Legal Question in Family Law in Georgia
Private vs Public divorce
The GA vital records office and the county where a friend resides was unable to find any documentation(verification) of a friends divorce. I asked him about this and he stated that his divorce would not be in the public domain as he was a ''private'' citizen or something to that effect and many people kept their divorce and marriage records private. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt, but am worried that he's peeing on my leg and telling me that it's raining! (famous words of Juge Judy) Is there really such a thing as private records that state would not be privvy to access for the public?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Private vs Public divorce
If the county has no record, the person is almost certainly lying. Divorces are public records. Occasionally some parts of unique cases may be sealed, but there is going to at least be a docket entry on every divorce. You can assume your friend is married. If he is not he will have a copy to show you of his divorce, and you could go see one at the court as well.
Re: Private vs Public divorce
Your friend is full of bullsh*t. All filings of divorces in GA are public records. However, in some rare cases, the assigned judge may grant a request to seal the filings, but that would take extraordinary circumstances. The GA Vital Records Office is not the place to check. You need to check with the Clerk of Superior Court of whatever county he and/or his supposed ex lived at the time of the "divorce".
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