Find Chattooga County Family Records

Chattooga County family court records are maintained at the Superior Court Clerk office in Summerville, Georgia. This northwest Georgia county is part of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. Residents who need family court records for custody, divorce, child support, or protection from abuse work through the Chattooga County courthouse on Commerce Street. The clerk office keeps current and past family law case files. Searching for records in Chattooga County can be done in person, by phone, or through online state databases that cover the county. The court handles a range of family cases that generate public records available to anyone who asks.

Chattooga County Court Clerk Office

The Chattooga County Superior Court Clerk office is at 10035 Commerce Street in Summerville. The phone number is (706) 857-0704. This is the sole office responsible for filing and storing family court records in Chattooga County. They handle all case types under family law.

Chattooga County shares the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit with neighboring counties like Catoosa, Dade, and Walker. While the circuit judge may travel between courthouses, all Chattooga County family court records stay at the Summerville clerk office. The staff processes filings for divorce, custody, child support, alimony, and protective orders. They also handle record requests from the public. If you need a copy of a family court document from Chattooga County, this is where you go.

Searching Chattooga County Family Court Cases

You can search for family court records in Chattooga County by calling the clerk or visiting in person. Phone searches are quick if you have a name or case number. For a visit, head to the courthouse in Summerville and bring your ID. The clerk will look up the case and let you view the file or get copies.

Online access to Chattooga County records is available through the GSCCCA search portal. This statewide database includes deed records, liens, and some court filings from Chattooga County. Not all family court records show up online, but the portal gives you a starting point. You can search by name and narrow results by county.

The CourtTrax system is another tool that pulls Georgia court data. It can help you find case numbers and filing dates for Chattooga County family court records before you make a trip to the courthouse.

Chattooga County Custody Orders

Custody cases go through the Chattooga County Superior Court. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3 says judges must decide custody based on what is best for the child. They weigh factors like each parent's home, their relationship with the child, the child's school and community ties, and any safety concerns. Chattooga County judges take all of this into account.

Family court records for custody in Chattooga County include petitions, responses, temporary orders, parenting plans, and final custody orders. If the case went to mediation, those reports are in the file too. Most of these documents are public and available at the clerk office. Some details about children may have restricted access to protect their privacy.

Child Support in Chattooga County

Child support cases in Chattooga County follow the guidelines in O.C.G.A. § 19-6-26. Both parents share income information with the court. A worksheet calculates the support amount based on combined earnings and costs like health insurance and child care. The final order becomes a permanent part of the Chattooga County family court records.

When a parent does not pay, the Georgia Division of Child Support Services can help. DCSS works with Chattooga County residents to enforce orders through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, and other tools. They also handle requests to modify support amounts when financial situations change.

Note: Chattooga County residents can contact DCSS directly for help with both enforcement and establishing new support orders.

Chattooga County Protective Order Cases

Protective orders for family violence are handled by the Chattooga County Superior Court. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-13-3, victims of abuse from a family or household member can petition for protection. There is no charge to file. The court can issue a temporary order the same day if the situation calls for it.

Forms and step-by-step guidance are on the Georgia protective order page. Once a judge in Chattooga County signs the order, it goes into the statewide registry. Any law enforcement officer in Georgia can see it and enforce it. These records are at the Chattooga County clerk office, though some details may be restricted to protect the person who filed.

Chattooga County Filing Process

To start a family court case in Chattooga County, you file papers with the clerk in Summerville. Get the right forms, fill them out, pay the filing fee, and hand everything in. The clerk gives you a case number. That number follows the case through every step.

Service on the other party comes next. Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 9-10-91 sets the rules. You can use the sheriff, a private process server, or sometimes certified mail. Proof of service must go into the court file before any hearing. The judge then schedules a hearing, hears from both sides, and makes a ruling. All of this is part of the Chattooga County family court record.

State Tools for Chattooga County Records

The GSCCCA is the main statewide records system for Georgia and includes Chattooga County. For vital records like marriage or divorce certificates, the Georgia Department of Public Health is the issuing agency. These differ from court files but relate to many family law matters.

Below is the GSCCCA search portal, which is one way to start looking up Chattooga County family court records from your computer.

The portal allows name-based searches filtered by county and document type.

Nearby Counties

Chattooga County borders several counties in the northwest corner of Georgia. Confirm the right county for your case before requesting family court records.