Access Stewart County Divorce Decrees
Stewart County divorce decree records are filed and held by the Clerk of Superior Court in Lumpkin, Georgia. The clerk's office is the authoritative source for certified copies of final divorce orders, complete case files, and the full docket of divorce actions in the county. If you are searching for a Stewart County divorce decree or need a certified copy for any purpose, the courthouse in Lumpkin is where you begin. This guide covers how to request records, what they contain, the fees involved, and Georgia's divorce law requirements.
Stewart County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Request Stewart County Divorce Records
The Stewart County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 1764 Broadway, Lumpkin, GA 31815. Phone: (229) 838-6220. Visit the Stewart County website for any current updates on office hours or procedures. Stewart is a small rural county, so calling ahead before making the drive is always a good idea. Staff can tell you exactly what to bring and whether the record you need is readily available.
For any divorce decree request, have the full names of both spouses and the approximate year of the divorce. If you have a case number, bring it. Any member of the public can request a copy; you do not need to be a party to the case. Bring photo ID. Copy fees are collected at the time of your visit. For certified copies, let the clerk know upfront. Certified copies carry the clerk's seal and signature and are needed for most official uses. Mail requests take longer; write to the clerk's office and ask for the current fee schedule before sending payment.
What Stewart County Divorce Decrees Include
The divorce decree is the judge's final order in a divorce case. It is the document that carries legal weight and sets the terms both parties must follow after the case closes. A decree from Stewart County Superior Court will address property division, specifying what each spouse receives from the marital estate. It will also handle debt assignment, alimony if applicable, and, in cases with minor children, a full custody and support arrangement. The decree is legally enforceable. If a party fails to comply, the other can return to court for enforcement.
The full case file held by the Clerk of Superior Court in Lumpkin contains more than just the final decree. The file includes the original divorce petition, any response or counterclaim filed by the other spouse, financial affidavits, motions, temporary orders, and parenting plans when children were part of the case. Accessing these documents can be useful when there is a dispute about what the original terms required or when you need to understand the full history of a case. Fees apply per page for any documents copied from the file.
Note that the Georgia Department of Public Health issues short divorce certificates that simply confirm a divorce took place. Those certificates do not include the terms of the decree. If the terms matter to you, you need the actual decree from Stewart County Superior Court.
Stewart County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees at the Stewart County Clerk of Superior Court are consistent with Georgia's standard clerk rate schedule. Plain document copies generally cost between $0.50 and $2.50 per page. Certified copies cost more because the clerk's official seal and signature are required. That certification is important when you intend to use the copy in another legal proceeding, file it with a government agency, or use it for a name change. Plain copies work for personal reference but will not be accepted as official documents in most formal settings.
For older divorces from 1952 to 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health can verify whether a divorce was registered in the state. Their Vital Records office is at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349. Call (404) 657-2700 or visit the Vital Records page for details. DPH verification only confirms that a divorce occurred. For the full decree and its terms, the Stewart County clerk is your only source regardless of the year.
Georgia's divorce statute at OCGA 19-5-3 lists all 13 recognized grounds for divorce and is available in full through the Justia legal database.
The no-fault ground, available under this statute, is the most commonly cited in Stewart County divorce cases and requires no proof of wrongdoing.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Stewart County
Georgia state law sets the framework for all divorce proceedings, and the same rules apply in Stewart County as everywhere else in the state. The residency requirement in OCGA 19-5-2 mandates that at least one spouse must have lived in Georgia for six months before a petition can be filed. You file in the Superior Court of the county where you or your spouse currently resides.
The 13 grounds for divorce are listed in OCGA 19-5-3. The most common in Stewart County and across Georgia is the no-fault ground: the marriage is irretrievably broken and there is no reasonable hope of reconciliation. This ground does not require any showing of fault by either spouse. Contested cases may use grounds such as adultery, willful desertion, habitual intoxication, or cruel treatment, but these require evidence and typically result in longer, more costly proceedings.
Georgia requires a 30-day waiting period after service before a final decree can be entered. This is mandatory in every case, even when both parties have agreed on all terms. Self-represented filers can access official divorce forms through the Georgia Courts self-help portal. OCGA 19-5-1 provides the statutory basis for Superior Court authority over all divorce actions in the state.
Public Access to Stewart County Divorce Records
Georgia's Open Records Act gives any member of the public the right to inspect and copy government records, including court files. Divorce decrees in Stewart County Superior Court are public records available through a standard request to the clerk's office. You do not need a connection to the case or a stated reason for your request. The clerk processes it, locates the file, and provides copies after you pay the applicable fees.
Some records are sealed. Courts may seal divorce files when they contain information about minors, sensitive financial data, or when parties have agreed to sealing and the judge has approved. A sealed file will be acknowledged but its contents will not be released without a court order. Most Stewart County divorce cases are not sealed, and the records are fully accessible through the clerk's office in Lumpkin.
Legal Help in Stewart County
Stewart County is a small, rural county with limited local attorney options. Georgia Legal Services Program covers this area and provides free legal assistance to income-eligible residents. They handle divorce, custody, and support matters. Apply online or call to check eligibility. For online self-help tools and plain-language guides to Georgia divorce law, Georgia Legal Aid is available without any income requirement.
If your case is contested or involves significant assets, the State Bar of Georgia has a lawyer referral service to help you find a licensed family law attorney. The Georgia Courts website provides forms, court contacts, and resources for self-represented litigants in Superior Court.