Lowndes County Divorce Decree Records
Lowndes County divorce decree records are filed and maintained at the Clerk of Superior Court in Valdosta, Georgia. The clerk's office is the primary source for certified copies of final divorce orders, complete case files, and all documents submitted during divorce proceedings in Lowndes County. Most of these records are open to the public under Georgia law. This page explains how to request records, what they contain, the applicable fees, and what Georgia statutes govern divorces filed in Lowndes County.
Lowndes County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Get Lowndes County Divorce Decrees
The Lowndes County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 327 N. Ashley Street, Valdosta, GA 31601. Call (229) 671-2400 to reach the office. The Lowndes County website lists department contacts and current information. Visiting the Valdosta courthouse in person is the most efficient way to request a divorce decree. Staff can search records by party name or case number on the spot and can tell you the exact fees before you pay.
When you visit, bring a valid photo ID. The full legal names of both parties and an approximate year of the divorce will help the search go faster. A case number, if available, speeds things up further. Mail requests are also accepted. Write to the clerk at the address above with your case details, return address, and payment for applicable fees. Call ahead to confirm current fees before mailing anything.
Lowndes County is one of the larger South Georgia counties and Valdosta is a regional center, so the clerk's office handles a higher volume of cases than most rural Georgia counties. Online access to case records may be available through the clerk's portal or statewide systems; check the county website for any online search tools.
Note: For divorce cases involving residents of Valdosta, all filings go to the Lowndes County Superior Court in Valdosta regardless of which part of the city the filer lives in.
What Lowndes County Divorce Records Contain
A divorce decree from the Lowndes County Superior Court is the judge's final signed order ending a marriage. It contains all the terms the court approved. These include property and debt division, any spousal support orders, and the full custody and child support arrangement if children were part of the case. The full case file also includes the original petition, any answer filed by the other party, motions, temporary orders, financial affidavits, and all other documents submitted during the proceedings.
A divorce decree is not the same as a divorce certificate. The decree is the complete court order. A certificate is a short document issued by the Georgia Department of Public Health confirming only that a divorce occurred, with no detail about the terms. If you need specific case terms, the Lowndes County courthouse is where you go. The Georgia DPH Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, phone (404) 657-2700, handles statewide verifications for divorces from 1952 to 1996. For anything outside that window, or when you need the actual decree, the county clerk is your only source.
The image below is from the Lowndes County Clerk of Superior Court website, which serves Valdosta and all of Lowndes County.
The Lowndes County official website is the best place to find current clerk hours, contact information, and any available online records access tools.
Lowndes County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees at the Lowndes County Clerk of Superior Court are consistent with Georgia's standard schedule. Plain copies typically run $0.50 to $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost more. They carry the clerk's seal and signature and are required when submitting the document to another court, a government agency, or a financial institution. Always specify whether you need certified or plain copies before paying. The wrong format may require a second request and additional payment.
The Georgia Department of Public Health offers a statewide divorce verification service for records between 1952 and 1996. Visit their records request page for instructions and current fees. The DPH provides a confirmation letter, not the actual decree. For full copies of any Lowndes County divorce decree, the Superior Court clerk in Valdosta is the appropriate contact.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Lowndes County
Georgia's divorce statutes apply equally to all counties, including Lowndes. 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 the county where you or your spouse currently lives. The Lowndes County Superior Court in Valdosta holds jurisdiction over all divorce cases for county residents under OCGA 19-5-1.
Georgia recognizes 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, that the marriage is irretrievably broken, covers the vast majority of cases filed in Lowndes County. It requires no proof of fault. Other grounds like adultery, desertion, and cruel treatment remain available but are used much less often. After filing and serving the other party under OCGA 19-5-5, Georgia's mandatory 30-day waiting period applies before a final decree can be entered. The Georgia Courts self-help portal has forms for self-represented filers.
Public Access to Lowndes County Divorce Records
The Georgia Open Records Act entitles any member of the public to request divorce records from the Lowndes County Superior Court. No special reason is required and you do not need to be a party to the case. The clerk will search the files and provide copies for the applicable fee. As one of Georgia's larger county court systems, Lowndes County may offer online access to some case information; check with the clerk's office for current availability.
Records can be sealed by court order. If a judge seals a file, typically to protect minor children or at the joint agreement of both parties, the clerk will confirm the case exists but will not release its contents without a new court order. Routine divorce decrees in Lowndes County are open records accessible to any person who makes a request.
Legal Help in Lowndes County
Lowndes County residents who need legal help with a divorce have several options. The Georgia Legal Services Program serves South Georgia, including Lowndes County, and provides free or low-cost help to low-income residents for family law matters. Income limits apply; apply online or by phone.
Georgia Legal Aid offers self-help tools and guides for people handling their own divorce cases. Their resources are written in plain language and cover each step of the process. For contested cases involving significant property, retirement accounts, or custody disputes, speaking with a private attorney is a smart step. The State Bar of Georgia runs a lawyer referral service that can match you with a licensed family law attorney in the Valdosta and Lowndes County area. The Georgia Courts website has court contacts, forms, and guidance for self-represented parties. Residents of Valdosta file divorce cases in the Lowndes County Superior Court.