How to Get an Online Divorce in Georgia? Step-By-Step Guide
Ending a relationship is painful, especially marriage. However, you don’t have to necessarily go over a complicated and lengthy procedure. The best way to address the challenge is to get an online divorce. Georgia helps spouses by letting them avoid the hassle of undergoing a complex divorce and taking up the process online. You may be required to go for a brief final hearing to the court in person.
Read on to delve into online divorce in Georgia, the requirements to be met, the filing procedure, paperwork and other formalities, and more. In case you wish to seek professional legal consulting, reach out to an Atlanta divorce lawyer.
Do you meet the requirements to file for divorce in GA online?
The good news is that you can file for divorce in Georgia if you or your spouse has resided in the state for the last six consecutive months or in an in-state military base for one year. Residency refers to “domiciled” in the state if you intend to live there indefinitely or finally return to it if you are presently living outside Georgia.
Where should you file for Divorce?
You should file your divorce with the Superior Court Clerk’s office in the county where you or your spouse lives. The rest of the job will be taken care of by Georgia’s Electronic Filing System.
In case you need any help filing the documents, you can contact your clerk’s office.
Can you and your spouse reach an agreement on the terms of the divorce?
Georgia provides two kinds of divorce – contested and uncontested. If you and your spouse agree on all the terms of the divorce, it is said to be an online, uncontested divorce. Before filing, the Georgia court lets you complete procedures on how to divide the property, how you manage the visits to your children, and such.
In case, you and your spouse can’t come to a conclusion and want the court to decide, it is said to be contested. This kind of divorce is more time-consuming, involves extra costs, and requires multiple court appearances. The initial process can be done online, but the final divorce would take longer. For more information on this, you may get in touch with an Atlanta divorce lawyer.
Choosing the basis for your online divorce – Georgia regulations
Georgia court requires you to state a valid reason for ending your marriage, even if it is an uncontested divorce. You could state causes as adultery, cruelty, or an “irretrievably broken,” which is the only no-fault option.
Starting your online divorce: Georgia Forms and Resources
Georgia courts provide a lot of useful online resources, such as instructions, checklists, forms, and informative videos. It is recommended to go through these before filing the paperwork for divorce in the county clerk’s office.
The primary form is the complaint for divorce. It contains – the date of your marriage, grounds for divorce, residency qualification information, the names and ages of minor children, and more.
Four Steps to filing a divorce in Georgia
- Make sure you fit the requirements: There are two major requirements for Georgia law for online divorce. One, you or your spouse resided for the last six consecutive months in Georgia. Second, you file an uncontested divorce and are clear on how you divide your property, how you plan to visit your children, and such.
- Prepare the paperwork: You could get started on filing for divorce by hiring an attorney or an online divorce filing service. The latter would ask you to fill out certain forms or seek your responses to certain important questions. In case you plan to hire an attorney, you may reach out for legal assistance to an Atlanta divorce lawyer.
- File online yourself or use a service: Once you complete the required paperwork, it’s time to file and pay the fee for filing. If you had contacted an online service, they would complete the filing or give you some instructions to do it. In case, you file yourself, you can do it by visiting Georgia’s e-filing system.
- Serve the papers or get a waiver: Once you file the divorce, you must serve it on your spouse. In case, your spouse agrees, you can avoid the expenses and send out the complaint, summons, or other documents. Your spouse gets 30 days to file a response. Depending on whether the divorce is contested or uncontested, the necessary steps are required. In the case of a contested one, a judge needs to decide what is fair.
How is the divorce finalized?
You can file a signed document requesting the consent of the court to grant the divorce within a 31-day waiting period. If you or your spouse is unrepresented, the court will schedule a short hearing confirming your paperwork.
How much is a divorce in Georgia?
The cost of filing a divorce in Georgia depends on your location and the circumstances of the divorce. The filing fee varies depending on the county but usually falls between $200 and $300. You may incur additional fees on e-services, postage, and certificates.
Do I need a lawyer to file an online divorce?
Georgia lets you file divorce online without an attorney, but it can seem daunting. A wiser alternative is to take the help of an online divorce service that can help you file the divorce correctly and completely with much lesser costs compared to hiring an attorney.
How can an online divorce service help me get started?
While filing an online divorce in Georgia appears simple, it requires you to fill out various forms. You may get concerned about what and where to fill and be worried about missing out on something. If you intend to get an online divorce, you can get started with an online divorce service.
Online divorce company ratings
We use a detailed and comprehensive rating system to find the best online divorce service. The table offers a comparison of each online divorce service company. However, we recommend you perform independent research before arriving at a decision.
