Search Quitman County Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Quitman County dissolution of marriage records are filed with and held by the Superior Court Clerk in Georgetown, Georgia. These records are public under Georgia's Open Records Act, meaning any person may request access to petitions, final decrees, and related case documents. The clerk's office at 111 Main Street in Georgetown handles every dissolution case filed in the county. Quitman is one of Georgia's smallest counties, so the courthouse staff is small, but they follow the same state rules for records access that apply across all 159 Georgia counties. This guide covers how to contact the clerk, what statewide search tools are available, and what Georgia requires to file a dissolution case.

Superior Court Clerk - Where Records Are Filed

All dissolution of marriage filings in Quitman County are processed by the Superior Court Clerk in Georgetown. The courthouse is at 111 Main Street, Georgetown, GA 39854. You can reach the clerk's office by phone at (229) 334-2157. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For written requests, mail them to PO Box 39, Georgetown, GA 39854.

Because Quitman County is one of the smallest counties in Georgia by population, the courthouse staff is limited. When you call or write, be patient and have the case information ready. You will want the names of both parties and the approximate year the case was filed. With that, staff can pull the record and tell you what it contains. The current fee for copies will depend on whether you need certified copies (which carry the court seal) or plain copies. Certified copies are required for legal uses. Plain copies serve most personal and research needs at a lower cost.

Quitman County does not have a public online case search system. In-person visits to the Georgetown courthouse and mail requests are the practical ways to get dissolution records. The statewide tools below can help you check whether a case exists in Quitman County before you make the long drive to Georgetown, which is a rural area in southwest Georgia near the Alabama border.

The screenshot below shows the main page of the Georgia Department of Public Health vital records site, which provides statewide dissolution verification for records from 1952 to 1996.

Source: dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords

The DPH vital records page is the starting point for requesting a dissolution verification from the state. This service covers records reported between 1952 and 1996 and can confirm that a Quitman County dissolution was reported to the state during that window.

Online Access Through State Portals

Georgia offers several statewide tools that can help you research dissolution records before contacting the Quitman County clerk. Given how small the county is, these tools are especially worth checking because they may hold the information you need without requiring travel to Georgetown.

The full text of Georgia Code Section 19-5-3 lists all 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage in the state. The screenshot below shows the FindLaw page for this statute, which is useful for understanding what grounds are available when filing in Quitman County or any other Georgia county.

Source: codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-19-domestic-relations/ga-code-sect-19-5-3/

Georgia Code Section 19-5-3 lists the grounds for dissolution of marriage in the state, including the no-fault ground of irretrievable breakdown. Understanding these grounds is a key first step before filing in Quitman County Superior Court.

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) maintains a statewide records portal, and their eCertification portal allows online requests for certified copies of some court documents. The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Association and Find My Clerk tool can verify the current contact details for the Quitman County clerk. PeachCourt is Georgia's statewide e-filing platform. re:SearchGA supports case lookup for participating counties. The Georgia Archives has a dissolution index from 1965 to 1971 and 1973 to 1999. The Georgia Courts website provides general information about the state court system.

Georgia Residency and Filing Requirements

To file a dissolution of marriage case in Quitman County, at least one spouse must have been a Georgia resident for six months or more before the petition is filed. If you just arrived in Georgia, you may need to wait before you can file. Georgia law generally requires the petition to be filed in the county where the defendant lives. If the defendant has left Georgia, you can file in your home county, which could be Quitman County.

Georgia law allows 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage. The most common today is the no-fault ground that the marriage is "irretrievably broken." This requires no proof of wrongdoing and is used in most cases where both spouses agree the marriage is over. Other grounds include adultery, desertion, habitual intoxication, mental incapacity, and cruel treatment. All 13 grounds are listed at Georgia Code Section 19-5-3.

After the defendant is served, a 30-day mandatory wait applies before the judge can sign the final decree. For uncontested cases with a signed settlement agreement, the decree can follow quickly after those 30 days pass. Cases with disputes require hearings and more time. In small counties like Quitman, the court calendar may have fewer available hearing dates, so contested cases can take longer to schedule than in larger metro counties.

What Dissolution Records Contain

A Quitman County dissolution case file typically holds the original petition, proof the defendant was served, the defendant's answer or signed waiver, any marital settlement agreement, and the final decree. If minor children are involved, a parenting plan is also part of the file. More complicated cases may contain financial affidavits, temporary restraining orders, and records of hearings before the judge.

The clerk can describe the contents of a specific file before you order copies. For simple cases, you may only need the final decree. For more complex matters, you might need several documents. Ask about the cost for plain versus certified copies before you decide what to request.

State Vital Records Verification (1952-1996)

The Georgia Department of Public Health provides a dissolution verification service for records reported to the state from 1952 to 1996. This confirms that a dissolution was reported during that window but does not provide the court file. The DPH office is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700. Their site is dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords. Requests use Form 3917 and cost $10. For records outside that range, contact the Quitman County Superior Court Clerk at (229) 334-2157.

Legal Help and Resources in Quitman County

Quitman County residents who need help with a dissolution case can contact Georgia Legal Services Program at glsp.org for free civil legal assistance for those who qualify. Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org provides self-help guides and form walkthroughs that explain each step of the dissolution process in plain language.

For a private attorney, use the Georgia Bar referral service at gabar.org or call 1-800-334-6865. Given that Quitman County is a small rural county, you may be referred to an attorney who practices in a nearby larger county but is licensed to appear in Quitman County Superior Court. A first consultation with a family law attorney is often the best way to understand your options before you file or respond to a petition.

Quitman County is in the Pataula Judicial Circuit. This circuit covers several small southwest Georgia counties. Judges and attorneys who work regularly in the Pataula Circuit know the local procedures and court calendar, which helps even in small rural counties like Quitman.

Cities in Quitman County

Georgetown is the county seat of Quitman County and home to roughly 500 residents. Quitman is one of the least populated counties in Georgia, and no community in the county meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. All dissolution of marriage filings from any part of Quitman County are processed by the Superior Court Clerk at 111 Main Street in Georgetown.

Nearby Counties

If a dissolution case may have been filed in a nearby jurisdiction, the counties below border or are close to Quitman County.