How to Divorce Your Wife in Georgia

Pick the divorce pack that best suits your situation.

Divorcing your wife in Georgia takes place at circuit county court houses, and the divorce is normally performed in the county in which the couple reside. Legal divorce allows both parties of the marriage to move on with their lives and makes it so that you are no longer responsible for your wife's well being.

Things You'll Need

• Petition for Divorce

Instructions

1. Request a divorce packet from the county courthouse that deals with family court issues. The divorce packet you need will depend on if you have children with your wife. The four options are a divorce packet with minors, uncontested; a divorce packet with minors, contested; a divorce packet without minors, uncontested; and a divorce packet without minors, uncontested. Request a settlement packet and see if your wife will sign the settlement. A signed settlement from outside the courtroom will help to expedite the case.

2. Fill out the divorce packet and include all contact information for you and your wife. Ensure that all the contact information is correct, and then fill out the reason for the divorce. The reason for the divorce and any additional information that you have will help the court decide the case.

3. Fill out the settlement packet and ask your wife in person to sign it. If she does not sign it then the matters will get settled in court. The settlement packet should include all the martial property you own as well as any other property you and your wife own. If your wife does not sign the settlement packet then your case will get settled in the courtroom.

4. Return all the completed divorce paperwork to the Georgia county courthouse and pay the filing fee. The cost of filing divorce paperwork will vary (check with your Georgia courthouse for fee amounts).

5. Send your wife the divorce papers and alert her to the fact that you filed paperwork. You can give your wife the paperwork in person and have her sign it; you also can mail your wife the paperwork by postal mail and request a return receipt to make sure she gets the package or you can request that a sheriff from Georgia deliver the divorce paperwork to your wife and pay the delivery cost to the sheriff.

6. Receive the court letter that states when you are required to attend the court hearing regarding your divorce.

7. Attend the court date for your divorce hearing against your wife. Bring any documentation that you have to help prove your case against your wife. The judge will ask questions of you and your wife, and he will examine all the material that both of you bring to the hearing. The judge will carefully weigh all options and make a final hearing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you and your wife own property or in serious conflict with each other, it might be wise to hire a lawyer who is familiar with Georgia divorce laws.

References

• State Bar of Georgia; Divorce; 2011
• Georgia; Fulton County Superior Court; Divorce; 2011
• Southern Judicial Circuit: Self Help Forms for Pro Se Parties