Liberty County Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Liberty County dissolution of marriage records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk at the Liberty County Courthouse in Hinesville, Georgia. Every petition filed, every order entered, and every final decree issued in Liberty County becomes part of the public court record once it clears the clerk's office. Because Hinesville is home to Fort Stewart, one of the largest Army installations in the country, this court handles a high volume of cases involving active-duty service members and their families, which can bring special rules and procedures into play. This guide explains how to search these records, what information they contain, how to file, and where to get help.

Superior Court Clerk - Where Records Are Kept

The Superior Court Clerk in Liberty County receives and stores all dissolution of marriage filings. The office is on the second floor of the Liberty County Courthouse at 201 South Main Street, Suite 1200, in Hinesville. The mailing address is PO Box 50, Hinesville, GA 31310. You can call the clerk directly at (912) 876-3625. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The clerk does not operate a public-facing case search website, so most access requires a phone call or an in-person visit.

When you go in person, bring a photo ID. Clerk staff can pull case files by party name or case number. They can tell you what papers are in the file and give you copies for the standard per-page fee. Certified copies cost more than plain copies, so ask which type you need before you pay. If your request involves a large file or very old records, call first so staff can locate the file before your visit.

Mailed requests should go to the PO Box address above. Include the names of both parties, the approximate year of filing, and a check or money order made out to the Liberty County Superior Court Clerk. If you are not sure the record is in Liberty County, try the statewide directory tools listed in the next section of this page before you mail a request.

Online Tools for Finding Liberty County Records

Because the Liberty County clerk does not run a public online case search, the best way to confirm a filing exists is through the statewide portals maintained by Georgia. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, known as GSCCCA, indexes records from many Georgia counties. Check their portal first to see if Liberty County records appear in the system. The GSCCCA number is (404) 327-9058.

The image below shows the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Association directory. This is a useful first stop when you are not sure which office to contact or need to get the current phone number and address for a clerk.

Source: Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Association

From this directory, you can confirm the current contact details for the Liberty County Superior Court Clerk and find links to any online tools the office uses.

The Find My Clerk tool on the same site lets you search by county name to get clerk contact information in seconds. Use this if you need to confirm you have the right office before making the drive to Hinesville.

PeachCourt offers e-filing and online case access for participating Georgia counties. Check whether Liberty County is active on this system, as participation can change. If e-filing is available, it can save time for attorneys and self-represented filers who are not local to Hinesville.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia Courts statewide portal, which links to court information across all Georgia judicial circuits including the Atlantic Judicial Circuit that serves Liberty County.

Source: georgiacourts.gov

This portal also has links to court forms, filing guides, and contact directories for every Superior Court in Georgia, including Liberty County.

Filing for Dissolution in Liberty County

To file a dissolution of marriage case in Liberty County, at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six months before the petition is filed. This is a state residency rule that applies across all Georgia counties. The case is filed in the county where the defendant lives. If the defendant lives out of state, you may file in the county where you live, which can be Liberty County if that is your home.

Georgia law provides 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage. The most common ground used is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. This is a no-fault ground, meaning you do not have to prove that one spouse did something wrong. It makes the process simpler in most cases. You can read the full list of grounds at Georgia Code Section 19-5-3. Other grounds include adultery, desertion for at least one year, and cruel treatment.

After you file the petition and serve the other party, a 30-day waiting period begins. The court cannot enter a final decree until those 30 days pass. In uncontested cases where both parties agree on all terms, the case can move quickly after the waiting period ends. Contested cases, where one or both parties dispute property division, child custody, or support, take longer and may require hearings.

Liberty County is in the Atlantic Judicial Circuit. The judge assigned to your case will be from that circuit. All filings go through the clerk's office at 201 South Main Street, Suite 1200.

Military Families and Dissolution Cases in Liberty County

Fort Stewart is located just outside Hinesville, and it is one of the largest Army posts in the United States. Because of this, a large share of dissolution cases filed in Liberty County involve active-duty soldiers or veterans. These cases can involve rules that do not apply to civilian filings. Understanding those rules matters if you or your spouse is on active duty.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, known as the SCRA, can delay civil court proceedings for active-duty service members in some situations. If one spouse is deployed or on active duty and cannot respond to a petition in time, the SCRA may allow a stay of proceedings. A stay gives that spouse more time to respond without losing rights in the case. Judges in Liberty County are familiar with SCRA issues because of the volume of military cases they see.

Military divorces can also involve dividing military retirement pay, which follows federal rules under the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act. This is separate from Georgia property division law and requires specific language in the final decree to be enforceable. An attorney who handles military family law cases can help you get this right. The Georgia Bar referral service at gabar.org or 1-800-334-6865 can connect you with one.

The JAG office at Fort Stewart also offers legal assistance to eligible service members and dependents. Contact them directly through Fort Stewart's official channels to ask about what services are available for dissolution-related legal questions.

What Dissolution Records in Liberty County Contain

A dissolution of marriage case file in Liberty County typically holds several types of documents. The petition is the first filing, and it lays out the grounds for dissolution and what the petitioner is asking for. The answer, if filed, is the other party's response. Temporary orders may also appear in the file if the court issued rulings on support or custody while the case was pending.

The final decree is the document most people need. It is the judge's order ending the marriage and setting out all the terms. It covers property division, any debt allocation, child custody and visitation schedules if children are involved, child support amounts, and alimony if ordered. The clerk keeps the original. Certified copies are available for a fee.

All of these documents are part of the public record in Liberty County. You do not have to be a party to the case to request copies. Some financial details or information about minor children may be partially restricted in public copies, but most of the file is open. If you need a certified copy of the final decree for a legal purpose, such as changing your name or refinancing property, the clerk's office can provide one.

Historical Records and Vital Records Verification

For dissolution records before the current online era, the Georgia Archives maintains a statewide index covering 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999. This index can confirm that a dissolution was filed and identify the county of filing. It does not contain full case files, but it is a useful starting point for older records. Visit georgiaarchives.org to access this resource.

The Georgia Department of Public Health maintains a separate vital records verification service covering 1952 through 1996. This is not a copy of the court decree, but it confirms the dissolution is on file with the state. The DPH website is dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords, and the office is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700. For records outside the 1952 to 1996 window, go to the Liberty County Superior Court Clerk directly.

Legal Help in Liberty County

Several resources exist for people who need legal help with dissolution cases in Liberty County. Georgia Legal Services Program serves lower-income residents statewide; see their site at glsp.org. Georgia Legal Aid offers online self-help tools at georgialegalaid.org. These resources can help you understand your rights, fill out forms, and prepare for court without hiring an attorney.

For private legal representation, the Georgia Bar's referral service at gabar.org, reachable at 1-800-334-6865, can connect you with a family law attorney in the Hinesville area. Many attorneys offer a reduced-fee initial meeting, which can be useful even if you plan to handle most of the case on your own. Given the complexity that military cases can add, getting at least one consultation with a family law attorney is worth considering if active-duty status is involved.

Cities in Liberty County

Hinesville is the county seat of Liberty County and the largest city in the county. It is the only city in Liberty County that meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page.

Other communities in Liberty County include Allenhurst, Flemington, Gum Branch, Midway, Riceboro, and Walthourville. Dissolution cases from all of these communities are filed at the Liberty County Superior Court Clerk in Hinesville.

Nearby Counties

If a case may have been filed in a neighboring county, the counties near Liberty County are listed below. Each has its own Superior Court Clerk and case records.

McIntosh County also borders Liberty County to the south along the coast.