Search free Gwinnett County divorce records online through various agencies and official databases.
Divorce records hold details about the separation and the former spouses; they can even contain details of the final court verdict concerning the divorce, which can give insight into important legal matters like separation of assets, child custody, alimony, and child support.
This resource enables citizens to conduct a seamless divorce records search in Gwinnett County, Georgia, without any fees.
How To Search for Gwinnett County Divorce Records Online at No Cost
Interested citizens can obtain divorce records in Gwinnett County through different agencies. Primarily, divorce records in the county can be obtained from the Gwinnett Courts.1 The Gwinnett Courts have a designated public portal that can be used not only to search court hearings but also to search court records, including divorce records.2
Although previously open for anyone, citizens will now have to register themselves on the Gwinnett Courts Portal to access it. This change was made effective after the 3rd of March 2023; the registration process is extremely efficient and free of charge.
A basic registration form (linked above) will have to be filled out and submitted after which the tool will provide users with login access. A link will be sent to the user-provided email address and after verification, users can log into the tool using their email and the password they had created.
Once citizens have logged into the public portal successfully, they will be able to see two options; Hearings Search and Smart Search. Out of these two, the “Smart Search” option can help residents look up divorce records.
Divorce cases can be searched by different criteria such as case number, party name, attorney name, attorney bar number, judicial officer, and citation number. Furthermore, residents can also filter and narrow down their searches through the “Advance Search Options.”
In the “General Options” section, citizens can choose the specific court in which they think the divorce took place. In addition to that, in the “Party Search Criteria” section, residents can choose to filter the search by adding gender, ethnicity, FBI Number, SO Number, and Booking Number filters. Furthermore, they can also add a date of birth range to get more precise results.
In the “Case Search Criteria” section, users can also add a filing date range as well as filter the records search by case type, case status, and judicial officer.
Once the search is commenced, the portal will provide a range of information about the searched case. This information can include details of the divorcees (names, dates of birth, contact information, and attorney names), details of the case (filing date, case number, and current status), as well as information about all the major events that took place during the proceedings.
In addition to that, the case decree and certain documents filed during the case can also be available in the results.
The tool also has a complete user guide to help searchers in making its best use.3 The database of the tool is updated regularly by the department so that researchers can have access to the most recent court records. Residents must note that the tool provides non-certified divorce records. For certified divorce records, the courts where the separation case was filed should be visited.
It is important to keep in mind that certain information can be restricted in the records in the search results to protect the privacy of the divorcees. Exact addresses, financial details, social security numbers, as well as details of minor children are included in such information. Furthermore, divorce papers of certain cases are entirely not available in case the court has ordered to seal them.
As another option, for certified divorce records, interested parties can also reach out to the Clerk of Court of Gwinnett County divorce records.
Gwinnett County Clerk of Court – Main Office
75 Langley Drive
P.O. Box Number 880
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046
Phone Number: 770-822-8100
Email Address: [email protected]
Residents can visit the office of the clerk during normal business hours of 8 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday and request divorce records. Citizens planning a visit must keep in mind that the office is closed during weekends and other public holidays.
Primary details of either the case or the divorcees will have to be given to the department so that it can conduct a comprehensive search from its database. Furthermore, the clerk of court can also be called directly at the above-mentioned number for any sort of details or information.
How To Run a Georgia Divorce Record Lookup via the State Courts (Statewide Search)
In case residents cannot find the desired divorce records at the county level, they can conduct a state-level search.
The Georgia Courts can help interested residents in conducting a statewide search for divorce records. The department endorses a paid tool named re:SearchGA which can be used to search court records (including divorce cases) in all of Georgia.4
However, researchers must first register themselves to access the tool. The “Pricing Page” can be checked for prices of different packages and the company also offers a free 14-day trial.6 In case of confusion or queries, the service provider can be emailed at [email protected] or called at 844-307-8720. Furthermore, the service’s FAQ page can also be checked for assistance.
In addition to that, state public divorce records can also be searched through the Vital Records Services provided by the Georgia Government.
Interested citizens can also choose to search older records from the state divorce index for genealogy, lineage, or ancestral purposes. This can be done through the Georgia Archives which can provide researchers with extensive information on older court records, including divorce records.
Are Divorce Records Open to the Public in Gwinnett County?
Yes, divorce records, both certified and non-certified, are open to the public in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
This public availability of records (including common law divorce records) is ensured by the Georgia Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.).7 Anyone from the general public can access divorce records, however, there are a few things to be considered here.
Divorce records usually contain two different kinds of documents. The first kind is the divorce certificates which are available to the general public. These single-sheet documents simply announce the official dissolution of a marriage.
The second kind is the divorce decrees which are in fact complete detailed final verdicts of the court in regard to the separation cases.
The decree of divorce can contain a ton of information about the separation case such as its circumstances, details of the divorcees, and even details regarding alimony, child support, child custody, and division of assets. Complete decrees of divorce cases are usually difficult to obtain.
Furthermore, before beginning their search, researchers must keep in mind that certain sensitive information in the records can also be restricted by the providing agency to ensure the safety and privacy of the people involved in the divorce case.
There are various third-party sources that can aid interesting individuals in looking up divorce records in Gwinnett County, Georgia. However, researchers must keep in mind that unless a government department endorses the third-party website or company, the information obtained through it should not be utilized for legal matters.
This article covers in detail how to search for Gwinnett County divorce records online free of charge through various official sources and agencies.
References
1Gwinnett County Courts. (n.d.). Case Search. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://www.gwinnettcourts.com/casesearch/>
2Gwinnett County Courts. (2023, March 3). Odyssey Portal. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://odyssey.gwinnettcourts.com/Portal/>
3Gwinnett County Courts. (n.d.). Portal Search Tips [PDF]. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://www.gwinnettcourts.com/about/documents/Portal%20Search%20Tips.pdf>
4Tyler Technologies. (n.d.). Georgia Court Records Search: Home. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://researchga.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/Home#!/home>
5Tyler Technologies. (n.d.). Georgia Court Records Search: Advanced Search. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://researchga.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/#!/advancedSearch>
6Tyler Technologies. (n.d.). Georgia Court Records Search: Upgrade Notice. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://researchga.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/Home#!/upgrade>
7Georgia Department of Law. (n.d.). Legislative intent; definitions. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from <https://law.georgia.gov/document/here-3/download>