Find Dissolution Of Marriage Records in Lincoln County

Lincoln County dissolution of marriage records are kept by the Superior Court Clerk at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Lincolnton, Georgia. All petitions, motions, and final decrees filed in Lincoln County become part of the public court record. Lincoln County is a small rural county in the upper Savannah River region, and while its courthouse handles fewer cases than urban Georgia counties, the clerk maintains complete records and follows the same state procedures as every other Georgia Superior Court. This page covers how to find and request those records, what steps to take if you need to file a case, and where to look for help.

Superior Court Clerk - Contact and Access

The Lincoln County Superior Court Clerk is the official custodian of all dissolution of marriage case files in this county. The courthouse is at 210 Humphrey Street in Lincolnton. The mailing address for requests is PO Box 340, Lincolnton, GA 30817. Call the clerk at (706) 359-5505 before visiting to confirm hours and availability. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The clerk does not maintain a public case search website, so phone and in-person access are the main options.

When you visit in person, bring a valid photo ID. The clerk's staff can search by party name or case number. They can tell you what documents exist in the file and how much copies cost. Certified copies are the type most often needed for legal purposes such as name changes or property transfers. Plain copies cost less if you only need to read the file. For older records, call ahead so staff can locate the file before you make the trip.

If you want to make a mailed request, write to the PO Box above. Include both parties' names, the year the case was likely filed, and any case number you have. Enclose a check or money order for copy fees made out to the Lincoln County Superior Court Clerk. Allow extra time for mailed requests to be processed.

Statewide Online Tools for Lincoln County

Georgia maintains several statewide portals that may index Lincoln County dissolution records. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority, or GSCCCA, is the main statewide records portal for Georgia clerk offices. Check there first to see if a Lincoln County record appears before making a trip to Lincolnton. The GSCCCA phone number is (404) 327-9058.

The image below shows the About Vital Records page from the Georgia Department of Public Health. The DPH maintains a verification service for dissolution records from 1952 through 1996. While this is not a certified court copy, it can confirm that a dissolution occurred and was reported to the state during that period.

Source: dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords/about-vital-records

For records outside the 1952 to 1996 range, contact the Lincoln County Superior Court Clerk directly. The DPH verification is a supplement, not a replacement, for the full court file.

The GSCCCA also operates an e-certification service for official document requests. The image below shows the GSCCCA eCertification portal, which allows you to request certified documents from participating county clerk offices across Georgia.

Source: ecert.gsccca.org

If Lincoln County participates in the eCertification system, you can use this portal to request certified copies of dissolution documents without visiting Lincolnton in person.

Filing a Dissolution Case in Lincoln County

To file for dissolution of marriage in Lincoln County, at least one spouse must have been a Georgia resident for six months before the petition is filed. This is a statewide requirement that applies in every Georgia county. You file the case in the county where the defendant lives. If the defendant lives out of state, you can file in the county where you live, which can be Lincoln County if you reside here.

Georgia law provides 13 grounds for dissolution. The most common is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, which is a no-fault ground that avoids the need to prove wrongdoing. Other grounds include adultery, willful desertion for at least one year, and cruel treatment. For the full list, see Georgia Code Section 19-5-3.

Once you file and serve the other party, a 30-day waiting period begins. The court cannot sign the final decree until that waiting period ends. Uncontested cases, where both spouses agree on all terms, can move quickly after the 30 days pass. Contested cases take longer and may involve mediation or a hearing before the judge. Lincoln County is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit of Georgia, which also covers Elbert, Hart, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties. The circuit judge travels between counties on a set schedule.

Forms for dissolution cases in Georgia are available through the Georgia Courts e-forms page at georgiacourts.gov. The clerk can also tell you which forms you need when you call or visit. Filing fees must be paid to the clerk at the time you submit your petition.

What Dissolution Records Contain

A dissolution of marriage file in Lincoln County holds all the documents the court received during the case. The petition is the first filing. It states the grounds for dissolution and what the petitioner wants the court to order. The answer, if one is filed, is the other party's response. Temporary orders, if any were entered, also appear in the file along with any motions or hearing notices.

The final decree is the document most people need. It is the judge's order that ends the marriage and lays out all the terms. It covers who gets what property, how debts are handled, child custody and visitation if children are involved, child support amounts, and any alimony ordered. The clerk keeps the original decree. Certified copies are available for a fee.

All case documents are public records in Lincoln County. You do not need to be a party to the case to request them. The clerk may redact certain details about minor children or sealed financial information in public copies, but most of the file is available to anyone who asks. If you need a certified copy for a legal purpose, bring your ID and be ready to pay the standard copy fee.

Historical Dissolution Records

For older dissolution records in Lincoln County, the Georgia Archives maintains a statewide index covering 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999. This index does not hold full case files, but it can confirm a dissolution took place and identify the county where it was filed. Once you have that confirmation, you contact the Lincoln County clerk for the actual documents. The Archives are online at georgiaarchives.org.

The DPH vital records verification service, described above, covers 1952 through 1996. For very old cases that predate these indexes, the only option is to contact the Lincoln County clerk directly and ask about records retention for older files. Some old county records have been microfilmed or scanned, and the clerk can advise on what is available.

Legal Help and Resources

Lincoln County residents who need help with a dissolution case can turn to several statewide legal aid resources. Georgia Legal Services Program provides free legal assistance to lower-income residents across Georgia; visit glsp.org or call their intake line to ask about eligibility. Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org has online self-help guides and form instructions that cover dissolution cases step by step.

For private attorneys, the Georgia Bar's lawyer referral service is available at gabar.org and by phone at 1-800-334-6865. A referral can match you with a family law attorney in the Augusta or Athens area who handles Lincoln County cases. Many offer an affordable initial meeting.

Cities in Lincoln County

Lincoln County's county seat is Lincolnton, with a population of around 1,600. No city in Lincoln County meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page. All dissolution of marriage cases from every community in Lincoln County are filed at the Superior Court Clerk in Lincolnton.

Nearby Counties

If a case may have been filed in a neighboring jurisdiction, these counties border or are near Lincoln County. Each has its own Superior Court Clerk.