Seminole County Divorce Records Search

Seminole County divorce records are held at the Superior Court Clerk's Office in Donalsonville and cover all divorce cases filed in this southwest Georgia county, from the first petition through the court's final order. This page explains how to search Seminole County divorce records, request certified copies, use online tools, and find legal help if your situation requires it.

Where to Get Seminole County Divorce Records

The Seminole County Superior Court Clerk in Donalsonville is the official custodian of all divorce records filed in the county. The office is at 200 South Knox Avenue, Donalsonville, GA 39845. Reach the clerk at (229) 524-2525. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. All requests for certified copies, uncertified copies, case file access, and mail-in records requests for Seminole County divorce records go through this office.

Seminole County divorce records are public records under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70. Any person can request access to a completed divorce case file. Records sealed by court order are not publicly available, but those are rare. The clerk will let you know if a specific record is sealed when you ask. Bring a photo ID when visiting in person.

Donalsonville is the county seat of Seminole County in far southwest Georgia, near the Florida border. The courthouse handles all civil and family law matters for the county. Because Seminole County is small, staff can often process requests in a short time.

The Georgia DPH vital records portal, shown in the screenshot below, covers statewide divorce verifications and can confirm Seminole County divorces from 1952 through 1996.

The DPH portal explains the process for requesting a statewide divorce verification and lists the information included in a summary record for Georgia counties including Seminole.

Searching Seminole County Divorce Records Online

The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority at gsccca.org maintains a statewide civil filings index that covers Seminole County divorces. Free basic searches by party name or case number let you confirm a case exists and get the docket number before contacting the clerk. Because Seminole County has a small population, the index is relatively compact and searches typically return results quickly.

Georgia Courts E-Access at georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/ provides case status and docket data for Superior Court cases statewide. Use it alongside GSCCCA to confirm case information. Neither tool delivers the full file or certified copies. For those, contact the Seminole County clerk directly by phone, in person, or by mail.

Seminole County is a very small, rural county. Some older divorce cases may only exist in paper form at the courthouse if they predate the transition to electronic filing. If an online search returns nothing and you believe the case was filed in Seminole County, call the clerk at (229) 524-2525. A phone call to a county this size often resolves the inquiry faster than any online tool.

Note: Always search both party names on GSCCCA. Divorce cases are indexed under both the petitioner and the respondent, so searching only one name may miss the case.

Filing for Divorce in Seminole County

Seminole County divorce cases are filed at the Superior Court Clerk's Office on South Knox Avenue in Donalsonville. Georgia requires at least one spouse to have lived in the state for six months before filing, as set out in O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2. Cases are generally filed in the county where the defendant resides. If the defendant does not live in Georgia, the plaintiff can file in their own county of residence.

Georgia law recognizes thirteen grounds for divorce under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3. Most people use irretrievable breakdown because it requires no proof of wrongdoing on either side. After service on the defendant, a 30-day waiting period begins. The court cannot issue a final decree until that period ends. In Seminole County, uncontested cases tend to move through the process quickly because of the relatively low case volume. Contested cases involving custody, property, or support take longer.

Free, state-approved forms for uncontested divorces are available at eforms.georgiacourts.gov. These cover situations with and without minor children. Clerk staff can direct you to the right forms but cannot give legal advice on how to complete them or on your rights.

Seminole County Divorce Record Copy Fees

The Seminole County Superior Court Clerk charges fees for copies of divorce records. Certified copies are needed for legal purposes, such as remarriage applications, immigration forms, or court filings in other jurisdictions. Uncertified copies are less expensive and acceptable for personal reference. The total cost depends on the type of copy and the page count. Call the clerk at (229) 524-2525 to confirm current fees before mailing a request.

For divorces from 1952 through 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health provides a statewide verification service for $10 per request. Submit requests at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords. The DPH verification confirms the event but does not include the terms of the court order. For the full record, request a certified decree from the Seminole County clerk.

Legal Help for Seminole County Residents

Seminole County residents who need legal assistance with a divorce case can access free statewide services through Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org. Georgia Legal Aid helps qualifying low-income individuals with civil matters, including family law and uncontested divorce filings. Because Seminole County does not have a local legal aid office, residents connect through the regional program serving southwest Georgia. Check the website for eligibility requirements and how to apply.

For those who want to file without an attorney, the Georgia Courts E-Forms portal at eforms.georgiacourts.gov provides fillable state-approved divorce forms with step-by-step instructions. For contested cases or matters involving children, property, or support, a private family law attorney is the better choice. The Georgia State Bar's Lawyer Referral Service can help you find a licensed attorney who handles family law cases in the southwest Georgia area.

Note: Seminole County is part of the Southwestern Judicial Circuit. Judges in this circuit rotate through several southwest Georgia counties. Ask the clerk's office in Donalsonville when Superior Court is next scheduled locally if you have an active case or plan to file.

Divorce Decrees and DPH Records Explained

Understanding the difference between a divorce decree and a DPH record matters when you decide which document to request. The divorce decree is the official court order entered by the Seminole County Superior Court judge. It is the full legal document that governs the divorce: property division, child custody and support, alimony, and any name restoration orders. Certified copies from the clerk carry the court's official seal and are the binding record of what the court ordered.

A DPH record from the Georgia Department of Public Health is a summary. It covers divorces statewide from 1952 through 1996 and confirms the event with basic facts like the parties' names and the date of divorce. It does not include any terms from the court's order. For any legal or official purpose, whether it is enforcing a custody order, proving a name change, or showing a property assignment, only the certified decree from the Seminole County Superior Court Clerk will work. Submit DPH requests at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.

Nearby Counties

Seminole County is in the far southwest corner of Georgia and borders several other counties in Georgia and Florida.