Search Kennesaw Divorce Decree Records
Kennesaw divorce decree records are filed with the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk in Marietta, and that office is the place to go when you need to find a decree, get a certified copy, or search for a past case tied to a Kennesaw address. This page explains how to request records from the Cobb County court, what those records include, how Georgia divorce law applies to cases filed here, and where to find legal help if you need it.
Kennesaw Divorce Decree Quick Facts
Cobb County Superior Court Clerk
Kennesaw falls within Cobb County, and the Superior Court Clerk handles all divorce filings for the county. The clerk's office is at 70 Haynes Street, Marietta, GA 30090. You can call at (770) 528-1300, and the main website is at cobbsuperiorcourtclerk.com.
Marietta is the county seat and the location of the Cobb County courthouse. Although Kennesaw is a separate city north of Marietta, all divorce filings for Kennesaw residents go to the same Cobb County court. For in-person requests, you will need to make the drive to Marietta. Call ahead to confirm current hours and what you need to bring. Having both parties' full legal names and the approximate year of the divorce helps the staff locate the file.
Certified copies are the standard request when you need the record for legal purposes. They carry the court seal and the clerk's signature. Plain copies are less expensive but may not be accepted in formal settings like passport applications, title transfers, or court filings in another jurisdiction. Note: If you are ordering by mail, include a written request with both parties' names, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and payment according to the current fee schedule on the clerk's website.
The Cobb County Superior Court Clerk website, shown below, is the official source for Kennesaw divorce decree records and court services. Go to cobbsuperiorcourtclerk.com to find current contact information, fee schedules, and request procedures.
The screenshot shows the Cobb County Superior Court Clerk website where Kennesaw residents can access information about requesting certified copies of divorce decrees and searching case records.
What Kennesaw Divorce Records Include
When a judge signs a divorce decree in Cobb County, the document becomes part of the permanent public record. The decree states the names of both parties, the date the divorce was granted, and the court's decisions on all issues that were before it. For simple cases, the decree may be brief. For cases involving children, property, or contested issues, it can run much longer.
Child custody terms appear in the decree along with the parenting schedule and child support amount. Property division is addressed when the couple has assets to split, and the decree will name who gets the house, vehicles, retirement accounts, or other property. Alimony, if ordered, shows up here with the amount, duration, and any conditions the judge set. All of these terms are enforceable from the moment the decree is signed.
The broader case file contains documents beyond the decree itself: the initial petition, any motions filed, financial affidavits, settlement agreements, and interim orders. If you need the full history of a case, you can request access to the case file rather than just the final decree. Ask the Cobb County clerk what is available in the file and what each document costs to copy.
Georgia Divorce Statutes and Kennesaw Cases
Georgia's divorce laws are codified in Title 19, Chapter 5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. OCGA 19-5-1 gives the Superior Court exclusive authority over divorce in Georgia. All Kennesaw divorce cases, regardless of how straightforward or contested, go through the Cobb County Superior Court in Marietta.
Before filing, one spouse must have lived in Georgia for at least six months. OCGA 19-5-2 establishes this residency requirement. If you recently moved to Kennesaw from another state, you may not yet be eligible to file. Once you meet the requirement, you file in the county where you live, which would be Cobb County for Kennesaw residents.
Georgia recognizes 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. By far the most common is the no-fault ground: "irretrievably broken." It requires no showing of fault and is used in the overwhelming majority of Cobb County cases. After the opposing party is served, the law requires a 30-day waiting period before the court can enter a final decree. The divorce petition must be in writing and verified by the filer under oath, as stated in OCGA 19-5-5.
Georgia Courts provides divorce forms for self-represented filers, shown below. Visit georgiacourts.gov to download the standardized forms used in Cobb County courts.
The screenshot shows the Georgia Courts self-help page for divorce forms, which provides standardized documents for people filing without an attorney in Kennesaw and across Cobb County.
State Vital Records and Verification
The Georgia Department of Public Health keeps a statewide divorce index for cases between 1952 and 1996. This index is useful when you need to verify a divorce and are unsure which county handled the filing. The DPH can confirm the event and the county, but it does not issue decree copies. As the DPH states, "copies of the records are held by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted."
If a Kennesaw-area divorce from that era is in question, checking the DPH index first can save time by confirming Cobb County as the filing location. Then you go to the Cobb County clerk for the actual document. The DPH is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700, and their website is at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.
Public Access to Kennesaw Divorce Decrees
Divorce decrees in Cobb County are public records under the Georgia Open Records Act, OCGA 50-18-70. You don't need to be a party to the case to request a copy, and you generally don't need to explain why. Any member of the public can request court records through the clerk's office.
Some files carry a seal order. When a judge determines that a file contains sensitive information, such as detailed records about minor children or financial data protected by a confidentiality order, the file may be sealed. Sealed records are not accessible to the public without a court order. For most standard Kennesaw divorce cases, though, there is no seal and the records are fully accessible. The clerk's staff can confirm whether a specific case is sealed before you complete a formal request.
Legal Help in Cobb County
If you are dealing with a divorce case in Kennesaw or need help getting records, free and low-cost legal resources are available in Cobb County. The Georgia Legal Services Program at glsp.org helps income-eligible residents with civil legal matters including family law. Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org provides online self-help guides and referrals for people managing their own cases.
For paid legal help, the State Bar of Georgia at gabar.org has a searchable directory of family law attorneys. Attorneys familiar with the Cobb County Superior Court can advise on contested custody issues, property division, or other complex matters. Standardized divorce forms for self-represented filers are free at georgiacourts.gov.