Getting a divorce in Atlanta

Atlanta has one shelter that takes pets, too

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Please read our two-part overview of Georgia divorce law, “Divorce in Georgia, Part 1” and “Divorce in Georgia, Part 2” before proceeding further with this article.

But do please return–those should both open in new windows or tabs, depending on your browser, and individual settings.

Counseling for grief; addressing domestic violence

In Part 1, we address the obvious question of retaining an attorney, plus the perhaps not-so-obvious idea of budgeting for professional counseling; divorce can be one of the most emotionally traumatic experiences that any couple or family undergoes. Perhaps more urgently important, we also provide links to statewide resources for help with domestic violence: Legal authorities and family-law counselors advise all families to deal with domestic violence issues, first and foremost , regardless of where or what any spouse is or is considering in the complex matrix of ending a marriage.

In Part 2, we go over more generic considerations: residency requirements, grounds for divorce, legal separation–even the unlikely odds of effecting an annulment.

Local DV resources

In this installment, because it’s so important, local domestic-violence resources are our first focus:

In general, across the USA, you file for divorce in the county of residence. That seems simple enough, but then courts are continually asked questions from those who have moved, or from those whose spouses have moved. We address many of these question in Part 2, referenced preceeding.

Courts: Fulton and DeKalb counties

The thing to know about Atlanta is that the city is mostly in Fulton County (and is, indeed, both the seat of Fulton County and state capital) but also has parts of the city in DeKalb County. Following are prime links to Fulton County family law court:

For the court in DeKalb County, please see Stone Mountain Judicial Court, and click on “Family Law” tab:

The Family Law Information Center will provide DeKalb County residents and individuals who file a case within DeKalb County with a one-time, 30-minute consultation for a nominal fee. Consultations are by appointment only, and are available only to those individuals who are not represented by an attorney. All requests for attorney consultations must be reviewed before approval is granted. If either party has received prior legal advice by the attorneys who counsel at the Center, the request can possibly be denied.

Free evaluation

We can help. If you’re ready to begin the search for a compatible, well trained, experienced divorce attorney, you can start with our free case evaluation. If you need more information, please browse our site, using the tabs at the top of the page.