Woodstock Divorce Decree Access
Woodstock divorce decree records are filed with the Cherokee County Superior Court, and the courthouse is in Canton, the county seat, not in Woodstock. If you need to find a divorce decree tied to a Woodstock case, request a certified copy, or learn how the filing process works in Cherokee County, this guide covers the key steps, the relevant Georgia statutes, and the resources available to help you get what you need.
Woodstock Divorce Decree Quick Facts
Cherokee County Superior Court Clerk
The Cherokee County Superior Court Clerk in Canton holds all divorce records for Woodstock residents. The courthouse address is 90 N. Street, Suite 150, Canton, GA 30114. You can reach the clerk's office at (678) 493-6511, and the county website is at cherokeecountyga.gov.
Even though Woodstock is a large and growing city in its own right, divorce filings go to the county seat. That is how it works throughout Georgia: divorces are filed with the Superior Court of the county where one of the parties lives, and the courthouse is always at the county seat. For Woodstock residents, that means driving to Canton for in-person requests.
When you visit or write in, bring the full names of both parties and, if you have it, the approximate year the divorce was finalized. A case number helps, but the clerk can search by name. Ask specifically for a certified copy if you need the record accepted by a government office, lender, or title company.
The Cherokee County government website, shown here, is the official starting point for Woodstock-area divorce decree requests. Visit cherokeecountyga.gov to find current hours, contact information, and any online services the county offers.
The screenshot shows the Cherokee County website, which serves as the central resource for residents of Woodstock and other parts of the county seeking court records and government services.
What Is in a Divorce Decree
A divorce decree is the final signed order from a Superior Court judge that dissolves the marriage. It is the document you need to prove the divorce happened. The decree names both parties, gives the date the divorce was granted, and sets out the court's decisions on every contested issue.
For cases involving children, the decree will include custody arrangements, a parenting schedule, and child support terms. For cases with shared property, it will describe how assets and debts were split. If alimony was ordered, the amount and duration appear in the decree. Some decrees are brief, especially when both parties agreed on everything. Others run many pages when the case involved significant assets, complex custody arrangements, or a contested hearing before the judge.
The case file is broader than the decree itself. It holds the petition that started the case, any agreements the parties signed, financial disclosures, and orders entered along the way. You can request specific documents from the file, not just the decree. For most purposes, the decree alone is what you need, but if you want a full picture of what was filed and decided, ask the clerk about accessing the complete case file.
Georgia Divorce Statutes for Cherokee County Cases
Georgia divorce law sits in Title 19, Chapter 5 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. Under OCGA 19-5-1, the Superior Court has the sole power to grant divorces in Georgia. No other court type can handle a divorce case, which is why everything in Woodstock flows through the Cherokee County Superior Court in Canton.
The residency rule is found in OCGA 19-5-2: at least one spouse must have been a Georgia resident for six months before filing. This matters for Woodstock residents who may have recently relocated here from another state. If you moved here less than six months ago, you would need to wait before filing in Cherokee County.
Georgia has 13 grounds for divorce listed in OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, that the marriage is "irretrievably broken," is by far the most common choice for Cherokee County filers. It requires no proof of wrongdoing and is generally the quickest path to a final decree. After the other party is served, a 30-day waiting period applies before the court can finalize the case. The filing petition must be in writing and verified by the petitioner under OCGA 19-5-5.
Georgia DPH and State Divorce Records
Georgia's Department of Public Health keeps a statewide divorce index covering cases from 1952 through 1996. This resource is useful if you are searching for a divorce and aren't sure which county filed it. The DPH can confirm the event and point you toward the right county, but it does not provide full decree copies. The DPH itself says that "copies of the records are held by the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the divorce was granted."
For Woodstock cases in that date range, the DPH index can help narrow things down. For the actual decree, you still need to go to the Cherokee County Superior Court. The DPH office is at 1680 Phoenix Boulevard, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700, and their website is at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.
The Georgia DPH Vital Records website, shown below, provides access to the statewide divorce index for cases from 1952 to 1996. Go to dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords for information on how to submit a verification request.
The screenshot shows the Georgia DPH Vital Records main page, which serves as the gateway to the state divorce index used for verifying cases in Cherokee County and across Georgia.
Public Records Access for Woodstock Divorces
Divorce decrees filed in Cherokee County are public records under Georgia's Open Records Act, OCGA 50-18-70. Anyone can request a copy. You do not need to be one of the parties, and you generally don't need to state why you want the record.
A judge can seal a file in specific situations, such as when it contains detailed information about minor children or sensitive financial data that a party has sought to protect. Sealed records are not publicly accessible, and getting into a sealed file would require a court order. For the vast majority of cases, though, the records remain open and can be accessed through the clerk's office.
Note: Georgia's Open Records Act gives agencies a reasonable time to respond to requests. For complex or older records, allow a few days to a week for the clerk's staff to locate and process the file.
Legal Help for Woodstock Residents
Several resources can help Woodstock residents navigate divorce filings or records requests. The Georgia Legal Services Program at glsp.org offers free civil legal help to those who qualify based on income, including assistance with family law matters. Georgia Legal Aid at georgialegalaid.org has self-help tools and referrals available online at no cost.
For those who want to hire an attorney, the State Bar of Georgia's directory at gabar.org lets you search for family law attorneys serving Cherokee County. Many offer free initial consultations. Self-represented parties can use the standardized divorce forms on the Georgia Courts website at georgiacourts.gov to prepare their filing without professional help, though the forms do not replace legal advice on complex issues.