Bulloch County Divorce Decree Records
Bulloch County divorce decree records are held by the Clerk of Superior Court in Statesboro, Georgia. The clerk's office is the official custodian for all divorce filings and final decrees in Bulloch County. Whether you need to find a past case, get certified copies of a divorce decree, or review the contents of a case file, the Statesboro courthouse is where you start. Georgia's Open Records Act makes most Bulloch County divorce decree records public, so any person can request access without needing to explain why.
Bulloch County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Get Bulloch County Divorce Records
The Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 20 Siebald Street, Statesboro, GA 30458. The phone number is (912) 764-9009. The Bulloch County official website has current hours and contact details for the clerk's office. In-person visits are the most direct way to get copies of divorce decree records. Bring photo ID and the full names of both parties in the divorce case, along with the approximate year of divorce if you have it.
Statesboro is a college town in southeast Georgia with a sizeable population. The Superior Court handles a steady volume of divorce cases. Having accurate information ready before your visit helps staff find the record quickly. For mail requests, write to the clerk at the Siebald Street address. Include both parties' names, the year of the divorce, any case number you know, and whether you want plain copies or certified copies. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope and call ahead to confirm current fees before sending payment.
Residents of Statesboro file divorce cases in the Bulloch County Superior Court. All Statesboro divorce records are stored at the courthouse in Statesboro.
Bulloch County Superior Court Clerk
The image below shows the Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court office in Statesboro, which is responsible for storing and managing all divorce decree records in Bulloch County. The Bulloch County website is the best place to verify current hours, services, and any procedural updates before visiting the courthouse.
Staff at the Statesboro courthouse can search for Bulloch County divorce cases by party name or case number and provide copies of records from the public file. For certified copies, ask specifically when you make your request, as those require the clerk's official seal and cost more than plain copies.
What Bulloch County Divorce Decrees Contain
A divorce decree from Bulloch County Superior Court is the judge's final order ending the marriage. It addresses property division, spousal support if ordered, and custody and child support when children are involved. The decree is a binding legal order that both parties must comply with after it is signed by the judge.
The full case file at the Bulloch County clerk's office contains the original petition, proof of service on the other party, any answer filed by the respondent, temporary orders issued while the case was pending, financial affidavits from both parties, and all other documents submitted to the court. If the parties reached a settlement agreement, that agreement is incorporated into or attached to the final decree. All of this is part of the public record for standard Bulloch County divorce cases.
For divorces registered in Georgia between 1952 and 1996, the state's Vital Records office at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords can confirm whether a divorce occurred. That service does not provide the full decree. For the complete Bulloch County divorce decree, contact the Clerk of Superior Court in Statesboro.
Note: Documents related to minor children in Bulloch County divorce files may have restricted access by court order; the clerk can advise on what is available for a specific case.
Bulloch County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees at the Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court follow Georgia's standard rate. Plain copies of divorce records typically cost 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, a name change, or submission to a government agency, ask for a certified copy when you make your request. For personal or reference use, a plain copy is usually sufficient.
The Georgia Department of Public Health provides divorce verifications for the 1952 to 1996 period. Contact their Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, or call (404) 657-2700. This service confirms a divorce occurred but does not provide the terms of the decree or the full case file. For that information, the Bulloch County Clerk in Statesboro is the right source.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Bulloch County
Every divorce in Bulloch County follows 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 petition can be filed. You file in the county where you or your spouse currently lives. No additional local filing requirement applies in Bulloch County beyond what the state statute sets.
Georgia recognizes 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, that the marriage is irretrievably broken, is the most commonly used in Bulloch County and across Georgia. It requires no proof of wrongdoing and is the standard choice for uncontested divorces. Fault-based grounds like adultery, cruel treatment, desertion, and habitual intoxication are available and may influence alimony decisions in contested cases. After filing and service, Georgia's mandatory 30-day waiting period applies before a final decree can be entered.
The Superior Court's authority over Georgia divorce proceedings is established in OCGA 19-5-1. Self-represented parties can access free divorce forms at the Georgia Courts self-help portal.
Public Access to Bulloch County Divorce Records
The Georgia Open Records Act gives any member of the public the right to inspect and copy court records held at the Bulloch County Clerk of Superior Court, including divorce case files. No connection to the case is needed. Pay the standard copy fee and the clerk provides the documents from the public file.
Records sealed by court order cannot be accessed without a court order directing the clerk to release them. Most standard Bulloch County divorce cases go through the regular process and remain accessible at the Statesboro courthouse. If you have any doubt about whether a specific record is available, ask the clerk when you contact the office.
Legal Help for Divorce in Bulloch County
Georgia Legal Services Program serves Bulloch County and provides free civil legal help to income-qualifying residents handling divorce, custody, and other family law matters. Apply online or by phone to see if you qualify.
Online self-help tools and plain-language guides are available through Georgia Legal Aid. These are useful for people managing their own divorce in Bulloch County. For contested or complex cases, the State Bar of Georgia has a referral service to connect you with a licensed family law attorney in the Statesboro area. The Georgia Courts website provides Superior Court contacts for Bulloch County, family law forms, and self-help resources.