Find Divorce Records in Chattooga County

Chattooga County divorce records are filed and stored at the Superior Court Clerk's office in Summerville, which serves as the official repository for all domestic case filings in the county. This guide explains where to search, how to request copies, what fees apply, and where to turn if you need legal help navigating the divorce records system in Chattooga County.

Where to Get Chattooga County Divorce Records

The Chattooga County Superior Court Clerk in Summerville holds all divorce case files for the county. This is your primary contact for any divorce record request, whether you need a certified copy of a final decree, a plain copy of a filing, or confirmation that a case exists in the system. The clerk's office is located on Commerce Street in Summerville's downtown area.

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 makes divorce records public documents. You do not need to be a party to a case to request copies. The only exception is if a judge has issued a sealing order, which is uncommon in routine divorce cases. Most Chattooga County divorce records are freely accessible by any member of the public.

Summerville is a small town, so parking near the courthouse is generally not difficult. If you are driving from Dalton, Rome, or other nearby cities, the trip is straightforward. Call ahead to check that the record you need is available and not in off-site storage, which sometimes applies to older files from the 1960s and 1970s.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia DPH Vital Records page at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords, which is a secondary source for divorce verifications covering 1952 through 1996.

DPH handles verifications only, not full decrees. For the actual court record, you must go to the Chattooga County Superior Court Clerk.

How to Search Chattooga Divorce Records Online

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority operates a free statewide search portal at gsccca.org. Chattooga County is part of this system, which means you can search divorce cases by party name without visiting the courthouse. The search returns filing dates, case numbers, and basic docket information.

Full document images are not always available for smaller counties through GSCCCA, but the index data is enough to confirm whether a case exists and to get the case number. Once you have that number, you can contact the clerk directly to order copies. The Georgia E-Access portal at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ also covers some Chattooga County case records for more recent filings.

If your search comes up empty online, it does not always mean the divorce did not happen. Older cases from before electronic records were common may not appear in any online system. For divorces from the 1980s and earlier, a direct request to the Chattooga County clerk is the most reliable approach. Staff can search paper indexes by name and approximate year.

Note: Always note the exact spelling of names used at the time of the divorce, since index searches are name-sensitive and a single character difference can hide a result.

Chattooga County Divorce Filing Process

Divorces in Georgia are handled exclusively by the Superior Court. O.C.G.A. § 19-5-1 gives the Superior Court sole authority to grant divorces in the state. Chattooga County has one Superior Court serving all residents in the county, and all divorce petitions are filed here.

Filing location is governed by O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2. Generally, you file where the defendant lives. If your spouse lives in Chattooga County, this is where the case is filed. If both spouses live in the county, the choice is simple. If the defendant has left Georgia, the petitioner can file in their own county of residence.

After the defendant is served with the divorce papers, a 30-day waiting period begins. This window gives the other party time to respond. In uncontested cases where both spouses have agreed on everything in advance, the process can wrap up not long after that period ends. Contested cases go through discovery, possibly mediation, and one or more hearings.

Georgia lists valid grounds for divorce at O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. The no-fault ground of irreconcilable differences is the most common choice and removes the need to prove any fault by either party. Fault grounds remain available for those who wish to use them, though they add complexity to the case.

Fees for Chattooga County Divorce Records

Copy fees at the Chattooga County clerk depend on the type of copy you need and the length of the document. Plain copies cost less. Certified copies carry the court seal and official signature, and they cost more because they require extra processing by the clerk's staff. Certified copies are required when you need to prove a divorce legally, such as when applying for a new marriage license or updating federal records.

Call the clerk at (706) 857-0704 for the current fee schedule. Georgia law allows clerks to charge reasonable fees for copies and research, and these amounts can change over time. It is always better to ask before you go rather than showing up without the right payment amount.

The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords charges $10 for divorce verifications covering cases from 1952 through 1996. This is a letter confirming the divorce occurred, not a copy of the decree. If you only need basic confirmation, the DPH verification may be a quicker option for older cases.

Note: Bring a money order or check if you are unsure about credit card acceptance at the Chattooga clerk's office, as policies in smaller county offices vary.

Legal Resources in Chattooga County

Chattooga County residents who need help with a divorce case but cannot afford a private attorney have several options. Georgia Legal Aid provides free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents across northwest Georgia, which includes Chattooga County. They can help with uncontested divorces, protective orders, custody matters, and related family law issues.

The Georgia State Bar's lawyer referral program can connect you with a local attorney for an initial consultation at a reduced cost. Even a single hour with an attorney can help you understand your options before you decide how to proceed. For those handling their own case, Georgia E-Forms provides free standardized divorce forms through the state's judicial website, covering the petition, settlement agreement, and final order templates for uncontested divorces.

If children are involved, the case automatically becomes more complex and legal help is especially valuable. The Chattooga County courthouse does not have a dedicated self-help center, but the clerk's staff can point you to the forms counter and explain the basic filing steps without giving legal advice.

Divorce Certificates in Chattooga County

A divorce decree and a divorce certificate are two different things. The decree is the actual court order, several pages long, signed by the judge, and covering all the terms the court decided or the parties agreed to. The certificate is a shorter summary document that confirms the divorce took place. For most legal purposes, a certified copy of the decree is what you will need.

Georgia DPH maintains divorce verification records covering 1952 through 1996 and charges $10 per search through their Vital Records office. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-22, clerks report completed divorces to DPH monthly, which is how the state database was built. The DPH verification is a useful shortcut if you only need to confirm a divorce happened and you know it was in that time window.

For anything outside that range, or when you need the full court order, contact the Chattooga County Superior Court Clerk at (706) 857-0704. Plain copies are fine for personal use. Certified copies with the court seal are required by banks, federal agencies, passport offices, and government offices that need legal proof of the divorce.

Nearby Counties

Chattooga County sits in northwest Georgia near the Alabama and Tennessee borders. If a divorce may have been filed in a neighboring county, use these links to find the right records office.