Search Butts County Divorce Decrees
Butts County divorce decree records are filed and maintained at the Clerk of Superior Court in Jackson, Georgia. The clerk's office is the official custodian for all divorce cases and final decrees in Butts County. Whether you need to find a past divorce case, get certified copies of a decree, or review case documents, the Jackson courthouse is the right starting point. Georgia's Open Records Act makes most Butts County divorce decree records publicly accessible, so you can request them without needing to provide a reason or demonstrate any personal connection to the case.
Butts County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Get Butts County Divorce Records
The Butts County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 25 E. 11th Street, Jackson, GA 30233. Call the office at (770) 504-1800. Visit the Butts County official website for current hours and contact information. In-person requests at the Jackson courthouse are the most direct and fastest way to access divorce records. Bring photo ID along with the full names of both parties and the approximate year of the divorce.
Mail requests are also accepted. Write to the clerk at the Jackson address, include the names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, any case number you know, and whether you need plain or certified copies. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Call ahead to confirm the current copy fee schedule before including payment with your request. The clerk will respond with the documents or a fee notice explaining how to proceed.
Jackson is the county seat of Butts County, located in central Georgia. Butts County is a smaller county but the clerk's office handles a full range of family court records including divorce decrees.
Butts County Superior Court Clerk Office
The image below shows the Butts County Clerk of Superior Court office in Jackson, which manages all divorce decree filings and record requests for the county. The Butts County website has the most current information on hours, fees, and clerk services before you visit.
Staff at the Jackson courthouse can search Butts County divorce records by name or case number and provide copies from the public file. For certified copies needed for legal use, ask the clerk specifically when you make your request so they can prepare the correct version with the official seal.
What Butts County Divorce Decrees Contain
A Butts County divorce decree is the judge's final signed order ending the marriage. It sets out the binding legal terms of the case. Property division is in virtually every decree, whether that means splitting a house, dividing accounts, or allocating debts. Spousal support, if ordered, is included along with a payment schedule. Decrees involving minor children specify custody, visitation, and child support based on Georgia's income shares model.
The full case file at the Butts County courthouse holds the original petition, proof of service, any answer filed by the other party, temporary orders issued while the case was open, financial affidavits from both parties, and all other documents submitted to the court. Settlement agreements are attached to or incorporated into the final decree and are part of the public file for standard cases. All of this material is accessible to the public for Butts County divorce cases not restricted by court order.
The state's Vital Records office at dph.georgia.gov/VitalRecords maintains a statewide index from 1952 to 1996 that can confirm a divorce occurred in Georgia. For the full Butts County divorce decree or for cases outside that date range, the Clerk of Superior Court in Jackson is the only source.
Note: Portions of Butts County divorce files related to minor children may have restricted access by court order; the clerk will advise you when you inquire about a specific case.
Butts County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees at the Butts County Clerk of Superior Court follow Georgia's standard rate. Plain copies of divorce records generally cost between $0.50 and $5.00 per page. Certified copies carry a higher fee for the clerk's seal and signature, which is required when using the document in legal proceedings or government submissions. Specify whether you need a plain or certified copy when you make your request to ensure you get the right document and pay the correct amount.
The Georgia Department of Public Health offers a separate divorce verification service for records from 1952 to 1996. Their Vital Records office is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Phone: (404) 657-2700. This is useful for confirming a divorce occurred during that period but does not provide the full decree. For the complete Butts County divorce decree, the Jackson courthouse is the right contact.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Butts County
All divorces in Butts County follow 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 filing. You file in Butts County if you or your spouse lives there at the time of filing.
Georgia offers 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, that the marriage is irretrievably broken, is the most common in Butts County and statewide. It requires no proof of fault by either party and is the standard choice for uncontested divorces. Fault-based grounds like adultery, cruel treatment, desertion, and habitual intoxication are available in cases where fault is relevant, particularly for alimony determinations.
After a divorce petition is filed and served in Butts County, Georgia's mandatory 30-day waiting period must pass before a final decree can be entered. The rule applies regardless of whether both parties agree. Superior Court authority over divorce actions in Georgia is grounded in OCGA 19-5-1. Self-represented parties can get divorce forms at the Georgia Courts self-help portal.
Public Access to Butts County Divorce Records
The Georgia Open Records Act makes divorce case files at the Butts County Clerk of Superior Court available to any member of the public. No connection to the case is needed. Pay the standard fee and the clerk provides the documents. This is the default rule under Georgia law for court records.
When a judge orders a record sealed, those materials are not accessible without a court order. Most routine Butts County divorce cases go through the standard process and remain in the public file at the Jackson courthouse. If you are unsure whether a specific case is accessible, the clerk can tell you when you call or visit.
Legal Help for Divorce in Butts County
Butts County residents needing legal help with divorce can reach Georgia Legal Services Program. They serve rural Georgia and provide free civil legal assistance to income-qualifying residents on family law matters including divorce and custody. Apply online or by phone to see if you qualify.
The Georgia Legal Aid website has self-help guides and step-by-step instructions for managing your own divorce case. For contested or complex matters, the State Bar of Georgia has a referral service to help find a licensed attorney in the Jackson area. The Georgia Courts website provides Superior Court contacts for Butts County, family law forms, and guidance for self-represented parties.
Note: For the most current information on free legal aid availability in Butts County, check the Georgia Legal Services website directly, as service areas and eligibility requirements can change.