Clayton County Divorce Records

The United States has a law known as the Public Records Law which allows the public to access vital records such as divorce records. Basically, any member of the general public is given access as long as requirements are met. However, in Georgia, not all members of the general public are given full access to the records. Like in Clayton County, only a handful of people are given full access to certified Clayton County Divorce Records. Only those whose names are included on the records such as the couple, their immediate families, their respective legal representatives, and the presiding judge, amongst others, are given access to the records.

The agencies in charge of maintaining divorce records in Clayton County are the Probate Court and the County Clerk’s office. It can also be obtained from the Georgia’s central repository for vital records which is at the Bureau of Vital Records under the Department of Public Health. The state started to keep records of divorce cases in June of the year 1952.

Prior to submitting a request, inquire first at any of the aforementioned agencies if the records that you want to obtain is at their office. Once you figure out which agency to conduct your search at, secure personally the proper form for divorce records at the agency or download it at its official website. Supply the form with the basic pieces of information like the names of the couple, the date and place of the divorce, addresses of the couple, and many others. Also supply your contact information so the agency knows where to send the records.

There is a $10 fee for every request which you can pay through money order or check. Fees are non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the search. Return period for every request takes a couple of weeks. If the record you requested is not found, you will be given a certificate which states ‘no record found’.

As aforementioned, there are only a handful of people that are give full access to certified divorce records. If your name is not include on the list, you will still be able to obtain some information about the divorce case. However, you will only be granted access to an informational copy of the record which only contains the basic pieces of information such as the name of the couple, the place and the date of the divorce. Confidential pieces of information such as the terms and conditions of the divorce and the reason of the divorce are disclosed only to those who have access to certified copies of the records. Informational copies are enough to verify if a divorce took place or not.

Another way to obtain Clayton County Divorce Decree is through online websites that specialize in maintaining and providing vital records to the public. There are a number of such websites out there but not all of them are reliable sources. Prior to conducting your search, run a quick background check on the websites to get a better idea if they have a good reputation as a records provider.