Bleckley County Divorce Decree Lookup
Bleckley County divorce decree records are filed at and maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court in Cochran, Georgia. The clerk's office holds all divorce case files and final decrees for Bleckley County and handles public record requests. If you need to find a divorce case, get certified copies of a decree, or see what a case file contains, the Cochran courthouse is where you start. The Georgia Open Records Act makes most Bleckley County divorce records accessible to any member of the public without requiring a specific reason for the request.
Bleckley County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
Getting Bleckley County Divorce Records
The Bleckley County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 306 SE Second Street, Cochran, GA 31014. The phone number is (478) 934-3210. Visit the Bleckley County official website for current office hours and any updates to clerk services. In-person requests are fastest. Bring a valid photo ID and the names of both parties in the divorce case, along with the approximate year of the divorce if you have it.
Mail requests are accepted by the Bleckley County Clerk. Write a letter with both parties' names, the approximate year of divorce, and a note about what documents you need and whether you want plain copies or certified copies. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call the office before sending payment to confirm the current copy fees. The clerk will respond with the documents or a fee notice.
Bleckley County is a smaller rural county. Calling ahead before your visit to Cochran ensures the office is open and staff are available to help.
What Bleckley County Divorce Decrees Contain
A divorce decree from Bleckley County Superior Court is the judge's final order dissolving the marriage. It covers all major issues the court resolved. Property division is in virtually every decree, covering how assets and debts are split between the parties. Spousal support, if ordered, is included with a payment schedule. Decrees involving minor children specify custody, visitation terms, and child support amounts.
The full case file at the Bleckley County courthouse contains more than just the final decree. It includes the original petition, proof of service on the other party, the respondent's answer if one was filed, temporary orders from the pendency of the case, financial affidavits, and all other documents submitted during the proceedings. If the parties settled before trial, the settlement agreement is attached to or incorporated into the final decree and is part of the file. All of this is in the public record for standard Bleckley County cases.
Note: A divorce decree is distinct from a divorce certificate. The Georgia DPH issues short-form certificates that confirm a divorce occurred, covering records from 1952 to 1996. For the full decree, you need the Bleckley County clerk. Their Vital Records page is at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords.
Bleckley County Divorce Record Fees
The Bleckley County Clerk charges copy fees in line with Georgia's standard rate schedule. Plain copies of divorce records typically run between $0.50 and $5.00 per page. Certified copies carry a higher fee for the clerk's seal and signature. If you need the copy for legal proceedings or a name change, ask for a certified copy. For personal reference, a plain copy is typically sufficient.
The Georgia Department of Public Health handles divorce verifications for records from 1952 to 1996. Contact them at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, or by phone at (404) 657-2700. Their Vital Records office can confirm whether a divorce was registered in Georgia during that period but does not provide the full decree or case file contents.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Bleckley County
All Bleckley County divorces are governed by Georgia state law. The residency requirement in OCGA 19-5-2 requires at least one spouse to have lived in Georgia for six months before a divorce petition can be filed. You file in the county where you or your spouse currently lives.
Georgia provides 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. No-fault divorce, based on the marriage being irretrievably broken, is the most commonly used ground across Georgia and in Bleckley County. This ground does not require proving any misconduct. Fault-based grounds like adultery, desertion, cruel treatment, and habitual drug or alcohol use are still available and may affect alimony in contested cases. After filing and service, Georgia's mandatory 30-day waiting period applies before a final decree can be entered.
Superior Court authority over divorce in Georgia comes from OCGA 19-5-1. Free forms for self-represented parties are available through the Georgia Courts self-help portal.
Public Access to Bleckley County Divorce Records
The Georgia Open Records Act gives any person the right to request and receive copies of court records, including divorce case files, held by the Bleckley County Clerk of Superior Court. You do not need to be a party to the case. Pay the copy fee and the clerk provides the documents from the public file.
Sealed records are an exception. When a judge orders a file sealed, the public cannot access those materials without a court order. Most standard Bleckley County divorce cases are not sealed. If you have a question about a specific case's availability, ask the clerk when you contact the office in Cochran.
Legal Help for Divorce in Bleckley County
Bleckley County residents can get free civil legal help from Georgia Legal Services Program. They serve rural Georgia and offer assistance with divorce, custody, and family law matters to people who meet income requirements. Apply online or by phone.
Self-help resources are available at Georgia Legal Aid, with plain-language guides and step-by-step instructions for common divorce situations. For contested cases or when you need professional representation, the State Bar of Georgia offers a referral service to licensed family law attorneys. The Georgia Courts website has Superior Court contacts for Bleckley County and family law forms.
State Records Resource for Bleckley County
The image below shows the Georgia DPH Vital Records database, which can be used to verify whether a divorce was registered in Georgia between 1952 and 1996. It does not provide the Bleckley County divorce decree but can help confirm whether a divorce occurred in Georgia if you are unsure of the county. Visit the DPH Vital Records page to learn how to submit a request.
For Bleckley County divorce decrees and full case file access, contact the Clerk of Superior Court at 306 SE Second Street in Cochran. That office is the primary source for all divorce records filed in Bleckley County Superior Court.