Colquitt County Divorce Records Search

Colquitt County divorce records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk in Moultrie and include all divorce cases filed in the county from initial petition through final decree. This guide tells you where to request Colquitt County divorce records, how to search them using the statewide GSCCCA system, what fees apply, and where to find legal resources if you need help with a divorce case in Colquitt County.

Where to Get Colquitt County Divorce Records

The Colquitt County Superior Court Clerk in Moultrie holds all divorce records for the county. Every divorce filed in Colquitt County goes through the Superior Court, and the clerk's office is the custodian of those case files. The clerk's office is on North Main Street in Moultrie, within the county courthouse complex. You can visit in person, call, or send a written request by mail.

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 establishes that court records are public documents. Divorce records in Colquitt County are generally available to any member of the public unless a judge has issued a sealing order. Sealed records are uncommon in standard divorce cases. Both parties to a divorce and third parties may request copies through the clerk's office.

Moultrie is the county seat of Colquitt County in southwest Georgia. The courthouse is on North Main Street and is easy to locate. Parking is generally available near the building. If you are traveling from Tifton, Valdosta, or Albany, call ahead to verify the clerk can pull the specific record you need, particularly for older filings that may be in storage.

The image below shows the Colquitt County government website at colquittcountyga.gov, which provides contact information and services for county residents including the Superior Court Clerk's office.

The county website links to department contacts including the clerk's office, making it a useful starting point for any records inquiry in Colquitt County.

How to Search Colquitt Divorce Records Online

Colquitt County cases appear in the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority statewide search at gsccca.org. This free portal lets you search by name and returns case numbers, filing dates, and basic docket information. It is a practical starting point for any Colquitt County divorce record search and does not require a courthouse visit to use.

Georgia E-Access at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ provides a complementary set of statewide court records. For electronically filed cases in Colquitt County, GSCCCA and E-Access together cover most of the searchable records. For older paper-based records, a direct contact to the Moultrie clerk is the right approach, either by phone or in person.

Colquitt County does not appear to operate its own separate online case search tool beyond the statewide GSCCCA system. That is the public's primary online research tool for this county. If you call the clerk's office, staff can often do a quick name check to confirm whether a case is in the system before you request copies or plan a visit to Moultrie.

Note: Always search using the legal names at the time of the divorce filing rather than current or changed names, as court indexes reflect names as filed at the time.

Colquitt County Divorce Filing Process

Under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-1, only Georgia Superior Courts can grant a divorce. Colquitt County's Superior Court in Moultrie handles all local divorce petitions. There is no magistrate or state court option for divorce. Every case, whether contested or uncontested, goes through the Superior Court.

Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2 says to file in the county where the defendant lives. If your spouse lives in Moultrie or anywhere else in Colquitt County, this is where you file. After the petition is filed and the defendant is served, the 30-day waiting period begins. For a clean uncontested case with a completed settlement agreement, the divorce can be finalized not long after that window closes.

Contested cases involve more steps. Both parties exchange financial information through discovery. Mediation is often attempted before any trial date is scheduled. Colquitt County is not one of Georgia's larger courts, so scheduling for contested hearings may move faster than in the metro Atlanta counties, though this depends on the judge's current calendar and the complexity of the case.

Georgia recognizes several grounds for divorce under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. Irreconcilable differences is the no-fault ground used in the overwhelming majority of Colquitt County filings. It does not require proof of wrongdoing and makes the petition process much simpler. Fault grounds are available for those who choose them but are used infrequently in practice.

Fees for Colquitt County Divorce Records

The Colquitt County clerk charges fees for copies of divorce records. Plain copies are less expensive than certified copies. Certified copies carry the court seal and official signature and are required for legal purposes such as remarrying, changing a name with a government agency, or using the document in another court. Call the clerk at (229) 616-7420 for the current amounts before you go.

Georgia DPH Vital Records at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords provides a $10 divorce verification for cases finalized between 1952 and 1996. This is a letter confirming the divorce is on record in the state database. It is not a copy of the decree. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-22, the Colquitt County clerk reports all finalized divorces to DPH monthly. The DPH verification is a good option when you only need basic confirmation for a case from that date range.

For the full decree with all terms, go to the Superior Court Clerk in Moultrie. Mail requests should include full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, any known case number, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. In-person requests are handled at the clerk's office on North Main Street during regular business hours.

Note: Colquitt County's clerk may accept checks or money orders for mail requests. Call to confirm the accepted payment method before mailing your request.

Legal Resources in Colquitt County

Georgia Legal Aid serves Colquitt County and the broader southwest Georgia region, providing free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents. They assist with divorce, child custody, protective orders, and related family law matters. Income limits apply, and the application process can be started online or by calling their offices. Georgia Legal Aid's reach in rural south Georgia makes them a key resource for residents with limited access to private attorneys.

The Georgia State Bar's lawyer referral service can connect Colquitt County residents with a licensed family law attorney for a reduced-cost initial consultation. Attorneys in Moultrie, Tifton, and Valdosta handle family law cases in this region and some offer payment plans or sliding-scale fees for clients with modest incomes. A short consultation can clarify whether your situation needs full representation or whether you can realistically handle the paperwork yourself.

For those going pro se, Georgia E-Forms through the state judicial website provides free standardized templates for uncontested divorces. The Colquitt County courthouse does not have a dedicated self-help center, but the clerk's office can point you to the right forms and filing instructions. For straightforward uncontested cases in particular, self-represented litigants can and do successfully complete the process on their own in Colquitt County with the right preparation.

Divorce Certificates in Colquitt County

Georgia does not issue a short-form divorce certificate as a separate document. The document you can get from the Colquitt County clerk is a certified copy of the full divorce decree. This multi-page court order, signed by the judge, covers all the terms of the divorce and is the standard proof-of-divorce document accepted by government agencies, banks, and courts in other jurisdictions.

Georgia DPH verifications for 1952-1996 divorces are shorter documents that confirm the divorce is on record. They are useful when you need quick basic confirmation without the full decree. Request them at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords for $10. For legal purposes that require the complete terms of the divorce, the certified copy from the Colquitt County clerk is what you need.

To request a certified copy, visit the clerk at 101 North Main Street in Moultrie during business hours, or mail a written request with both parties' names, the divorce year, any known case number, payment, and a return envelope. In-person service is generally faster. Processing time for mail requests varies depending on the clerk's current workload and whether the specific file requires retrieval from storage.

Nearby Counties

Colquitt County is in southwest Georgia. If a divorce case may have been filed in a bordering county, these links will help you find the right records office.