Montgomery County Dissolution of Marriage Records
Dissolution of marriage records in Montgomery County are held by the Superior Court Clerk in Mount Vernon and are open to the public under Georgia law. If you need a certified copy of a final decree, want to check whether a case was filed, or are researching older records for a legal or personal matter, the clerk's office in Mount Vernon is where you start. This page explains how to search, which statewide tools to try first, what the filing process involves, and where to get legal help in this part of southeast Georgia.
Montgomery County Quick Facts
Montgomery County Superior Court Clerk
The Superior Court Clerk in Mount Vernon is the official keeper of all dissolution of marriage records for Montgomery County. The clerk's office is located inside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Mount Vernon. Staff can assist with case searches, status inquiries, and certified copy requests during regular business hours. If you plan to send a request by mail, use the PO Box rather than the courthouse address to ensure it reaches the right department.
| Office | Montgomery County Superior Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | Montgomery County Courthouse, Mount Vernon, GA 30445 |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 311, Mount Vernon, GA 30445 |
| Phone | (912) 583-2362 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | Find My Clerk Directory |
When you contact the office, have the full names of both parties and an estimate of when the case was filed. That detail helps staff locate the right record quickly, particularly for older files that may exist only in paper format and have not been digitized.
How to Search Montgomery County Dissolution of Marriage Records
Montgomery County does not have its own public online case search portal. Most searches begin with a direct phone call or visit to the clerk's office in Mount Vernon. Before making that trip, a few statewide tools can help you find information faster.
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) maintains a statewide index of civil filings and recorded documents. Not every county's records are fully indexed, and coverage varies by year and jurisdiction, but it is a good first check. If the case appears in the GSCCCA system, you can request a certified copy through the online eCertification portal at ecert.gsccca.org without making the drive to Mount Vernon.
The state courts portal at georgiacourts.gov links to court resources and case lookup tools statewide. It does not hold Montgomery County records directly, but it can help you identify which court filed a case or connect you with the right contact. PeachCourt, the state's eFiling system, also supports case status lookups for participating courts. If the case you are researching was filed recently, it may be searchable there.
For records that predate online systems, visiting the courthouse in Mount Vernon is the most reliable approach. Bring a photo ID and expect to pay a fee for any certified copies you need. Staff can tell you if records from a specific time period are stored in a different location or format.
The Superior Court Clerks' Association of Georgia directory lists current contact details for every Superior Court Clerk in the state, including Montgomery County, and is useful for confirming you have the right information before you reach out.
The Georgia DPH Vital Records main page shown below is the state agency responsible for issuing divorce verification letters for cases filed between 1952 and 1996. It is one part of the broader Georgia dissolution records system alongside county court clerks.
The DPH page explains what the state holds at the central level and how to submit a verification request using Form 3917 for cases within their date range.
Dissolution of Marriage Process in Montgomery County
Filing for dissolution of marriage in Montgomery County requires that at least one spouse has been a Georgia resident for at least six months before the petition is submitted. This residency rule comes from O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2. If neither spouse meets the requirement, the Montgomery County Superior Court cannot take the case.
Georgia recognizes 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. The most commonly used ground today is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, a no-fault option that does not require proof of wrongdoing by either spouse. The other 12 grounds are fault-based and rarely invoked. Most uncontested cases in Montgomery County use the no-fault ground because it is simpler and more straightforward.
After the petition is filed and served on the other party, Georgia law requires a minimum 30-day waiting period before any final hearing can be scheduled. This rule applies even when both parties are in complete agreement on every issue. The court cannot sign the final decree until the 30 days are up. Contested cases involving property division, child custody, or alimony disputes can take considerably longer, sometimes many months, depending on the court's docket and the complexity of the issues to be resolved.
The standard filing steps in Montgomery County follow this order:
- File the petition and required supporting documents with the Superior Court Clerk
- Pay the filing fee at the time you submit the paperwork
- Serve the other spouse through the sheriff's office or a process server
- Wait the required 30 days from the date service is completed
- Attend the final hearing where the judge enters the dissolution decree
The clerk's office can tell you which forms Montgomery County uses locally and whether any local rules apply in addition to what state statutes require.
What Dissolution of Marriage Records Contain
Case files kept by the Montgomery County Superior Court Clerk can vary widely in length and content. A simple uncontested case may be a few pages long. A contested matter involving property, custody, or support issues can run to hundreds of pages of motions, responses, orders, and exhibits.
Documents typically found in a dissolution of marriage case file include:
- The original petition for dissolution of marriage
- Proof of service confirming the respondent was properly notified
- Any answer or counterclaim filed by the other spouse
- Settlement or separation agreements signed by both parties
- Temporary orders entered while the case was pending
- The final decree of dissolution of marriage
- Post-decree orders modifying custody, support, or other terms
Certified copies of the final decree are the most commonly requested document from clerk offices. Courts, financial institutions, government agencies, and employers may ask for one when processing name changes or updating records tied to the dissolution. The clerk can certify any document from the file, not only the final decree. All court records are public under Georgia's Open Records Act, with limited exceptions for sealed records or filings involving minor children where a court has imposed access restrictions.
State Divorce Verification Through DPH Vital Records
Georgia's Department of Public Health (DPH) Vital Records office maintains a limited set of state-level divorce verification records. Before reaching out to DPH, it is helpful to understand exactly what they can and cannot provide.
DPH can only confirm that a divorce occurred in Georgia for cases filed between 1952 and 1996. They do not hold the actual case files, decrees, or court documents from any county. What they issue is a verification letter confirming the event. For cases outside that date window, or when you need actual court documents, contact the Superior Court Clerk in the county where the case was filed. For Montgomery County cases, that is the clerk's office in Mount Vernon.
DPH Vital Records is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Phone: (404) 657-2700, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. Form 3917 is required and a search fee applies. Full details are at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.
The FindLaw Georgia Code page shown below provides access to the text of O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3, which lists the 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage in Georgia. It is a useful reference for understanding the legal basis for dissolution filings in any Georgia county.
Knowing which ground applies to your situation before you file can help you choose the right forms and avoid delays in the process at the Montgomery County courthouse.
Legal Help for Dissolution of Marriage in Montgomery County
Legal support is available for Montgomery County residents dealing with a dissolution of marriage case. Whether you are at the start of the process or working through an existing order, the following resources can help.
Legal Services Georgia provides free civil legal assistance to qualifying low-income residents. Montgomery County is within their service area. They handle family law matters including dissolution of marriage, custody, and support. Contact them to find out if you are eligible and to get connected with someone who can help with your specific situation.
Georgia Legal Aid offers detailed self-help guides online for people navigating the Georgia court system on their own. The materials on dissolution of marriage are written in plain language and cover everything from filing the petition to what to bring to the final hearing. This is a good starting point if your case is uncontested and you want to handle it yourself.
The State Bar of Georgia runs a lawyer referral service at 1-800-334-6865. Attorneys familiar with Montgomery County courts can advise you on local practices and help you work through issues that are not always clear from reading the statutes. A consultation early in the process can save significant time and cost later.
The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds a statewide divorce index on microfiche for cases from 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999. If you are searching for an older Montgomery County dissolution case and the clerk's records are incomplete or not easily accessible, the Archives may have an index entry that helps you confirm the case details and locate the right file.
Cities in Montgomery County
Mount Vernon is the county seat of Montgomery County and the city where dissolution of marriage cases are filed and held. No cities in Montgomery County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. All dissolution of marriage records for Montgomery County are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Mount Vernon.
Nearby Counties
Montgomery County is surrounded by several counties in southeast Georgia, each with its own Superior Court Clerk managing dissolution of marriage records for filings in their jurisdiction.