Look Up Fannin County Family Court Records
Fannin County family court records are on file at the Superior Court Clerk office in Blue Ridge. If you need to look up a divorce case, custody order, or child support filing from this part of north Georgia, the clerk is the place to start. Fannin County sits in the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit, and the Superior Court there handles all family law matters for local residents. Whether you plan to search in person or want to check what is on file through state-level tools, a few key details will help you get what you need from Fannin County court records. The clerk staff can walk you through the steps once you know what type of family court record you are after.
Fannin County Quick Facts
Fannin County Superior Court Clerk
Dana M. Chastain serves as the Superior Court Clerk for Fannin County. The clerk office is at 400 W. Main Street in Blue Ridge. You can reach them by phone at (706) 632-2039. This is the sole office that keeps family court records for the whole county. All divorce filings, custody cases, and support orders pass through here. The staff can help you find a case, get copies, or check the status of a pending matter.
Walk-in visits work best if you already know a case number or the full name of a party. Bring a form of ID when you go. The clerk can pull up records and print copies on the spot in most situations. If you want certified copies, ask at the front desk. Certified copies carry the court seal and are often needed for legal or official use. Plain copies cost less but do not have the seal. Hours may shift around holidays, so call first if you plan to visit the Fannin County courthouse.
| Office | Fannin County Superior Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Dana M. Chastain |
| Address | 400 W. Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513 |
| Phone | (706) 632-2039 |
| Circuit | Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit |
Finding Family Court Records in Fannin County
There are a few ways to search for family court records tied to Fannin County. The most direct path is to visit the clerk office in Blue Ridge. Staff can look up cases by name or case number. If you cannot make the trip, the state offers online tools that cover all 159 Georgia counties, including Fannin County.
The Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority runs a statewide search portal. You can look up real estate records, liens, and some court filings through this site. For family law case details, the CourtTrax portal lets you search by name or case number across many Georgia counties. Both tools are helpful when you want to check records from home before making a trip to the Fannin County courthouse. Keep in mind that not every record shows up online. Older filings and sealed cases will not appear in these databases. For anything you can't find online, the Fannin County clerk office can look it up in their local system.
The Georgia courts also use the Odyssey eFileGA system for electronic filing. If a case was filed electronically, some documents may be viewable through that system. Not all Fannin County cases are e-filed, though, so results can vary.
Note: Some family court records in Fannin County may be restricted due to privacy rules on cases that involve minors.
Fannin County Family Law Filings
Family court records in Fannin County cover a broad range of case types. Divorce is the most common. A divorce filing starts the process of ending a marriage, and the final decree becomes part of the public record at the clerk office. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-5-2, at least one spouse must have been a Georgia resident for six months before filing. The complaint gets filed in the county where the defendant lives, which means many local cases end up at the Fannin County Superior Court.
Child custody cases are also filed here. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3, the court must decide custody based on the best interest of the child. Fannin County judges look at factors like each parent's home, the child's ties to school, and the wishes of the child if old enough to express them. These cases produce detailed records that include parenting plans, hearing notes, and final orders.
Child support matters follow state guidelines laid out in O.C.G.A. § 19-6-26. Georgia uses an income shares model to set support amounts. The Georgia Division of Child Support Services can help with enforcement if a parent falls behind on payments. Support orders from Fannin County stay on file at the clerk office and can be looked up there.
Protective Orders in Fannin County
Fannin County family court records also include protective orders. These are court orders meant to keep one person safe from another. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 19-13-3 allows victims of family violence to ask for a temporary protective order, which can be granted the same day. A full hearing follows within 30 days. The court can order the other party to stay away, leave the home, or have no contact.
To file for a protective order in Fannin County, go to the Superior Court Clerk at 400 W. Main Street in Blue Ridge. There is no filing fee for protective orders. The clerk can provide the forms you need. You can also find general information about the process at the Georgia state protective order page. Records of protective orders are kept in the court file and can be looked up later if needed.
Adoption Records in Fannin County
Adoption cases also go through the Fannin County Superior Court. These records are handled differently from other family court records. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-8-2, adoption records in Georgia are sealed by default. That means you cannot just walk into the clerk office and ask to see them. A court order is required to unseal an adoption file. The judge will decide if there is good cause to open the records.
If you are an adult adoptee looking for birth parents, Georgia has a voluntary adoption reunion registry. Both parties must sign up for a match to occur. The Fannin County clerk can point you to the right state resources if you have questions about this process. Keep in mind that the initial petition, consent forms, and final decree all stay under seal unless the court says otherwise.
The GSCCCA provides a central hub for Georgia court records searches. Below is a look at their search portal, which covers Fannin County filings along with records from every other county in the state.
You can run a name search on this site to check for family court filings across Fannin County and the rest of Georgia.
Getting Copies of Fannin County Records
Copies of family court records from Fannin County can be picked up at the clerk office or requested by mail. For in-person visits, the clerk can print what you need while you wait. Certified copies take a bit longer since they require the court seal and a signature. Fees depend on the document type and page count. Call (706) 632-2039 to ask about current copy fees before you visit.
For mail requests, send a written letter to the Fannin County Superior Court Clerk at 400 W. Main Street, Blue Ridge, GA 30513. Include the case number or full names of the parties, the type of record you need, and a check or money order for the copy fee. The clerk will mail the copies back to you. Allow a week or two for processing. If you are not sure of the exact fee, call ahead so your payment covers the full cost.
Fannin County Legal Resources
If you need help with a family law matter in Fannin County, there are some resources to look into. Georgia Legal Services provides free legal help to people with low income across north Georgia. They handle divorce, custody, and protective order cases. The Georgia Legal Services Program can tell you if you qualify for their services.
The Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit covers Fannin County along with several other north Georgia counties. All family law cases from this area go before the same group of judges. If your case involves issues in more than one county within the circuit, the Fannin County clerk can explain how that works. For self-help resources and court forms, the PeachCourt portal offers guided interviews that help you fill out family law paperwork step by step.
Cities in Fannin County
Fannin County includes the city of Blue Ridge along with smaller communities like McCaysville, Morganton, and Epworth. All family court cases from these areas are filed at the Fannin County Superior Court in Blue Ridge. There are no cities in Fannin County that meet the population threshold for their own page on this site, but every resident files family law matters through the same clerk office listed above.
Nearby Counties
These counties share a border with Fannin County. If you are not sure which county handles your case, check the address where the parties live. You must file in the right county for the court to have jurisdiction.