Dade County Divorce Records

Dade County divorce records are filed and stored at the Superior Court Clerk's office in Trenton, Georgia, and cover every divorce case granted in this county. If you need to find a decree, verify a case was finalized, or request a certified copy, this guide covers every step for accessing Dade County divorce records whether you search online, visit in person, or write in by mail.

Where to Get Dade County Divorce Records

The Dade County Superior Court Clerk holds all divorce records for this county. All filings, decrees, and case documents are stored at the courthouse in Trenton. If you need an official copy of a decree or want to look up case details, this is the office to contact first. The clerk handles both current filings and older archived cases going back many decades.

Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, makes court records public. Most Dade County divorce records are open to anyone who asks. Sealed cases are uncommon and typically involve minors. If you are a party to the divorce, you have the strongest claim to access the full case file. Call ahead before visiting to confirm what you need is available and whether staff can pull it before you arrive.

The Dade County courthouse is in Trenton, near the Tennessee state line. The county is smaller, so staff often know the records well. In-person visits are usually quick when you have the case number or the parties' names and approximate filing year ready.

The county website at dadecounty-ga.gov lists contact information and may have updated hours or closure notices. Check it before making the drive from outside the area.

The screenshot below shows the Dade County official web portal, which is the starting point for contacting the clerk's office about divorce records.

Use this portal to locate clerk contact details and any online resources the county has made available for public records requests.

How to Search Dade County Divorce Records

For online searching, the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority at gsccca.org is your best free tool. This statewide system lets you search by party name across Georgia counties, including Dade. You can find case numbers, filing dates, and basic case data without charge. Full document images are not always available for smaller counties, but the index itself is useful for confirming a case exists and finding the docket number before ordering copies.

Georgia E-Access at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ provides another statewide search option. It draws from court management systems used by many Georgia Superior Courts. If Dade County participates, you may find active case details there. Even if only partial data appears, knowing the case number speeds up any request you make with the clerk directly.

Mail requests are accepted by most Georgia Superior Courts. Send a written request with the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, your contact information, and a check or money order for the copy fee. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. The Dade County clerk can tell you the current per-page rate over the phone before you send your request.

Note: For records before electronic systems, paper files are stored in the courthouse archive and must be pulled by staff, which can take extra time.

Dade County Divorce Filing Process

Under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-1, Georgia's Superior Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over all divorce cases. That means only the Dade County Superior Court can grant a divorce for Dade County residents. No magistrate court, probate court, or state court has authority here.

Venue matters. O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2 says you file in the county where the defendant lives. If your spouse lives in Dade County, you file here. If your spouse lives elsewhere in Georgia, the case is filed there. This rule affects where records end up, so keep it in mind when searching for a divorce record that may not be in Dade County at all.

Georgia law lists 13 grounds for divorce under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. Irretrievable breakdown is the most used ground and requires no proof of fault. After a petition is filed in Trenton, the other party is served. A statutory 30-day waiting period then applies before a decree can be issued. Uncontested cases often resolve faster once all paperwork is in order and both parties have agreed on all terms.

The final decree signed by the judge becomes the official record. The Dade County clerk records it and keeps it permanently. That recorded decree is what you need for name changes, remarriage, or any legal matter that asks for proof the divorce was granted.

Dade County Copy Fees and Costs

Copy fees at the Dade County Superior Court vary by document type. Certified copies cost more than plain copies. Call (706) 657-4778 to get current pricing before visiting or mailing a request. Fees can change and the clerk can give you an exact figure.

For divorces granted between 1952 and 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health offers a basic verification through its Vital Records office. This $10 service confirms that a divorce occurred and lists the parties and date, but it does not include any terms of the decree. It is useful when you only need proof a divorce happened, not what it said. For the full decree, you must request it from the Dade County Superior Court Clerk. The DPH holds no copies of Dade County divorce decrees themselves.

If your divorce is outside the 1952 to 1996 window, the DPH has nothing for you. The clerk in Trenton is your only source for any record before 1952 or after 1996.

Note: Some clerk offices charge a small research fee for older archived records that require staff time to locate and retrieve.

Divorce Decrees vs. Certificates in Dade County

People often mix these up. They are different documents held by different agencies, and knowing which one you need prevents a wasted trip or a rejected request.

A divorce decree is the judge's signed court order. It is the full legal document that includes every term the court ordered: property division, any debt assignments, spousal support if awarded, custody arrangements, child support amounts, and any other rulings the judge made. The Dade County Superior Court Clerk holds this document. It is the one most lawyers, banks, and government agencies want to see when they ask for proof of divorce. It can be requested at any time from the clerk in Trenton.

A divorce certificate or verification is a state-level summary record created for statistical tracking. The Georgia Department of Public Health holds these records only for divorces that occurred between 1952 and 1996. The verification lists names, the county, and the date the divorce was granted. It does not include property terms, custody, or any other case details. Cost is $10 from the DPH. If the divorce was before 1952 or after 1996, the DPH holds nothing.

When in doubt, get the decree from the Dade County clerk. It covers every legal need the certificate does, plus far more detail.

Legal Help in Dade County

Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org serves low-income residents across the state, including Dade County. They handle family law matters such as divorce, custody, and support. Eligibility is income-based. Their website has a case intake form and a library of self-help resources that anyone can use regardless of income.

For those filing without a lawyer, Georgia's E-Forms portal at eforms.georgiacourts.gov has official court forms for uncontested divorces and other family law matters. The forms are approved for use in Georgia courts and include instructions. Using the right forms from the start keeps the case from being delayed by a clerk returning improperly filed paperwork.

The Dade County Superior Court Clerk can tell you which forms are required locally and how to file them correctly. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can point you to the right documents. For contested divorces involving property disputes or child custody fights, an attorney is strongly recommended. The Georgia State Bar's lawyer referral service can connect you with a family law attorney in the region.

Nearby Counties

Dade County borders several counties in northwest Georgia and across the state line. Divorce records for nearby residents may be held in one of these adjacent counties depending on where the defendant lived when the case was filed.