Catoosa County Divorce Records Search

Catoosa County divorce records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk in Ringgold, a northwest Georgia county seat near the Tennessee border. Catoosa County is part of the Chattanooga, Tennessee metropolitan area, and its courthouse in Ringgold handles a growing number of divorce filings each year. This page explains how to find, search, and request official Catoosa County divorce records.

Catoosa County Divorce Records Office

The Catoosa County Superior Court Clerk in Ringgold on Lafayette Street is the official keeper of all divorce records for the county. The office maintains complete case files for all divorce proceedings filed in Catoosa County, including petitions, financial disclosures, settlement agreements, and final decrees. Certified copies can be obtained in person or by making arrangements by phone for mail delivery.

Under Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, Catoosa County divorce records are open to the public. Any person can request access to a divorce file unless the court has specifically ordered it sealed. Sealed records are rare in standard divorce cases. The vast majority of Catoosa County divorce files are available without restriction to any requestor.

Ringgold is the county seat and the center of county government in Catoosa County. The courthouse on Lafayette Street is accessible from the main roads. Catoosa County's proximity to the Chattanooga metro means its population is substantial relative to its size. The clerk's office handles a meaningful volume of cases, so planning your visit in advance and calling first helps ensure a smooth visit. For urgent or time-sensitive requests, calling to ask about expedited processing is always a reasonable step.

The Georgia DPH Vital Records portal is available separately from the Catoosa County courthouse for divorce verifications from 1952 to 1996.

Source: dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords

The DPH provides $10 verifications for divorces from 1952 to 1996 but does not hold the actual court decrees stored at the Ringgold courthouse.

Searching Catoosa County Divorce Records Online

The GSCCCA at gsccca.org provides free online access to Georgia Superior Court case indexes including Catoosa County. Search by party name to find case numbers, filing dates, and status information. For a county in the Chattanooga metro area, the online case index is generally well-populated and reliable for more recent cases. Document images may be available through the system for many Catoosa County filings.

The Georgia E-Access system at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ offers a second online search path. Use both portals for complete coverage. Catoosa County's location near the Tennessee border means some residents may have connections to Hamilton County, Tennessee. Georgia divorces must be filed in Georgia courts for Georgia residents. If the defendant lived in Catoosa County, the case is in Ringgold.

For older cases from before digital record systems, contact the clerk at (706) 935-4231. Catoosa County staff can search index books and physical archives. Providing both party names and the approximate year of filing gives staff the information needed to locate the record quickly.

Note: If you cannot find a case in Catoosa County records, verify that the defendant was actually living in Catoosa County at the time of the Georgia filing, not in Hamilton County, Tennessee or Walker County, Georgia, both of which are adjacent.

How Divorce Cases Are Filed in Catoosa County

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 19-5-1 gives Superior Courts exclusive divorce authority. The Catoosa County Superior Court in Ringgold handles all divorces filed in the county. No other Catoosa County court can grant a divorce under Georgia law.

Venue follows the defendant's residence. Per O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2, you file in the county where the defendant lives at the time the petition is served. If your spouse lives in Ringgold or anywhere in Catoosa County, you file here. If your spouse lives in Walker County or Whitfield County, those courts hold jurisdiction. The records follow the court where the case is filed.

Georgia provides 13 grounds for divorce under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. Irretrievable breakdown covers most cases. A mandatory 30-day waiting period follows service before the final decree can be entered. Once signed and recorded in Ringgold, the decree is permanent and public. It remains in the Catoosa County clerk's system indefinitely.

Divorce Record Fees in Catoosa County

Contact the Catoosa County Superior Court Clerk at (706) 935-4231 for current copy fees. Certified copies include the court seal and are required for use in other legal proceedings, government applications, and financial transactions. Non-certified copies cost less and work for personal reference. Most institutions that ask for a divorce record want a certified copy, so when in doubt, pay for the certified version.

The Georgia DPH at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords offers $10 verifications for divorces from 1952 to 1996. These verifications show names, county, and date only. They do not include any case terms or orders. The DPH holds no actual court decrees. For the full certified decree, the Catoosa County Superior Court Clerk in Ringgold is the right office. For cases outside the 1952 to 1996 window, the DPH has no record at all.

Decrees and State Certificates Compared

The Catoosa County divorce decree is the Superior Court's final order. The clerk in Ringgold holds it. It contains every term the judge ordered: property division, debt assignment, child custody and parenting plans, child support, spousal support if ordered, and any other relief. This is the document that governs each party's post-divorce obligations and rights. Courts, banks, and government agencies require it when they need to know what the divorce actually said.

The Georgia DPH divorce certificate is a short administrative summary. It is available for divorces from 1952 through 1996 only. It shows names, county, and date. No case terms. It costs $10. People often assume the state holds full copies of every decree; it does not. The DPH record is a statistical entry, nothing more. If you need the substance of the case, the Ringgold courthouse is the only option, no matter when the divorce occurred.

Note: Catoosa County residents who need divorce records for Tennessee-related matters should confirm with the Tennessee agency what documentation they require, as requirements across state lines can vary.

Legal Help for Catoosa County Divorce

Georgia Legal Aid serves eligible low-income residents of Catoosa County. Their family law resources cover divorce, including forms help, procedural guidance, and sometimes representation for qualifying applicants. The Ringgold area's proximity to Chattanooga also means some private family law attorneys serve clients on both sides of the Georgia-Tennessee border.

The Superior Court Clerk in Ringgold provides forms for pro se divorce filings. Uncontested divorces where both parties agree on everything are manageable without an attorney. For anything involving disputes over property, custody, or support, legal advice before filing is strongly recommended. Catoosa County has private family law attorneys, and the Chattanooga bar includes Georgia-licensed attorneys who serve northwest Georgia residents.

Nearby Counties

Divorce records near Catoosa County may also be held in these neighboring counties in northwest Georgia depending on where the defendant lived when the case was filed.