Taliaferro County Divorce Decree Records
Taliaferro County divorce decree records are filed and stored at the Clerk of Superior Court in Crawfordville, Georgia. The clerk holds certified copies of all final divorce orders, the complete case files for every divorce action in the county, and the full docket of proceedings. If you need to find a Taliaferro County divorce decree, get a certified copy, or review the terms of a past court order, the Crawfordville courthouse is where you begin. This guide explains how to request records, what they contain, what fees apply, and the Georgia laws governing the process.
Taliaferro County Divorce Decree Quick Facts
How to Get Taliaferro County Divorce Decrees
The Taliaferro County Clerk of Superior Court is located at 113 S. Main Street, Crawfordville, GA 30631. Call (706) 456-2123 to confirm office hours and what you need to bring. Taliaferro is one of Georgia's smallest counties by population, so calling ahead before making the drive is recommended. The county website may have additional information. Going in person remains the most direct option; staff can search records on the spot and answer questions about case files.
To request a divorce decree, bring the full legal names of both spouses and the approximate year the divorce was finalized. A case number helps the search run faster. Any member of the public can request a copy under Georgia's open records rules; you do not need to be a party to the case. Bring photo ID. Copy fees are due at the time of the request. For certified copies, which are required for most official uses, tell the clerk upfront that you need certification. Mail requests are accepted; ask about the current fee schedule before sending payment.
What Taliaferro County Divorce Records Contain
The final divorce decree is the judge's signed order ending the marriage and establishing the terms both parties must follow. A Taliaferro County divorce decree addresses property division, specifying which assets each spouse receives from the marital estate. It assigns debts between the parties. If alimony was ordered, the decree states the amount and how long it runs. When the couple had minor children, the decree contains the full custody and visitation arrangement and sets the child support amount. All of this is legally enforceable by the court.
The full case file at the Taliaferro County Clerk of Superior Court holds the original divorce petition, any response or counterclaim filed by the other spouse, financial affidavits, motions made during the case, any temporary orders entered before the final decree, and parenting plans when children were involved. This fuller record is useful when you need to understand the case history, verify what terms were agreed upon, or examine how a particular order came about. Fees apply per page for any documents copied from the file.
A short divorce certificate from the Georgia Department of Public Health only confirms that a divorce occurred. It does not include the terms of the court order. If the terms matter, the decree from Taliaferro County Superior Court is what you need.
Taliaferro County Divorce Decree Fees
The Taliaferro County Clerk of Superior Court charges per-page fees for copies of divorce records. Standard copy fees in Georgia county courts generally run between $0.50 and $2.50 per page. Certified copies cost more because the clerk adds an official seal and signature to the document. That certification is required for legal proceedings, government agency submissions, and name change applications. Always ask for a certified copy if you have any official use planned for the document. Plain copies are fine for personal reference only.
For older divorces recorded between 1952 and 1996, the Georgia Department of Public Health maintains a statewide index. Contact their Vital Records office at 1680 Phoenix Blvd, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349, or call (404) 657-2700. Visit the Vital Records page for details on submitting a verification request. The DPH confirms only that a divorce was recorded in Georgia; it does not provide the decree itself. For anything outside that date window, the Taliaferro County clerk is the sole source of divorce records.
Georgia Divorce Laws in Taliaferro County
Georgia law governs all divorce proceedings in every county, and the rules are the same whether you file in Taliaferro or any other county. The residency requirement in OCGA 19-5-2 requires that at least one spouse have lived in Georgia for six months before a petition can be filed. The case is filed in the Superior Court of the county where either spouse currently lives, not necessarily where the marriage took place.
Georgia recognizes 13 grounds for divorce under OCGA 19-5-3. The most commonly cited in Taliaferro County and across the state is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. This is the no-fault ground. It does not require proving any misconduct by either party. Other grounds such as adultery, willful desertion, habitual intoxication, and cruel treatment require evidence and are typically used in contested cases. Most uncontested divorces in Taliaferro County use the no-fault ground because it is simpler and less adversarial.
After the respondent is served with the petition, Georgia law requires a 30-day waiting period before a final decree can be entered. This applies in all cases, even fully agreed-upon ones. Self-represented filers can access official divorce forms through the Georgia Courts self-help portal. The statutory authority of Superior Courts over divorce statewide comes from OCGA 19-5-1.
Public Access to Taliaferro County Divorce Records
The Taliaferro County Clerk of Superior Court is located in the courthouse at 113 S. Main Street in Crawfordville. The image below shows the clerk's official office, which serves as the public-facing point of contact for divorce decree requests in the county.
The Taliaferro County Clerk of Superior Court office in Crawfordville processes all public records requests for divorce decrees.
Visitors to the clerk's office in Crawfordville can request copies of divorce decrees and review case files during regular business hours.
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, most divorce court records are accessible to the public. You do not need to be a party to the case or give a reason for your request. The clerk processes the request, locates the file, and provides copies after you pay the applicable fees. Courts can seal records in limited circumstances, such as cases involving sensitive data about minor children or financial information. Sealed records cannot be released without a court order. Most routine Taliaferro County divorce cases are not sealed and are accessible through a standard records request.
Legal Help in Taliaferro County
Taliaferro is one of Georgia's smallest and most rural counties. Local attorney options are limited. Georgia Legal Services Program covers this area and provides free legal help to income-eligible residents for divorce and related family law matters. Apply online or by phone to check eligibility. Georgia Legal Aid has free online self-help resources for anyone who needs guidance on Georgia divorce law without income qualification.
For contested cases or disputes involving significant assets, the State Bar of Georgia offers a lawyer referral service to connect you with a licensed family law attorney. The Georgia Courts website provides forms, court directory information, and resources for self-represented litigants in Superior Court proceedings across Georgia.