clerk's office before filing, as fees can be adjusted by local court order.

What Houston County Dissolution Records Include

The Houston County Superior Court Clerk holds the official case file for every dissolution of marriage filed in the county. The file's contents depend on the nature of the case. An agreed uncontested matter might hold only the petition, service documents, a settlement agreement, and the final decree. A contested case with property disputes, child custody, or support disagreements can produce a much larger file over many months of litigation.

Certified copies of the final decree are the most commonly requested documents. They are needed for name changes at the Social Security Administration, driver's license updates, financial account changes, and other post-dissolution legal needs. The clerk certifies documents from the file using a raised seal. Call the civil line to confirm the current fee for certified copies before your visit.

All dissolution records are public under the Georgia Open Records Act unless a judge has ordered specific materials sealed. Sealed documents are most common in cases involving minor children or particularly sensitive financial information. The clerk can tell you whether any portion of the file you want to review is under a seal order.

State Divorce Verification at Georgia DPH

The Georgia Department of Public Health Vital Records office in Atlanta holds a limited set of state-level divorce verification records for cases filed in Georgia between 1952 and 1996. This is a distinct system from the Houston County court records held in Perry.

DPH Vital Records can issue a verification letter confirming that a dissolution of marriage occurred in Georgia during that window. They do not have the court case file, the decree, or any other pleadings. For actual court documents from a Houston County case, contact the clerk's office at (478) 218-4740. DPH Vital Records is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, reachable at (404) 657-2700, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Requests need Form 3917 and a $10 search fee plus $5 per copy. See dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.

The re:SearchGA case search platform shown below provides case data for courts using the Tyler Technologies system across Georgia, and is one of the tools available for searching Houston County dissolution filings electronically.

The platform allows searches by party name or case number and can return basic case information without requiring a call to the clerk's office.

Legal Help for Houston County Dissolution Cases

Houston County residents looking for legal assistance with a dissolution of marriage have access to both free and private legal services. The eFiling requirement means that people handling their own cases without a lawyer need to be comfortable using PeachCourt for submissions.

Legal Services Georgia provides free civil legal help to low-income residents statewide, including Houston County. Family law cases, including dissolution of marriage, custody, and support, fall within their services. Call or visit their website to check income eligibility and schedule an appointment.

Georgia Legal Aid maintains a large self-help library online with step-by-step guides to the dissolution of marriage process in Georgia. The site explains eFiling requirements and links to the forms used in Georgia courts, which is especially useful for Houston County filers who need to navigate PeachCourt on their own.

The State Bar of Georgia runs a lawyer referral service at 1-800-334-6865. A family law attorney in the Perry area will know Houston County's local court practices, including how the eFiling requirement affects filing timelines and any specific preferences of the local judges.

Cities in Houston County

Houston County includes both Perry, the county seat, and Warner Robins, the largest city in the county and home to Robins Air Force Base. Warner Robins meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page.

Residents of Perry and other Houston County communities file dissolution of marriage cases through the eFiling system and the clerk's office at 201 North Perry Parkway in Perry.

Nearby Counties

Houston County is situated in central Georgia and borders several other counties, each maintaining its own dissolution of marriage records.