Grady County Divorce Records

Grady County divorce records are on file with the Superior Court Clerk in Cairo and cover every divorce case heard in the county, including final decrees, property settlements, and child custody orders. This guide walks through how to find and request Grady County divorce records, whether you need a certified copy for a legal purpose or just want to verify a filing date and case status.

Where to Get Grady County Divorce Records

The Grady County Superior Court Clerk in Cairo is the official holder of all divorce records filed in the county. The office is at 250 North Broad Street and handles copy requests, certified document orders, and case lookups by name or case number. Grady County is part of the Southwestern Judicial Circuit, which covers several counties in southwest Georgia.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, divorce records in Georgia are presumptively public unless a judge has ordered a case sealed. Most completed divorce cases in Grady County are accessible to any person who requests them. If you are unsure about a specific case, the clerk can confirm its status when you call or visit.

The courthouse is on North Broad Street in downtown Cairo. Parking is available near the building. Cairo is in the southwest corner of the state near the Florida border, and the clerk's office handles records for the entire county including rural communities throughout Grady.

The screenshot below shows the Grady County official website at gradycountyga.gov, where clerk services and contact details are listed.

The county website links to the clerk of court section with phone and address information for records requests.

Note: For older or archived Grady County divorce records, call the clerk before visiting to confirm whether the file has been moved to off-site storage and how to schedule retrieval.

Online Access to Grady County Divorce Records

The Georgia E-Access court records portal at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ provides free online case searches across Georgia's Superior Courts, including Grady County. Search by party name or case number to find basic case information, filing dates, and dispositions. Some electronically filed cases include viewable document images.

The GSCCCA statewide records index at gsccca.org is another free resource. It covers Superior Court filings across all Georgia counties and shows basic docket information. Use either portal to confirm a case and get the case number before making a formal request to the clerk's office.

For divorce verifications from 1952 through 1996, the Georgia DPH at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords maintains a statewide index. A verification costs $10. For anything outside that date range or when you need the full decree with terms, go to the Grady County clerk.

Grady County Divorce Filing Process

Georgia's residency requirement for divorce, set out in O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2, requires at least one spouse to have lived in the state for six months before the divorce is filed. The complaint is filed in the county where the defendant resides. If the defendant is outside Georgia, you may file in your own county.

The grounds for divorce in Georgia are listed in O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. Thirteen grounds are recognized, and irretrievable breakdown of the marriage is the most widely used in uncontested cases. No fault needs to be proven for this ground. After the complaint is filed and the defendant is served, a mandatory 30-day waiting period applies before a final decree can be entered. Uncontested cases often move through the courts reasonably close to that window, while contested ones take considerably longer depending on the issues at stake.

Self-help divorce forms are free at eforms.georgiacourts.gov and include versions for cases with and without minor children.

Copy Fees for Grady County Divorce Records

Copy fees in Grady County follow Georgia's standard court schedule. Certified copies of a divorce decree run around $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each additional page. Uncertified plain copies cost less. The clerk at (229) 377-4621 can confirm the exact current fee before you visit or mail a request.

For mail requests, send a written request to the Grady County Clerk of Superior Court at 250 North Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate year the case was filed, the specific document you need, and your contact information. Enclose a check or money order for the estimated cost payable to the Grady County Clerk of Superior Court.

Legal Help in Grady County

Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org covers Grady County and provides free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents. Family law assistance, including help with divorce filings and custody matters, is available. The Georgia State Bar's referral service connects residents with private family law attorneys for cases that are contested or involve significant assets or custody disputes.

Free court forms for uncontested cases are available at eforms.georgiacourts.gov. The site includes instructions for completing each form and guidance on how to file. For a basic agreed divorce with no minor children and limited property, many people handle the paperwork themselves using these state-provided materials.

Divorce Decrees vs. Divorce Certificates in Grady County

A divorce decree is the actual court order. It contains all the terms the judge approved and is the binding legal document ending the marriage. The Grady County Superior Court Clerk issues certified copies. A certified decree is what most government agencies, employers, and courts require when you need to show the terms of a divorce.

A divorce certificate is a shorter summary document issued by the Georgia Department of Public Health. The DPH index covers divorces from 1952 through 1996. For any year outside that range, the clerk's copy of the decree is your only option. For remarriage, legal name changes, or immigration purposes, the certified decree from the court is what you need. The DPH certificate is useful for basic confirmation of the event but does not include any terms or court orders from the case.

Nearby Counties

Grady County is in southwest Georgia and borders several other counties in the Southwestern Judicial Circuit region.