Find Family Court Records in Rabun County

Rabun County family court records are kept at the Superior Court Clerk office in Clayton, Georgia. The Mountain Judicial Circuit handles all family law filings here, including divorce, child custody, support enforcement, and protective orders. If you need to search for a family court record in Rabun County, the clerk office on Courthouse Square is where you start. Records are open to the public, and some can be found through statewide online search tools as well.

Rabun County Clerk of Superior Court

The Superior Court Clerk in Rabun County is the official keeper of all family court records for the county. The office sits at 25 Courthouse Square in Clayton. You can call (706) 782-3615 to ask about case files, fees, or hours. Staff can look up records by name or case number and prepare copies while you wait. If you need certified copies for legal use, let them know when you call so they can have them ready.

Rabun County is part of the Mountain Judicial Circuit in the 9th District. Judges in this circuit travel between counties on a rotating schedule. Even though judges may sit in other counties, all Rabun County family court records stay at the Clayton courthouse. This means every divorce decree, custody order, and support ruling filed here is in one place. The staff is used to helping people find old records, so even if a case was filed years ago, they should be able to pull it if you have basic details like a name or an approximate date.

Types of Family Court Cases in Rabun County

Family court records in Rabun County cover several types of cases. Divorce is the most common. Custody disputes, both as part of a divorce and as stand-alone filings, make up another big share. Child support cases, including new orders and changes to existing ones, are filed here too. Protective orders for family violence round out the main categories. Each type of case creates its own set of records at the Rabun County clerk office.

Custody cases follow O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3, which tells judges to put the child's best interest first. The court looks at the bond each parent has with the child, the stability of each home, and the willingness of each parent to support the child's relationship with the other parent. A child who is 14 or older can state a preference for which parent to live with. The judge gives that choice real weight in Rabun County family court records cases.

Protective orders fall under O.C.G.A. § 19-13-3. There is no fee to file. The Rabun County court can issue a temporary order on the same day if there is a clear threat. A hearing follows within 30 days. These family court records are kept at the clerk office, though access may be limited to protect the person who filed.

Search Rabun County Family Court Records Online

The GSCCCA runs a statewide search portal that includes Rabun County family court records. You need a subscription to use it. The cost is $14.95 per month. Each page you print adds $0.50 to your bill. You search by name and can filter results by county. This is the fastest way to check if a record exists in Rabun County without driving to Clayton.

The GSCCCA search portal shown below covers all 159 Georgia counties. You can look up family court records in Rabun County by entering a party name and selecting the county from the drop-down list.

Results will show case numbers and filing dates. For full document copies, you may still need to contact the Rabun County clerk directly at (706) 782-3615.

The Odyssey eFileGA system handles electronic filings for many Georgia courts. Attorneys can file family court documents in Rabun County through this platform. Some case information may be viewable online if it was filed electronically. Self-represented parties in Rabun County still need to file paper documents at the courthouse.

The eFileGA system is available around the clock. Attorneys use it to submit filings and get file-stamped copies back from the Rabun County clerk office.

Child Support Services for Rabun County

Child support in Rabun County is governed by O.C.G.A. § 19-6-26. Georgia uses the income shares model to set support amounts. Both parents report what they earn. The court then factors in health insurance, daycare costs, and other expenses. The resulting order is filed at the Rabun County clerk office and becomes part of the family court records.

The Georgia Division of Child Support Services helps Rabun County residents with enforcement. If a parent falls behind on payments, DCSS can garnish wages, take tax refunds, and suspend licenses. They also handle changes to existing orders when circumstances shift. You can reach DCSS at 1-877-423-4746 for help with any Rabun County child support case.

DCSS works with the Rabun County court to make sure support orders are enforced. Their website has tools for making payments and checking case status.

Divorce Records in Rabun County

Divorce is the most frequent family court filing in Rabun County. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 9-10-91 requires at least one spouse to have lived in the state for six months before filing. The case is filed at the Rabun County clerk office in Clayton. After the petition goes in, the other spouse gets served. A 30-day waiting period must pass before the court can grant the divorce.

The divorce file at the Rabun County courthouse includes the original complaint, any response from the other side, temporary orders, and the final decree. Property settlements and custody plans are in there too. These family court records are public. Anyone can ask to see a divorce file in Rabun County. Some details about minor children may be redacted, but most of the record is open for review.

For verification of divorces that took place between 1952 and 1996, the Georgia Office of Vital Records may have a certificate on file. For other years, the Rabun County clerk is the source for family court records.

Adoption and Paternity in Rabun County

Adoption cases in Rabun County are filed under O.C.G.A. § 19-8-2. These family court records are sealed by the court. Only parties to the case or someone with a court order can view them. The Rabun County clerk can confirm whether an adoption file exists but cannot release details without proper authorization.

Paternity cases establish who the legal father of a child is. These filings often come alongside child support requests. Once paternity is set by the court, it creates rights and obligations for both parents. The order gets filed at the Rabun County clerk office. Georgia also maintains a Putative Father Registry where men can register to protect their parental rights in adoption cases.

Getting Copies of Rabun County Family Court Records

The clerk office in Clayton provides both plain and certified copies of family court records. Certified copies carry the court seal and are needed for legal use. Plain copies cost less and work fine for personal reference. To get copies, visit 25 Courthouse Square in Clayton or call (706) 782-3615 to ask about mail requests. Having a case number or full name ready speeds up the process.

Nearby Counties

Rabun County is in northeast Georgia near the state line. These counties are nearby and each has its own Superior Court that handles family law cases.