Written by Background Check Repair
Background Checks | June 6, 2024
Table of Contents
For finding divorce records, Georgia makes obtaining a copy of your divorce decree very easy using the state’s Vital Records Office within the Department of Public Health.
In fact, finding out if someone is divorced in Georgia is simply a matter of entering their name in a free Georgia records search tool and checking for any civil cases related to divorce. Because when searching without it, it can be a little difficult to know exactly where to find the record you need.
However, to understand where you need to look or to obtain a copy of a divorce certificate, the following guide explains everything about divorce records, Georgia classification, and keeping methods.
Individuals who are looking for divorce records in Georgia should first understand the different types of divorce records and what kind of information these records will have.
This way, individuals can search out specific kinds of divorce records based on what they need them for.
When people refer to divorce records they are usually referring to one of two records: The Divorce Certificate or the Divorce Decree.1 Many people use these two terms interchangeably when talking about divorce records but the records are actually quite different and are also stored in different databases.
Many individuals trying to figure out if someone is divorced or not may immediately try and seek out a divorce decree without really knowing what it is or where to find it.2 The divorce decree, sometimes called the Dissolution of Marriage or DOM, is arguably the most important document relating to a specific divorce.
When a couple is filing for divorce, they will need to decide between each other how to divide all of their assets and debt as well as decide on things like child support, visitation, and other issues relating to any children they have.
Understandably this is a major point of contention amongst divorced couples so these negotiations over which individual gets which assets will often involve lawyers. In most cases, the divorce proceedings will be overseen by a judge who will make final decisions should there be a disagreement that the couple can not resolve amongst themselves.
After the deliberations are over and everything is divided between the two parties, the judge will sign the divorce decree which includes all of the important information from the proceedings such as which party gets which assets, how much child support is to be paid, etc.
Once the judge signs this document the divorce is finalized and the decree acts as a sort of legal contract of the agreements made.
This makes the divorce decree extremely important, as not only does it finalize the actual divorce but it outlines the conditions of the divorce which the parties may need to reference at a later time. Finally, the divorce decree will usually contain tons of personal information such as affidavits and statements involving the party’s assets, personal lives, relationship with children, etc.
Even though all court proceedings in the state of Georgia are considered public information, divorce decrees are notoriously hard to find.3 Despite them being public information, most judges will allow for the records to be sealed shortly after the divorce is finalized. Judges in Georgia are able to seal records if the potential damage caused by the records being public outweighs the positive benefits of it being public.
When it comes to individuals’ personal family matters, there is usually little reason to allow anyone to view this information so the judge will often seal the records to protect the parties involved.
Besides having the court records sealed, many couples will try and seal their divorce outside of court. Although this will require more cooperation between the couple and lawyers may still be involved, this is an effective way to keep the divorce proceedings out of the public record without having to rely on a judge to seal the records.
On the other hand, a divorce certificate is far less important and will contain hardly any personal information about the individual. While a divorce decree is a court document outlining many of the details of the divorce, a divorce certificate is simply a document that confirms that the divorce took place.
Divorce certificates are mostly used for census purposes and are kept with the state vital records department, in Georgia vital records are held by the Georgia Department of Health.4 These records are held alongside birth records, death records, and marriage records. Although not all vital records are accessible to the public, anyone is able to request divorce records.
However, since the divorce certificate may contain personal information, the vital records office is only able to verify if the divorce certificate exists and will not provide copies of the certificate to the public. Individuals who are named in the divorce, as well as their legal representation, will be able to request the records and obtain certified copies.
Although most states make divorce records extremely difficult to locate, free public divorce records in Georgia are much easier to find. As mentioned, obtaining the divorce decree itself is often a tricky process since so many of these records are either sealed or settled outside of court. However, regardless of the details of the divorce, the divorce certificate should always be available and can be used to determine if someone is divorced.
To find divorce records in Georgia the most reliable method is to go through the state vital records office. The state vital records office has a detailed step-by-step process to guide individuals through the request process.5
Generally, the process will involve locating which office has the records that the individual is trying to locate. Once this is done individuals will need to supply their photo ID, payment method, and a completed Form 3917 for individuals who are making a divorce verification request.
Once all the materials have been gathered individuals will have the option to make the request in person, online, or via mail. In most situations, the online option will be the quickest.
However, individuals who live near the courthouse where the documents were filed may find this to be the quickest option. No matter the method chosen, the fee required will remain the same.
When it comes to free marriage records Georgia, the process is similar but there may be a few more obstacles in the way. Individuals looking for marriage records will once again need to go through the state vital records office which will perform the records search.6
To request a record of a marriage application, certificate, and or verification individuals will need to fill out a Search for Marriage form.7 Unfortunately individuals who want certified copies of marriage records will not be able to make this request online and will need to mail the form to the Georgia Vital Records office. The mailing address is provided on the form itself.
Individuals will need to pay $10 to perform the search which will also include a single certified couple. Individuals can pay $5 for each additional certified copy.
Individuals who simply need to verify if someone is married can fill out a marriage verification request form and submit it online to the vital records office.8
Anyone can fill out the marriage verification request form and pay the small fee to obtain verification letters, but the actual marriage certificate must be issued by the county.
However, the vital records office is only able to verify marriages that occurred before 2014.
Although there are plenty of potential issues when it comes to finding divorce documents using Georgia court records, it can still be a good place to start. Not only is there a strong possibility that the records were not sealed, as they often are, but individuals who were party to the divorce will have no problem obtaining a certified copy of their own divorce decree.
Individuals who want to know how to locate divorce records online in Georgia can easily perform a search of the Georgia court records system by accessing the website of the Judicial Council of Georgia.2 To perform a search of the Georgia court e-access system individuals will need to know the specific court where the case they are searching for was filed.
With the proper court selected, individuals can simply perform a search using the name of the individual listed on the court filing. In the case of divorce records, it is possible to locate the records that are being searched but if the records have been sealed then only the individuals named in the filing will be able to request them.
When it comes to individuals asking how to find their divorce date online for free, using the online court records system in Georgia is often the best way to approach this. Since the individual is named in the divorce decree, then requesting the records should not pose any major problems as long as the individual is able to provide an I.D.
Individuals should know that there is a fee to obtain a copy of the record but this amount should be less than $10. However, there are a few truly free options available, although these will be less direct and will not involve going through official government agencies.
The most dependable free options will both include private background check agencies which can be a problem if the records have been sealed as it is highly likely the records being sought will not appear in the results of the check.
Individuals can use the search bar at the top of this page to perform a free public records search using the name of the individual who is listed on the court filing.
Aside from the provided option, individuals will also have the option to perform a background check on themselves using a private background check service. Most of these services are fairly similar to each other and will be able to find all public information on an individual in a matter of minutes.
However, individuals should be aware that most of these companies operate on a subscription service and will charge a monthly fee even if there is only one search being used. Those looking to keep the cost as low as possible should explore websites that offer a 7-day free trial background check.
When it comes to getting a copy of your divorce decree, the process is extremely easy, whether the divorce occurred in Georgia or in any other state. As mentioned, although obtaining another individual’s divorce decree can be difficult or impossible, obtaining your own divorce decree is fairly easy.
Many people who go through a divorce may want to immediately dispose of anything related to the divorce to avoid being subjected to any painful memories. However, it is highly recommended that individuals hold on to court documents forever just in case they are needed for another purpose. This is especially true for divorce decrees as they may need to be referenced in regards to assets, debt, and child support or they may be needed if the individual wants to get remarried.
Obtaining a divorce decree will require the individual to make a record request with the civil court where the divorce was filed in most cases. Almost every court has an online records database that individuals can access from anywhere to search and request records.
In most cases, this will require a fee, contact information, and an address to send the records. The process should take only a few minutes to complete and the certified copies are usually sent the next business day and delivered within two weeks.
Many individuals who are trying to find an old divorce decree will be wondering: What does a divorce decree look like?
Divorce decrees tend to look like standard legal documents. There will be some mention of the divorce on the heading of the form as well as the court, judge, and plaintiffs involved in the case. Beneath the heading, there will be all the information related to the proceedings such as a list of assets.
With so many people meeting online, many individuals are performing background checks before marriage as a safety measure. A premarital background check usually includes a handful of simple checks similar to those performed by employers to ensure that someone is who they say they are as well as to ensure they have not been convicted of any serious crimes that they didn’t mention.
Plenty of private background checks offer premarital background check services which will include a local, national, and federal criminal history check as well as background checks on social media and sex offender registry checks amongst others.
When it comes to finding out if someone is divorced in Georgia, the answer is quite simple. Individuals should contact the state vital records office to perform a divorce records search. As mentioned, the certified form will not be sent unless the individual is a party to the divorce, but the office can confirm if the record exists.
Individuals who understand divorce record availability in Georgia may still be wondering: Are marriage records public in Georgia? Marriage records in Georgia follow similar rules to divorce records.
The records are officially public and individuals can request a marriage license through the Vital Records office.9
Individuals looking for free public records in Georgia may be disappointed to find that all Georgia court records will require a small fee to obtain. Luckily, this fee is fairly low, and certified copies of court documents can usually be obtained for $10.
Individuals can use a free online background check service to find certain records but certified copies will still need to be obtained through the Georgia courts.10
Finding divorce records in Georgia is somewhat confusing but in general, it is far easier than it is in most states. Individuals can rely on the state vital records office to confirm if a divorce occurred and can sometimes obtain official documents through the court where the divorce was filed.
When it comes to how do I get a copy of my marriage certificate in Georgia? The answer is quite simple. Simply access the website of the Georgia Department of Health and navigate to the Vital Records office page.6 This page will contain detailed steps as to what records can be requested as well as detailed steps on how to make the request.
Some individuals wanting to perform a DIY background check on someone will be wondering if it is possible to perform a Georgia case search by name. The Georgia courts’ online record system allows individuals to perform searches using the name of an individual just as easily as searching using a case number.
Those wondering how to find my court date online in Georgia. Will need to perform a public records search on the Georgia courts website.
Performing a name-based search will likely be the easiest option. This will show all court filings that match the name of the individual and should display basic information such as any upcoming court dates.
Individuals who are requesting multiple records and are looking for any and all GA vital records forms can find them on the website of the Georgia Vital Records Office.6
Georgia public court records are held at the various courthouses where the cases were heard as well as online in the Georgia court records public database. This database can be searched by anyone at any time but there is a fee required to obtain certified copies of any records.
Going through a divorce can be an extremely stressful occurrence and many individuals will have trouble keeping track of important documents during the changes that inevitably follow. Luckily, the process for requesting Divorce records Georgia is extremely easy for individuals who are named on the documents.
Divorce records can usually be found in three different ways: Through a standard background check, by searching court records, or by making a request with the state vital records office.
Finding a divorce decree online will require the individual to make a records request using their state’s online court records system.
Divorce records are usually considered public and are available online through the state vital records office or through the online court record system for the state.
Divorce records are considered public in Georgia and information can be requested through the state vital records office or through the Georgia courts website.11
There is currently no way to make a request for Georgia court records for free. All court records in Georgia and most other states will require individuals to pay a search or copy fee to obtain a certified copy of the records. Individuals can find out if records exist by performing a background check but can usually not request records this way.
The vital records office is the office in each state in charge of maintaining vital records on individuals that reside in the state. Vital records include birth records, death records, marriage records and divorce records.
People are curious to know what records are available to the public and one of the questions they have in mind is “Are divorce records public?”. Divorce records are considered public information in Georgia. However, it is very common for the records to be sealed as soon as the divorce is finalized.
Divorce records are almost always public as soon as the divorce decree has been signed by a judge. However, most states make it fairly easy to seal divorce records almost immediately after. In this case, the records may never actually become public or will only be public for a very short amount of time.
1Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts. (2022). Divorce Forms in Georgia. Georgia Courts. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://georgiacourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Divorce-Form-checklist.pdf>
2Judicial Council of Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts. (2022). E-Access to Court Records. Georgia Courts. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://georgiacourts.gov/eaccess-court-records/>
32022 Georgia Secretary of State. (2022). Georgia Open Records. Georgia Secretary of State. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://sos.ga.gov/page/georgia-open-records>
4Georgia Department of Public Health. (2022). Vital Records. Department of Public Health. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords>
5Georgia Department of Public Health. (2022). Request Vital Records. Department of Public Health. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://georgia.gov/request-vital-records>
6Georgia Department of Public Heath. (2022). Marriage Records. Department of Public Heath. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://dph.georgia.gov/ways-request-vital-record/marriage>
7Georgia Department of Public Health. (2022). SEARCH OF MARRIAGE REQUEST. Department of Public Health. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://dph.georgia.gov/document/document/request-search-marriage-form-3913/download>
8Georgia Department of Public Health. (2022). MARRIAGE VERIFICATION REQUEST. Department of Public Health. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://dph.georgia.gov/document/document/marriage-verification-request/download>
9Georgia Government. (2022). Apply for a Marriage License. Georgia Government. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://georgia.gov/apply-marriage-license>
10Georgia Department of Public Health. (2022). Marriage Records. Department of Public Health. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from <https://dph.georgia.gov/ways-request-vital-record/marriage>
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