Find Jefferson County Divorce Records

Jefferson County divorce records are maintained by the Superior Court Clerk in Louisville and cover all divorce cases filed in the county. If you need to find a certified decree, confirm a filing date, or access case documents from past years, this page explains how to search Jefferson County divorce records through online databases, in-person requests, and mail-in procedures.

Jefferson County Superior Court Clerk

The Jefferson County Superior Court Clerk in Louisville is the custodian of all divorce case records for the county. Cases are indexed from the filing of the original petition through the final decree and any post-decree proceedings. Staff handle records requests and can provide plain or certified copies depending on the purpose and what the requesting party needs.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, Georgia court records are public documents. Any member of the public can request access to a divorce case file. Sealed cases are the exception and require a court order to restrict access. When you contact the clerk, staff can confirm right away whether the record you're asking about is open or restricted.

The courthouse is on East Broad Street in downtown Louisville. Louisville is the county seat and one of the older cities in Georgia, giving the county a long record of court filings going back well before electronic records systems. If you need a record from several decades ago, staff can often still locate it, though older files may take more time to retrieve.

The Jefferson County government website shown below provides contact details and links to county departments including the Superior Court Clerk.

Visit jeffersoncountyga.gov for current clerk contact information and court resources for Jefferson County divorce records.

The Jefferson County Superior Court in Louisville, Georgia, handles all divorce filings for the county, with records accessible through the clerk's office on East Broad Street.

Note: Louisville, Georgia is the county seat of Jefferson County. This is separate from the city of Louisville in Kentucky or Jefferson County elsewhere.

Searching Jefferson County Divorce Records Online

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority at gsccca.org provides free online access to case records from Jefferson County and across Georgia. You can search by party name, case number, or date range. The system shows when a case was filed, its type, and its current status. This is a good starting point before visiting or contacting the courthouse.

Georgia E-Access at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ offers additional court records data. The two portals draw from different data sources, so checking both can fill gaps, especially for older or less frequently updated records. If you locate a case number online, use it when you contact the clerk to speed up retrieval.

For records predating electronic systems, in-person or mail requests to the Jefferson County clerk's office are required. Historical records are stored at the courthouse, and staff can search by party name and approximate filing year. Be ready to allow a few days for older file retrieval if it requires digging into archive storage.

Note: The GSCCCA system searches multiple Georgia counties at once, making it useful if you are unsure whether a filing occurred in Jefferson County or a neighboring county.

Divorce Filing Process in Jefferson County

To file for divorce in Jefferson County, at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six months and in Jefferson County for at least thirty days immediately before filing. This requirement is spelled out in O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2 and is a mandatory condition before the court can proceed.

Georgia law offers both no-fault and fault-based divorce. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3, the no-fault ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken is by far the most used option statewide. Fault grounds remain available for cases involving adultery, desertion, or cruel treatment, but they are less commonly pursued. Proving fault can affect property division or alimony in some circumstances.

Once the petition is filed, the other spouse must be served through the county sheriff, a private process server, or by signing a waiver of service. After service, the respondent has thirty days to answer. Georgia requires a thirty-day waiting period from service before the final decree can be entered. Uncontested cases move to conclusion fairly quickly once the waiting period ends. Contested cases may involve additional hearings and take significantly longer.

Costs for Jefferson County Divorce Copies

Copy fees at Jefferson County Superior Court vary by document type. Plain copies run a few cents to around a dollar per page. Certified copies carry an added charge for the official seal and clerk signature. When you need to submit a copy to another government office, a court, or a financial institution, certified copies are almost always required.

The Georgia DPH offers divorce verification for cases on record at the state level from 1952 through 1996. This search costs $10 per request at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords. The DPH record confirms the divorce date and county but does not contain the terms of the court order. It is a useful supplement for older cases but not a replacement for the certified decree.

For divorces after 1996, the Jefferson County clerk is the sole official source. Mail requests should include party names, approximate year, a money order for the estimated fee, and a self-addressed envelope. Call (478) 625-7922 to confirm the current fee schedule and acceptable payment types before sending anything.

Legal Aid and Self-Help Resources

Jefferson County residents representing themselves in a divorce can access free court-approved forms through the Georgia Courts E-Forms portal at eforms.georgiacourts.gov. These forms are designed specifically for uncontested divorces in Georgia and are approved by the Georgia Supreme Court. They work for straightforward cases where both parties agree and no complicated property or child issues are present.

Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org serves income-qualified residents across the state, including Jefferson County. Their online intake process helps determine eligibility for free legal assistance. Services range from legal advice and document review to direct representation in some cases.

For more complex disputes involving children, significant property, or contested terms, a licensed family law attorney provides the safest path. The State Bar of Georgia's Lawyer Referral Service is a practical way to find a qualified attorney familiar with the Jefferson County Superior Court.

Note: Legal Aid offices in Georgia serve specific geographic areas, so confirming that your county falls within the service region is an important first step.

Decree vs. State Divorce Record

Two distinct official records document a divorce in Georgia. The first is the divorce decree from Jefferson County Superior Court. This document contains the full terms of the divorce as ordered by the judge, including property division, support, and custody. It is the authoritative legal document for proving a divorce and accessing rights that flow from it, such as remarriage or name change. Certified copies come from the clerk's office in Louisville.

The second is the state-level entry maintained by the Georgia Department of Public Health under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-22. This is a statistical record submitted by the county to the DPH and captures the basic facts of the dissolution of marriage. It does not include property terms or custody arrangements. The DPH record is useful for genealogy and simple historical confirmation but is not a substitute for the certified court decree.

Knowing which document you need before you start your request saves a trip. For most legal needs, the certified decree from the Jefferson County Superior Court Clerk is what you should request.

Nearby Counties

Jefferson County is located in east-central Georgia. If a divorce was filed near the county border, check the adjacent counties below.