Find Greene County Divorce Records

Greene County divorce records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk in Greensboro, Georgia, and cover all divorce cases filed in this middle Georgia county located near Lake Oconee. Whether you need to look up an active case, request a certified copy of a decree, or confirm an older divorce, this guide explains every method for accessing Greene County divorce records at the courthouse, through online state portals, or via mail.

Where to Get Greene County Divorce Records

The Greene County Superior Court Clerk in Greensboro is the official keeper of all divorce records for this county. The courthouse is on North Main Street in Greensboro. All divorce petitions, case files, and final decrees are stored at this office. Staff can search by the names of either party or by case number and provide certified or plain copies of the records you need. Call ahead if you are looking for older records to make sure they can be located and pulled before your visit.

Greensboro is the county seat of Greene County, located in central Georgia between Augusta and Atlanta. Greene County includes the Lake Oconee area, which has attracted a growing residential population in recent decades. This growth has brought an increase in court filings as more people make Greene County their permanent home. The clerk's office in Greensboro handles the full range of Superior Court records, including all family law and divorce cases.

Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, gives the public access to court records. Greene County divorce records are open to anyone who asks unless a specific case has been sealed by court order. Sealing is rare and requires a judicial finding that closure is necessary. Parties to the divorce always have the clearest legal right to their own case files.

The screenshot below shows the Greene County official government site, which has courthouse contact information and any posted service updates for the clerk's office.

Use this site to confirm clerk hours and find any online tools the county has made available for public records access before traveling to Greensboro.

How to Search Greene County Divorce Records

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority at gsccca.org is the best free tool for searching Greene County divorce records online. Enter either party's name to find case data including docket numbers, filing dates, and case status. The search is free and requires no account. Greene County cases are indexed in this system and searching there first saves time before calling or visiting the clerk in Greensboro.

Georgia E-Access at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ provides a second statewide search option. If Greene County participates in this system, you may find more detailed case data there including hearing schedules and document indexes for active cases. Try both tools and use whatever gives you the most complete information on the specific case you are searching.

Mail requests are accepted at the Greene County courthouse. Write to the Greene County Superior Court Clerk at 113 North Main Street, Greensboro, GA 30642. Include both parties' full names, the year of the divorce if known, your return address, and a check or money order for the copy fee. Call (706) 453-3340 to confirm the current fee before mailing. A self-addressed stamped envelope helps with return delivery of copies.

Note: Greene County's growing Lake Oconee population includes many seasonal residents. If you are not sure whether the defendant lived in Greene County at the time of filing, a statewide GSCCCA name search can identify which county holds the record without requiring you to guess.

Greene County Divorce Filing Process

Georgia Superior Courts have sole authority over divorce cases under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-1. The Greene County Superior Court in Greensboro handles all divorces for county residents. No other local court can grant a divorce here.

Venue rules under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2 require filing in the county where the defendant lives. If your spouse lives in Greene County, you file in Greensboro. If they live in Morgan County, Putnam County, or elsewhere in Georgia, the case is filed there. Where the defendant lives determines where the records end up, so this is the first fact to confirm when searching for a divorce record.

Georgia provides 13 grounds for divorce under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. Irretrievable breakdown is the most commonly used and does not require either party to prove fault. After the petition is filed in Greensboro and the defendant is served, a 30-day waiting period applies before the court can enter a final decree. In an uncontested case where both parties agree on all terms and all paperwork is properly filed, the case often wraps up shortly after the waiting period ends.

The signed final decree is recorded permanently by the Greene County clerk. Certified copies are available at any time after it is entered. Greensboro residents and others with filings in Greene County can request copies in person, by mail, or through statewide online portals.

Greene County Copy Fees and Costs

Copy fees at the Greene County Superior Court depend on document type and whether you need a certified copy. Call (706) 453-3340 to confirm the current rate before visiting or mailing a request. Paying the right amount from the start avoids delays from underpayment or returned mail.

For divorces between 1952 and 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health provides a $10 verification through its Vital Records office. The verification shows names, date, and county only. No legal terms of the decree are included. For the full court order, request it from the Greene County Superior Court Clerk. The DPH holds no copies of actual court decrees for any period.

For divorces before 1952 or after 1996, the DPH has no record at all. The Greene County clerk in Greensboro is the only source for those dates.

Divorce Decrees vs. Certificates in Greene County

The divorce decree and the state verification are two separate documents. They are held by different agencies and serve different purposes, so requesting the wrong one means starting the process over with a different office.

The divorce decree is the full judge-signed court order. It records every legal ruling: property division, debt allocation, spousal support if any, child custody terms, and child support amounts. The Greene County Superior Court Clerk holds this document. Banks, courts, and government agencies that ask for proof of divorce almost always need the full decree rather than a state summary. Certified copies can be ordered from the Greensboro courthouse at any time after the decree is entered.

The state divorce verification from the Georgia Department of Public Health covers only divorces from 1952 through 1996 and costs $10. It shows names, date, and county only. No legal terms are included. For divorces outside that range, the DPH has nothing. When legal details are needed or when the divorce falls outside the 1952 to 1996 window, the Greene County clerk is the correct source.

Greene County has seen an influx of new residents from other Georgia counties and out of state. If you moved to Greene County from elsewhere and are looking for divorce records from a prior residence, you need to contact the court in the county or state where the case was originally filed, not the Greene County clerk.

Note: A certified copy of your decree is a document worth keeping in a secure location. Ordering replacement copies later is possible but takes time and costs money each time you request them.

Legal Help in Greene County

Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org serves Greene County through its middle Georgia regional network. Qualifying residents can get help with divorce, custody, and support matters. The website has self-help resources and tools open to all users, plus an intake form for those seeking direct representation from a legal aid attorney.

The Georgia E-Forms portal at eforms.georgiacourts.gov has official court forms for uncontested divorces approved for use in Georgia Superior Courts including Greene County. Using state-approved forms prevents the clerk from returning the filing for corrections. Call the Greene County clerk at (706) 453-3340 to ask about any additional local form requirements for this specific court.

For contested divorces involving property, business interests common in the Lake Oconee area, or child custody matters, working with a licensed family law attorney gives you a significant advantage. The Georgia State Bar's referral service can connect Greene County residents with attorneys who handle family law cases in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit area. Local familiarity with the Greensboro courthouse and its procedures is an asset in contested matters.

Nearby Counties

Greene County is in central Georgia between Augusta and Atlanta. Residents near county borders may have divorce records in one of these adjacent counties depending on where the defendant lived when the case was filed.