Stockbridge Divorce Decree Records
Stockbridge divorce decree records are maintained by the Henry County Superior Court Clerk in McDonough, the county seat about five miles from Stockbridge. If you need to find a divorce decree tied to a Stockbridge case, get a certified copy, or learn how divorce filings work in Henry County, this page explains how to request records, what they contain, the Georgia laws that govern the process, and where to find local legal help.
Stockbridge Divorce Decree Quick Facts
Henry County Superior Court Clerk
The Henry County Superior Court Clerk holds all divorce records for Stockbridge and the rest of Henry County. The courthouse is at 11 Courtland Street, McDonough, GA 30253. You can reach the clerk by calling (770) 288-8022, and county information is available at henrycountyga.gov.
McDonough is a short drive from Stockbridge, so in-person requests are practical. Call ahead to confirm hours and what you need to bring. Have both parties' full legal names ready, along with any case number or approximate year you have. For most requests, the clerk can search by name. Certified copies carry the court seal and are typically required when the record needs to be accepted by a government agency, court, or financial institution. Plain copies are cheaper and work for informal purposes.
If you are not sure the case was filed in Henry County, you can cross-check against the Georgia DPH statewide divorce index for cases from 1952 to 1996. For cases outside that window, the county clerk is your direct starting point. Note: Henry County is one of the faster-growing counties in metro Atlanta, and the clerk handles a significant volume of requests. A call to confirm wait times before you go is always worth it.
The Henry County Clerk of Superior Court website, shown below, serves Stockbridge residents seeking divorce decree records. Visit henrycountyga.gov to find contact information, hours, and current procedures for records requests.
The screenshot shows the Henry County government website, which provides access to the Superior Court Clerk's contact details and services for Stockbridge residents requesting divorce decree copies.
What Divorce Decrees Say
A divorce decree is a court order. It is signed by a Superior Court judge and ends the marriage as a legal matter. Every decree names both parties, identifies the court, and states the date the divorce was finalized. What else appears in the decree depends on what the case involved.
For cases with children, the decree sets out legal and physical custody, the parenting schedule, and child support. For cases with shared property, it describes the division of the marital home, cars, bank accounts, retirement accounts, and debts. Alimony terms, if any, appear with the specific amount, payment schedule, and duration. All of these provisions become enforceable court orders the moment the judge signs the decree.
Simple uncontested divorces often produce shorter decrees, especially when the parties agreed on everything beforehand. More contested cases produce longer, more detailed documents. The case file held by the Henry County clerk contains the full record: the original petition, financial statements, any agreements, and every order issued during the case. You can request specific documents from the file if you need something more than the final decree.
Georgia Divorce Law for Stockbridge Cases
Georgia divorce law is codified in Title 19, Chapter 5 of the state code. OCGA 19-5-1 gives the Superior Court exclusive authority to grant divorces in Georgia. Every Stockbridge divorce goes through the Henry County Superior Court in McDonough, regardless of how simple or involved the case is.
Under OCGA 19-5-2, at least one spouse must have been a Georgia resident for six months before filing. People who recently moved to Stockbridge from another state will need to wait until they meet that threshold. Once you do, you file in the county where you live, which for Stockbridge residents is Henry County.
Georgia has 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, "irretrievably broken," is used in the large majority of Henry County cases. It doesn't require proving fault on either side. After the other party is served with the divorce papers, a 30-day waiting period applies before the court can finalize the divorce. The petition must be in writing and verified by the filer, as required by OCGA 19-5-5.
State Vital Records and Divorce Verification
Georgia's Department of Public Health keeps a statewide divorce index for cases between 1952 and 1996. If you need to verify a divorce and aren't sure which county handled it, the DPH can check the index and point you in the right direction. But the DPH does not issue copies of actual decrees. As the department says, "copies of the records are held by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted."
For Stockbridge cases in that date range, the DPH can confirm Henry County. After that, you go to the clerk in McDonough for the certified copy. The DPH is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700. Their records portal is at dph.georgia.gov/ways-request-vital-record.
Georgia's DPH vital records request page, shown below, explains how to submit a divorce verification request to the state index. Visit dph.georgia.gov for current submission options and requirements.
The screenshot shows the Georgia DPH page that describes how to request vital records including divorce verifications for cases in the statewide index that covers Henry County records.
Public Access to Henry County Records
Henry County divorce records are public under Georgia's Open Records Act, OCGA 50-18-70. Any person can request a copy without needing to be a party to the case or give a reason. The clerk's office processes requests in person, by mail, and sometimes online depending on current county services.
Some files may be sealed. A judge can seal a file when it contains information the court has determined needs protection, such as detailed records about minor children or sensitive financial data under a confidentiality order. Sealed records are not accessible to the public without a court order. For most Stockbridge divorce cases, the records are open. Ask the clerk whether a specific case is sealed before completing a full request to avoid wasted effort.
Legal Resources in Henry County
Stockbridge and Henry County residents can access several resources for help with divorce cases or records. The Georgia Legal Services Program at glsp.org provides free civil legal help to people who meet income requirements, including family law matters. Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org has free online self-help guides and referrals for those working through a case on their own.
If you want to hire an attorney, the State Bar of Georgia at gabar.org has a searchable directory of licensed attorneys by county. Family law attorneys in Henry County are familiar with the Superior Court in McDonough. Standardized divorce forms for self-represented filers are available at no cost at georgiacourts.gov.