Search Berrien County Divorce Decrees
Berrien County divorce decree records are filed and maintained at the Clerk of Superior Court in Nashville, Georgia. The clerk's office holds all divorce case files, final decrees, and related court documents for Berrien County. You can search for a divorce case, request certified copies of decrees, or review what is in a public case file by contacting the Nashville courthouse directly. Georgia's Open Records Act makes most Berrien County divorce records available to anyone who requests them without needing a specific reason or connection to the case.
Berrien County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Get Berrien County Divorce Decrees
The Berrien County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 201 N. Davis Street, Nashville, GA 31639. Contact them by phone at (229) 686-5501. The Berrien County official website provides current hours and contact information. In-person visits are the fastest way to get copies of divorce records. Bring photo ID and know the full names of both parties and the approximate year of the divorce before you arrive.
Mail requests are also accepted by the Berrien County Clerk. Write a letter explaining what you need, who was involved, and the approximate year of divorce. State whether you want a plain copy or a certified copy, and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call before sending any payment to confirm the current copy fee schedule. The clerk will send the requested documents or instructions on how to pay and receive them.
Nashville, Georgia is a small county seat. The clerk's office may have limited staff, so calling before your visit is always a good idea.
What Berrien County Divorce Records Contain
A Berrien County divorce decree is the judge's final signed order dissolving the marriage. It covers the key terms the court approved or decided. Property and debt division are addressed in virtually every decree. If spousal support is ordered, it is included along with the payment schedule. Cases with children include a parenting plan, a custody determination, and a child support order following Georgia's guidelines.
Beyond the final decree, the case file at the Berrien County courthouse contains the original petition, any answer filed by the respondent, proof of service, temporary orders entered during the case, and financial affidavits from both parties. Settlement agreements reached before trial are incorporated into or attached to the final decree and are part of the public file. All of this material is accessible under the Georgia Open Records Act for standard, unsealed divorce cases in Berrien County.
If you only need to confirm a divorce happened and not the specific terms, the Georgia Department of Public Health at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords maintains a statewide index from 1952 to 1996. For the full decree or for divorces outside that period, the Berrien County Clerk is the source to contact.
Note: Records in a Berrien County divorce file involving minor children may have restricted portions under court order; the clerk can advise on what is accessible in a specific case.
Berrien County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees at the Berrien County Clerk of Superior Court follow Georgia's standard rate structure. Plain copies of divorce decree records typically cost between $0.50 and $5.00 per page. Certified copies carry an additional charge for the clerk's official seal, which is required for legal proceedings or official submissions. Ask about both fee levels when you contact the office so you can prepare the correct amount.
The Georgia Department of Public Health's Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700, handles divorce verifications for the 1952 to 1996 period. This is a useful step if you are trying to confirm a divorce from that era without knowing the exact county. Their service confirms the fact of a divorce but does not provide the decree or case file contents. For those, the Berrien County Clerk in Nashville is the place to go.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Berrien County
All divorces in Berrien County follow Georgia statutes. Residency is required before a case can be filed. Under OCGA 19-5-2, at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six months before filing. The case is filed in the county where one of the parties currently lives.
Georgia has 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, irretrievably broken marriage, is the most commonly used in Berrien County as in most of Georgia. No proof of misconduct is needed for this ground. Fault-based grounds including adultery, desertion, cruel treatment, and habitual drug or alcohol use are still on the books and can affect alimony decisions in contested cases. After filing and service, Georgia's 30-day waiting period must run before a final decree can be entered.
Superior Court jurisdiction over divorce actions in Georgia comes from OCGA 19-5-1. Free divorce forms for self-represented parties are at the Georgia Courts self-help page.
Public Access to Berrien County Divorce Records
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, divorce case files at the Berrien County Superior Court Clerk are public records. Any person can request access and obtain copies by paying the standard fee. No reason or case connection is required. The default rule in Georgia is openness for court records.
When a judge orders a record sealed, access is restricted. Sealed files cannot be shared without a court order. Most routine Berrien County divorce cases are not sealed and are available to any member of the public who makes a proper request at the Nashville courthouse. If you are unsure whether a record is available, call the clerk's office before visiting.
Legal Help for Divorce in Berrien County
Georgia Legal Services Program serves rural Georgia, including Berrien County, and offers free civil legal assistance to people who meet income requirements. They help with divorce, custody, and other family law matters. Check their website or call to apply.
For online self-help tools and plain-language guides, visit Georgia Legal Aid. It is a useful starting point for people handling their own divorce in Berrien County. If you need a private attorney, the State Bar of Georgia has a referral service. The Georgia Courts website lists Superior Court contacts for Berrien County and links to family law forms.
State Divorce Records and Berrien County
The Georgia DPH Vital Records database, shown below, is a statewide resource that can confirm divorce records registered in Georgia from 1952 to 1996. If you are unsure whether a divorce was filed in Berrien County or another county, the state index is a good starting point. The DPH Vital Records page explains how to submit a verification request and what documentation is needed.
For Berrien County divorce decrees and full case file access, contact the Clerk of Superior Court at 201 N. Davis Street in Nashville. That office is the primary source for all divorce records filed in Berrien County Superior Court.