Montgomery County Divorce Decree Search
Montgomery County divorce decree records are held by the Clerk of Superior Court in Mount Vernon, Georgia. The clerk is the direct source for certified copies of final divorce orders, full case files, and documents submitted during divorce proceedings in Montgomery County. Georgia's Open Records Act makes most of these records available to the public without requiring any special status or reason. This page covers how to request records, what they contain, applicable fees, Georgia statutes that govern these cases, and where to get legal help in Montgomery County.
Montgomery County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Get Montgomery County Divorce Decrees
The Montgomery County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 400 S. Richardson Street, Mount Vernon, GA 30445. Call (912) 583-2362 to reach the office. Check the Montgomery County website for current hours and department contacts. Visiting the Mount Vernon courthouse in person is the most direct way to get a certified copy of a divorce decree. Staff can search records by party name or case number while you wait.
Bring a valid photo ID. The full legal names of both parties and an approximate year of the divorce help staff find the case quickly. A case number makes the search even faster. Mail requests are also accepted. Write to the clerk at the Mount Vernon address with your case details and payment for applicable fees. Always call ahead to confirm current fee amounts before mailing.
Note: Montgomery County is a small, rural Southeast Georgia county. Calling before visiting to confirm hours and any current procedures is a practical first step.
What Montgomery County Divorce Records Contain
A divorce decree from the Montgomery County Superior Court is the judge's final signed order ending a marriage. It sets out all terms the court approved, including property and debt division, whether alimony is awarded, and the full custody and child support arrangement if children were involved. The complete case file at the clerk's office includes the original petition, any answer filed by the other spouse, motions, temporary orders, financial affidavits, and the final signed decree.
A divorce decree is different from a divorce certificate. The decree is the court's full order. A certificate is a short document from the Georgia Department of Public Health confirming only that a divorce happened. If you need the actual terms of a Montgomery County divorce, the Mount Vernon courthouse is your source. 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. Outside that window, the county clerk is your only option for the full record.
The screenshot below shows the Georgia DPH Vital Records page, the state-level source for confirming older divorces recorded in Georgia from 1952 through 1996.
For a full divorce decree from Montgomery County, the Superior Court clerk in Mount Vernon handles all requests, regardless of the year the divorce was filed.
Montgomery County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees at the Montgomery County Clerk of Superior Court follow Georgia's general schedule. Plain copies run $0.50 to $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost more and carry the clerk's seal. Certified copies are required when you submit the document to another court, a government agency, or a financial institution. Always specify which type you need to avoid making a second trip or paying twice.
For older records where only a confirmation is needed, the Georgia Department of Public Health has a statewide verification service for divorces between 1952 and 1996. Visit their request page for submission details and fees. The DPH letter confirms a divorce occurred but does not include the decree. For any full Montgomery County divorce record, the Superior Court clerk in Mount Vernon handles all requests.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Montgomery County
Georgia's divorce statutes apply across all counties, including Montgomery. Under OCGA 19-5-2, at least one spouse must 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. The Montgomery County Superior Court in Mount Vernon holds jurisdiction over all divorce cases for county residents under OCGA 19-5-1.
Georgia lists 13 grounds for divorce in OCGA 19-5-3. The no-fault ground, that the marriage is irretrievably broken, covers the vast majority of cases. Neither party has to prove the other did anything wrong. Other grounds including adultery, desertion, and cruel treatment are available but rarely used. After filing and serving the other party under OCGA 19-5-5, Georgia law requires a 30-day waiting period before a final decree can be entered. The Georgia Courts self-help portal has downloadable forms. The Georgia Open Records Act ensures final decrees are public records once filed with the court.
Public Access to Montgomery County Divorce Records
The Georgia Open Records Act gives any member of the public the right to request divorce records from the Montgomery County Superior Court. No reason needs to be given and no personal connection to the case is required. The clerk will search for the case and provide copies for the applicable fee. Online case lookup may be limited for smaller counties like Montgomery; visiting or calling the courthouse in Mount Vernon is typically the most reliable approach.
Records can be sealed by court order. If a judge seals a file, typically to protect minor children or when both parties agree and the court approves, the clerk will confirm the case exists but will not share the contents without a new court order. Most Montgomery County divorces are not sealed. Routine decrees are open public records available to any person who requests them.
Legal Help in Montgomery County
Montgomery County residents who need legal help with a divorce have several options. The Georgia Legal Services Program serves rural Southeast Georgia including Montgomery County and provides free or low-cost family law help to eligible low-income residents. Income limits apply. You can apply online or by phone to check your eligibility.
Georgia Legal Aid provides self-help tools and plain-language guides for people handling their own divorce cases. These work well for straightforward uncontested cases. For contested divorces involving significant assets, retirement funds, or custody disputes, consulting a private attorney is the better path. The State Bar of Georgia has a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a licensed family law attorney serving the Montgomery County area. The Georgia Courts website also lists court contacts and forms for self-represented parties filing in Montgomery County Superior Court.