Access Wilkes County Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Wilkes County dissolution of marriage records are on file with the Superior Court Clerk in Washington, Georgia, and they are open to the public under state law. If you need to search for a dissolution of marriage case in Wilkes County, whether to verify a decree, get a certified copy, or review documents from an older filing, this page covers the resources available to you. The clerk's office in Washington is the official custodian of all dissolution of marriage records filed in the Wilkes County Superior Court, and several online tools can help you search without making the trip in person.

Wilkes County Superior Court Clerk

The Wilkes County Superior Court Clerk is located at 23 East Court Street in Washington, Georgia 30673. The phone number for the clerk's office is (706) 678-2511. Note that the county seat of Wilkes County is Washington, Georgia, which is a separate city from Washington County, whose county seat is Sandersville. If you are searching for Wilkes County records, make sure you contact the clerk in Washington, Georgia at the address and phone listed above.

Wilkes County is part of the Northern Judicial Circuit. The circuit's Superior Court judges handle cases in Wilkes County along with the other counties in the circuit. The Wilkes County clerk's office in Washington is the administrative office for all Wilkes County filings, regardless of which judge presided. All dissolution of marriage petitions, service records, hearing orders, and final decrees are kept there.

To request records from the Wilkes County clerk, you can visit in person or send a written request by mail. Bring or include the names of the parties and the approximate year the case was filed. Certified copies require a fee per page plus a certification charge. Call the office at (706) 678-2511 to get current fee amounts and find out what forms of payment are accepted before sending anything by mail.

Note: Do not confuse Wilkes County (county seat: Washington, GA) with Washington County (county seat: Sandersville, GA); they are distinct counties with separate clerk offices.

Searching Wilkes County Dissolution Records Online

The GSCCCA Portal is the best online starting point for finding Wilkes County dissolution of marriage cases. You can search by the names of one or both parties, select Wilkes County as the jurisdiction, and filter by filing date range. The portal indexes Superior Court filings and often provides links to scanned documents when the clerk has uploaded them. This is typically the fastest way to find a case number and confirm that a dissolution was filed in Wilkes County.

The screenshot below shows the GSCCCA Portal, which indexes dissolution of marriage records from Wilkes County and every other Georgia Superior Court.

After finding a case in the GSCCCA Portal, note the case number and use it to request certified copies through eCertification or by contacting the Wilkes County clerk directly.

The GSCCCA eCertification system lets you request certified court documents online without visiting Washington. This is helpful if you need a certified copy of a dissolution decree for use with a financial institution, another court, or a government agency. The re:SearchGA portal covers records from 25 participating Georgia counties; verify whether Wilkes County is part of that group before using that tool as your primary search method.

Note: Older Wilkes County case files may not be in the digital index and will need to be retrieved by contacting the clerk's office in Washington directly.

Filing for Dissolution of Marriage in Wilkes County

Dissolution of marriage petitions in Wilkes County are filed at the Superior Court Clerk's office at 23 East Court Street in Washington. Georgia requires that at least one spouse have been a Georgia resident for six months before the petition is filed. The court cannot issue a final decree until 30 days have passed after the respondent is properly served.

Wilkes County handles both uncontested and contested dissolution cases. An uncontested filing means both parties have agreed to all terms before going to court. This approach generally results in a shorter process. In a contested filing, the court schedules hearings to resolve disputes over property, support, or any parenting matters. The Superior Court judge assigned to the Northern Judicial Circuit will preside over Wilkes County cases.

The Georgia Courts website has procedural guides and self-help resources that are useful whether you are filing on your own or preparing to work with an attorney. The PeachCourt eFiling platform may allow electronic filing for some Wilkes County Superior Court cases. Contact the clerk's office to confirm which case types are eligible for eFiling before using that option.

Georgia Vital Records and DPH Dissolution Verifications

The Georgia Department of Public Health keeps a statewide dissolution of marriage verification index for cases filed from 1952 through 1996. If you need to confirm that a dissolution occurred in Georgia within that date range, you can request a verification through the DPH using Form 3917 for a $10 fee. This is not a certified court copy; it is a state-level confirmation of a recorded event. Visit dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords for the form and submission instructions.

The screenshot below shows the Superior Court Clerks of Georgia site, which provides information on clerk services and helps locate county offices across Georgia.

The site includes resources on how each county clerk office operates and what records are publicly accessible through Georgia Superior Court clerks.

For dissolution cases predating the GSCCCA digital index, the Georgia Archives may have relevant court materials from Wilkes County. Wilkes County has a long recorded history, and the archives may hold older civil court records including early dissolution filings. Contact the archives to ask about specific time periods before making a research trip.

Note: The DPH verification only covers 1952 to 1996; for all other dates, go to the Wilkes County Superior Court Clerk or use the GSCCCA Portal.

Georgia Law on Dissolution of Marriage

Georgia law gives 13 grounds for dissolution of marriage under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. The most commonly used ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken, which is a no-fault basis. This ground does not require proving misconduct by either party. The other 12 grounds are fault-based, including adultery and desertion, and may be alleged when the circumstances support them.

All dissolution of marriage proceedings in Georgia are governed by Title 19, Chapter 5 of the Georgia Code. These statutes apply equally in Wilkes County and every other Georgia county. They cover the residency requirements, mandatory waiting period, and the procedures for resolving property, support, and parenting issues through the Superior Court. Reviewing these statutes gives you a solid understanding of what to expect from the time you file through the entry of the final decree.

The Find My Clerk directory from the Superior Court Clerks of Georgia lists every county clerk's contact information in one place. Use it to confirm details for the Wilkes County clerk or to locate a neighboring county clerk when a related case was filed elsewhere.

Cities in Wilkes County

Wilkes County has no qualifying cities for this directory. The county seat, Washington, Georgia, is the largest community in the county, but it does not meet the 25,000-resident population threshold used here. Augusta, which is a qualifying city in this directory, is located in neighboring Richmond County, not in Wilkes County. All dissolution of marriage filings from Wilkes County residents are handled by the Superior Court Clerk in Washington, Georgia.

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