Pickens County Dissolution Of Marriage Records Search
Dissolution of marriage records in Pickens County are filed with the Superior Court Clerk in Jasper, Georgia, and are open to the public under Georgia law. The clerk's office at the Pickens County Courthouse on North Main Street is the official source for all case files, certified copies, and filing information. Note that Jasper is the county seat of Pickens County. This page covers how to contact the clerk, how to search for records, what case files include, and where to get legal help.
Pickens County Quick Facts
Pickens County Superior Court Clerk
The Superior Court Clerk in Jasper is the official keeper of all dissolution of marriage records filed in Pickens County. The office is at the Pickens County Courthouse at 50 North Main Street. Pickens County does not maintain a dedicated clerk website or a public online case search system for dissolution records. All requests for case lookups, certified copies, and filing information must go to the office by phone, mail, or in-person visit. Call ahead if you have a complex request or are looking for older records that may be in paper format.
Note: The county seat of Pickens County is the city of Jasper, Georgia. This is a different jurisdiction from Jasper County, Georgia, which is a separate county with its own clerk's office. If you are looking for Jasper County dissolution records, see the Jasper County page on this site.
| Office | Pickens County Superior Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 50 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143 |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 419, Jasper, GA 30143 |
| Phone | (706) 253-8761 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Directory | Find My Clerk |
When calling or writing, have the full names of both parties and the year of the filing ready. For in-person visits, bring a photo ID. Mail requests should include both names, the case year, your return address, and payment for copies. Confirm the current copy fee with the clerk before sending any check or money order. The statewide directory at gaclerks.org provides verified contact details for all 159 Georgia county clerks, including Pickens County.
How to Search Pickens County Dissolution Records
Pickens County has no standalone online portal for dissolution of marriage case searches. Contacting the clerk in Jasper directly is the primary way to locate a case. Statewide tools can supplement your search and may provide initial case information before you call the local office.
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) operates a statewide civil filings index. Some Pickens County dissolution records are indexed there, particularly for more recent filings. Search by party name or case number at gsccca.org. GSCCCA is reachable at (404) 327-9058. The eCertification portal allows online certified copy requests for documents that have been indexed in the system.
The screenshot below shows the DPH Vital Records information page, which explains the state-level verification records for dissolution cases filed in Georgia between 1952 and 1996. This is a different record type from the court files held at the Pickens County courthouse, but it is useful background for understanding what the state holds separately from the clerk.
DPH Vital Records can issue a verification letter for cases within that date range. For actual court documents, you must go to the Pickens County Superior Court Clerk in Jasper.
The screenshot below shows the statute reference page for O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3, which sets out the 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage in Georgia. This is the primary law governing every Pickens County dissolution case.
The statute is the legal foundation for all Georgia dissolution cases. Understanding the 13 grounds, particularly the no-fault irretrievably broken ground, can help you prepare before contacting the clerk or an attorney.
Dissolution of Marriage Law in Georgia
All dissolution of marriage cases in Pickens County are governed by Georgia law under Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The requirements are the same in every Georgia county, including Pickens.
Residency must be established before the Pickens County Superior Court can take jurisdiction. At least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six consecutive months before the petition is filed. This is a firm requirement. If neither party meets it, the Pickens County court cannot hear the case. There is no exception for extenuating circumstances.
Georgia provides 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. The no-fault ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken is by far the most common in Pickens County and statewide. Both parties can agree on it without any showing of wrongdoing, and the case can proceed without a contested hearing on grounds. The remaining 12 grounds in the statute are fault-based and are rarely used today.
Once the petition is filed and the other party is properly served, a mandatory 30-day waiting period must pass before the court can hold the final hearing. This is required in every case under Georgia law, even when both spouses fully agree on all terms. After the 30 days expire, the court schedules the final hearing. Uncontested cases typically resolve promptly. Contested matters with disputed property, custody, or support issues take longer and may need multiple court dates.
Pickens County is a north Georgia county that has grown in recent years as part of the broader metro Atlanta fringe. The Superior Court handles the full range of dissolution cases. Cases involving residential property, retirement accounts, or child custody arrangements are common and may benefit from legal representation given the complexity of those issues.
What Dissolution Records in Pickens County Contain
The Pickens County Superior Court Clerk holds the full case file for every dissolution of marriage action filed in the county. File size and content depend on how the case proceeded. A simple uncontested matter with full agreement on all terms will produce a brief file. A contested case with property disputes, custody issues, or debt division can generate a substantial record over the life of the proceedings.
Typical Pickens County dissolution case files contain these types of documents:
- The petition for dissolution of marriage
- Service of process documents proving the other party was notified
- Any answer, response, or counterclaim from the respondent
- Temporary orders entered during the proceedings
- Settlement or property division agreements
- The final decree of dissolution of marriage
- Post-decree modification orders if entered after the final decree
The final decree is the document most often requested from the Pickens County clerk. It is the official record that the marriage was dissolved and on what terms. Banks, government agencies, courts, and other institutions require certified copies for a wide range of purposes, including name changes, account updates, and estate planning. Call (706) 253-8761 for the current copy fee before submitting a formal request.
All dissolution records in Pickens County are public under the Georgia Open Records Act. Any person may request access. Records sealed by court order are the exception and are not available to the public unless the court issues a subsequent order lifting the seal.
State Divorce Verification Records
The Georgia Department of Public Health maintains a set of dissolution verification records separate from the court files held by the Pickens County Superior Court Clerk. These two sources serve different needs, and knowing the difference saves time.
DPH Vital Records can confirm whether a dissolution occurred in Georgia for cases filed between 1952 and 1996. They issue a verification letter only and do not hold court records or provide certified copies of decrees. For any Pickens County dissolution case, actual court documents must come from the clerk in Jasper. For cases outside the 1952 to 1996 window, the clerk is the only source.
DPH Vital Records is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Phone: (404) 657-2700. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Visit dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords for forms and full instructions. The Georgia Archives in Morrow holds a statewide microfiche dissolution index for 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999. Visiting the Archives can help confirm whether a filing from that era exists before you request records from the local clerk.
Legal Help for Pickens County Residents
Pickens County residents have access to statewide legal resources for dissolution of marriage matters. The county is in north Georgia, and while local legal resources are limited, statewide organizations cover this region.
Legal Services Georgia provides free civil legal help to qualifying residents based on income. Dissolution of marriage, custody, and support are among their core family law areas. Pickens County is within their service region. Contact their offices to check eligibility and begin the intake process.
Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org offers free self-help resources and guides for the dissolution process in Georgia. The guides are practical and written in plain language. They work best for straightforward uncontested cases where both parties agree and legal representation may not be needed for every step.
The State Bar of Georgia lawyer referral line at 1-800-334-6865 can connect you with a licensed attorney in the Pickens County area or nearby north Georgia who handles family law. An attorney familiar with the Pickens County Superior Court will know the local docket, the clerk's procedures, and the expectations of the local bench.
Cities in Pickens County
Jasper is the county seat of Pickens County, with a city population of approximately 5,000. No cities in Pickens County meet the population threshold for a dedicated dissolution of marriage records page. All residents of Pickens County, including those in Jasper, file dissolution cases at the Superior Court Clerk at 50 North Main Street in Jasper.
Nearby Counties
Pickens County is located in north-central Georgia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It borders several surrounding counties, each of which maintains its own dissolution of marriage records.