Search Pike County Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Pike County dissolution of marriage records are kept by the Superior Court Clerk in Zebulon, Georgia. These records are open to the public under Georgia's Open Records Act, and any person may ask for access to filed petitions, final decrees, and other documents in the case file. The clerk's office at 16001 Barnesville Street serves as the point of contact for every dissolution filing in the county. This guide covers how to reach that office, what statewide tools you can use before making a trip to Zebulon, what Georgia law requires, and where to find legal help in Pike County.

Superior Court Clerk - Where Records Are Filed

All dissolution of marriage cases in Pike County are filed with the Superior Court Clerk in Zebulon. The courthouse is at 16001 Barnesville Street, Zebulon, GA 30295. The clerk can be reached by phone at (770) 567-2000. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For mail requests, send written correspondence to PO Box 10, Zebulon, GA 30295.

Before you call or visit, gather the names of both parties and the approximate year the case was filed. With that basic information, the clerk's staff can locate the record in their index and let you know what the file contains. You can also ask about the current fee schedule for copies. Certified copies cost more than plain copies, but they carry the court seal and are required for things like changing a name on a passport or applying for a marriage license in another state. Plain copies work fine for personal use or background research.

Pike County does not offer a public online case search tool. That means in-person visits to the Zebulon courthouse or mail requests are the main ways to get records. Check the statewide tools below before making the trip. Some of them may let you look up a case number or confirm that a dissolution was filed in Pike County, which saves time at the clerk's window.

The screenshot below shows the About Vital Records page from the Georgia Department of Public Health, which explains the scope of the state's vital records program including the dissolution verification service.

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

This DPH page describes what vital records Georgia maintains and how to request them. The dissolution verification service covers records from 1952 to 1996 and can confirm that a case was reported to the state during that window.

Online Access Through State Portals

Georgia has several statewide tools worth checking before you visit the Pike County courthouse. These tools do not replace the clerk's office, but they can help you gather information in advance.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) maintains a statewide records portal covering certain document types. Their eCertification portal allows online requests for certified copies of some court records. The screenshot below shows the GSCCCA eCertification system, where you may be able to request certified copies of Pike County dissolution records online.

Source: ecert.gsccca.org

Check the eCertification system to see whether Pike County dissolution records are available for online requests. This can save a trip to Zebulon if your document type is supported.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Association website and the Find My Clerk directory are useful for verifying current contact details for the Pike County clerk or any neighboring county clerk. PeachCourt is Georgia's e-filing platform and may support case lookup for Pike County. re:SearchGA is another tool covering participating counties. The Georgia Archives holds a statewide dissolution index for 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999. For records from 1952 to 1996 reported to the state, the Georgia Department of Public Health runs a dissolution verification service at a fee of $10 per request.

Georgia Residency and Filing Requirements

To file a dissolution of marriage case in Pike County Superior Court, at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six months or more before the petition is filed. If you just moved to the state, you may have to wait to qualify. Georgia's general rule is that the case should be filed in the county where the defendant lives. If the defendant has left Georgia, you may file in the county where you currently reside, which could be Pike County.

Georgia recognizes 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage. The no-fault ground that the marriage is "irretrievably broken" is by far the most common choice today. No proof of wrongdoing is needed. Both spouses just need to agree that the marriage cannot be saved. Other grounds available under state law include adultery, desertion, habitual intoxication, and cruel treatment. The full list of grounds appears at Georgia Code Section 19-5-3.

Once the defendant is served with the petition, a mandatory 30-day waiting period applies. The judge cannot enter a final decree until those 30 days pass. Uncontested cases where both parties have signed a settlement agreement can often close quickly after the waiting period ends. Cases involving property disputes, child custody, or support issues require court hearings and take more time to finish.

What Dissolution Records Contain

A Pike County dissolution case file typically includes the original petition, proof of service, any response from the defendant, a marital settlement agreement if reached, court orders addressing specific issues, and the final decree signed by the judge. The contents vary based on how contested the case was and what issues the parties had to sort out. A simple uncontested case may have just a handful of documents. A contested case involving real estate, business assets, or custody can fill a thick file with motions, affidavits, and hearing transcripts.

Before you pay for copies, ask the clerk to describe what is in the file. That way you know whether you need certified copies, plain copies, or specific documents. The clerk can also tell you whether the case is still open or has been concluded, and whether any post-decree motions were filed after the final decree was entered.

State Vital Records Verification (1952-1996)

The Georgia Department of Public Health maintains a dissolution verification service for records reported to the state between 1952 and 1996. This service confirms that a dissolution was reported during that window but does not provide the court file itself. The DPH office is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700. Their website is dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords. Requests use Form 3917 and carry a fee of $10. For records outside that date range or for the actual court file, contact the Pike County Superior Court Clerk at (770) 567-2000.

Legal Help and Resources in Pike County

Pike County residents who need guidance on a dissolution case have several places to turn. Georgia Legal Services Program provides free or low-cost civil legal help to qualifying Georgians at glsp.org. Georgia Legal Aid offers self-help guides, form walkthroughs, and articles explaining the dissolution process at georgialegalaid.org. Both sites are a good starting point if you want to understand the process before you file or respond to a petition.

For private legal representation, the Georgia Bar referral service at gabar.org can match you with a family law attorney in the Pike County area. The toll-free referral number is 1-800-334-6865. Many family law attorneys offer a first consultation at low cost, which can be helpful if you are unsure whether you need full representation or can handle the case yourself with a little guidance.

Pike County is in the Flint Judicial Circuit. Knowing which circuit handles local cases helps when you search for attorneys or look up circuit-level rules. Attorneys who regularly practice in the Flint Circuit know the local judges and procedures, which can make a real difference in how smoothly your case moves along.

Cities in Pike County

The county seat of Pike County is Zebulon, which has a population of roughly 1,200. Meansville and Concord are among the other small communities in the county. None of the towns in Pike County meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. All dissolution filings from any part of Pike County are handled by the Superior Court Clerk at 16001 Barnesville Street in Zebulon.

Nearby Counties

If a dissolution case may have been filed in a neighboring jurisdiction, the counties below are near Pike County.