Habersham County Family Court Records Lookup

Habersham County family court records are managed by Clerk Stephanie D. Jones at the Superior Court office in Clarkesville, Georgia. Located in the northeast mountains of the state, Habersham County is part of the Mountain Judicial Circuit. All family law matters go through the courthouse on Llewellyn Street. If you need to search for a divorce filing, custody order, or child support case in Habersham County, the clerk office is where these records are kept. Staff can help you find what you need, and most family court documents here are open to the public under Georgia law.

Habersham County Court Clerk Office

Stephanie D. Jones is the Clerk of Superior Court in Habersham County. The office is at 295 Llewellyn Street in Clarkesville. You can reach the office at (706) 839-0300 for questions about family court records, case status, or how to file. The clerk handles divorce petitions, custody cases, child support filings, protective orders, and adoption cases. This one office manages all family court records for the entire county.

Habersham County belongs to the Mountain Judicial Circuit, which covers several northeast Georgia counties. Circuit judges rotate through the area. The Clarkesville courthouse is smaller than those in metro counties, which usually means shorter lines and quicker service for walk-ins. Bring your ID and the case number when visiting. If you do not have a case number, staff can search by party name. Certified copies cost more but include the court seal. Plain copies work for your own files but may not be accepted by other agencies or courts.

Finding Family Records in Habersham County

Online searches for Habersham County family court records can start at the GSCCCA search portal. This statewide tool covers all Georgia counties and allows searches by name, case number, or date. A regular account is $14.95 a month plus $0.50 per page. The results give you case numbers and filing dates that you can reference when contacting the clerk for full copies.

Visiting the clerk office in Clarkesville gives you the deepest access to Habersham County family court records. Not all documents appear in the online system. Sealed records and older cases that have not been digitized may only be available in person. You can also request copies by mail. Send a letter with the case information, your return address, and a check for the fees. Call first to find out the current costs.

The GSCCCA homepage has additional tools like the Filing Activity Notification System. This free service sends you alerts when new filings are recorded for names you are watching in Habersham County.

Note: Habersham County records stored off-site may take extra time for the clerk to retrieve.

Habersham County Custody Proceedings

Custody cases are a regular part of the Habersham County family court docket. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3 directs judges to focus on the child's best interest. The court weighs things like home stability, the bond between parent and child, and each parent's capacity to provide care. A child 14 or older gets to pick, and the court usually goes along with it. For children aged 11 to 13, the judge listens but decides on their own.

Habersham County custody records include the petition, any temporary orders, mediation outcomes, and the final plan. These files are at the Clarkesville clerk office. Most are public records that anyone can ask to see.

Child Support in Habersham County

Child support orders in Habersham County use Georgia's income shares formula under O.C.G.A. § 19-6-26. Both parents share income details. The court sets a payment based on the number of kids and expenses like insurance and day care. That order goes into the Habersham County family court records.

When a parent does not pay, the Georgia Division of Child Support Services enforces the order. DCSS can garnish wages, seize tax refunds, and suspend licenses. Habersham County residents can call 1-877-423-4746 for help. Office lobbies are open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 AM to 3 PM. Enforcement records also appear in the Habersham County court file.

The screenshot below shows the Georgia DCSS homepage, a key resource for Habersham County families dealing with child support matters.

DCSS helps enforce and modify child support orders for residents across Habersham County and all of Georgia.

Protective Orders in Habersham County

Under O.C.G.A. § 19-13-3, family violence victims in Habersham County can file for a protective order at no cost. The Superior Court in Clarkesville handles these cases. A temporary order can be issued the same day when the threat is immediate. After a hearing, a final order may last up to one year and can be extended to three.

The Georgia protective order portal provides forms and instructions. Granted orders enter a statewide registry that law enforcement across Georgia can access. Habersham County keeps these records at the clerk office, though some details are restricted to protect the person who filed.

Habersham County Divorce and Adoption

Divorce filings in Habersham County require at least six months of Georgia residency under O.C.G.A. § 9-10-91. The case is filed at the clerk office in Clarkesville. Both contested and uncontested cases go through the Superior Court here. Divorce records are public. For a divorce certificate as a vital record, the Georgia Department of Public Health handles those separately.

Adoption records are sealed under O.C.G.A. § 19-8-2. Only parties to the case can seek access, and a court order is typically required. Attorneys filing family cases electronically in Habersham County can use the Odyssey eFileGA platform. Individuals filing on their own usually submit paper forms at the clerk office.

Nearby Counties

Habersham County is in northeast Georgia. These neighboring counties may also have relevant family court records. Make sure the case was filed in the right county before searching.