Last Updated on December 2024
Georgia divorce records are legal documents proving the dissolution of marriage between spouses that contain information regarding the date, place, and terms of their divorce, and the documents involved in the proceedings. There are 3 types of divorce records in Georgia: divorce decrees, case files, and verifications. In most counties, they can be obtained in person, online, or by mail.
Are Divorce Records Public in Georgia?
According to the Georgia Open Records Act, information regarding divorce filings in Georgia is public. Therefore, either spouse or member of the public can obtain the divorce records provided they are not sealed by the court.
To get the divorce data they are interested in, they need to have enough information to search for it. In most cases, they will need to specify the first and last name of at least one of the parties and the city and county where the divorce was finalized. Sometimes, they may also need the civil case number, the address of the court where the divorce hearing took place, etc.
Although most divorce records in Georgia are public, some of them may be sealed. If parties prove that the information regarding their divorce should be confidential and not available to the general public, the court can seal the documents related to marriage dissolution. In such a situation, they will no longer be public and you can access them only with the permission of the judge.
How to Look Up Divorce Records in Georgia?
The way spouses or members of the public can obtain divorce records depends on their type and date of marriage dissolution. Most of them are available at the Superior Court Clerk’s Office in the county where the divorce was finalized. However, some of them can only be obtained from the Vital Records Office of the Georgia Department of Public Health.
There are 3 types of divorce records in Georgia:
- Divorce decrees contain information about the final decision on the dissolution of marriage along with its terms approved by the court. They can be related to child custody and support, alimony, property division, etc.
- Divorce case files provide data on papers that were used in the proceedings, including petitions, motions, and others.
- Divorce verification is a document that informs about the date and place of marriage dissolution and the parties that terminate their marital relations.
All of these records are important and may be needed by spouses after a divorce to confirm that their marriage has ended and to comply with the divorce terms ordered by the court.
To obtain a copy of a divorce decree or other divorce record, either spouse or a third party must apply to the Clerk of the Superior Court in person or by mail. The clerk may provide a regular or certified copy of the court’s decision as a response.
If you choose to get copies in person, you should contact the clerk’s office during business hours. If you prefer mail, you should send a letter to the clerk, preparing a request and a post-paid envelope to receive a return letter.
The exception to the general rule is getting a divorce verification for marriage dissolutions that took place between June 1952 and August 1996. They can be obtained only from the State Office of Vital Records by completing the Request for Search of Divorce Verification form.
Some of the divorce records are available online. However, Georgia has no central portal where records can be searched for. Instead, you may try to find divorce records in Georgia on official county court websites.
Atlanta Divorce Records
Since Atlanta belongs to Fulton County, you can look for the divorce records on the county court website.
https://www.fultonclerk.org/144/eServices
Fulton County Divorce Records
https://www.fultonclerk.org/144/eServices
Gwinnett County Divorce Records
https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/departments/communications/mediarelations/openrecords
Cobb County Divorce Records
https://www.cobbcounty.org/courts/probate-court/case-status-records-search
DeKalb County Divorce Records
https://portal-gadekalb.tylertech.cloud/portal
Chatham County Divorce Records
https://superiorcourtclerk.chathamcountyga.gov/Superior/CivilDivision
Clayton County Divorce Records
https://www.claytoncountyga.gov/government/courts/court-case-inquiry/
Cherokee County Divorce Records
https://www.cherokeecourtclerk.com/case-search
Forsyth County Divorce Records
https://www.forsythclerk.com/HowDoI/CaseSearch.aspx
Henry County Divorce Records
https://micropact.co.henry.ga.us/SuperiorCMWS/
Hall County Divorce Records
https://docket.hallcourts.com/
Richmond County Divorce Records
https://www.augustaga.gov/818/Court-Information
The given list of counties is not final. To get information about divorce records in other counties, you can use an Internet search. You may go to the Georgia court website and look for the documents you need in the appropriate tab.
