Yes, if at least one spouse has lived in Georgia for at least six months before filing. 

You begin by filing a Complaint for Divorce in the Superior Court of the county where your spouse lives. If your spouse lives out of state, you may file in your county. You can find Georgia divorce forms and filing instructions on the Judicial Council of Georgia’s website.

Find your local Georgia Superior Court to learn where to file. 

Yes. Georgia allows no-fault divorce based on an “irretrievably broken” marriage. This means neither spouse is required to prove wrongdoing. 

Learn more: No-Fault Divorce in Georgia: What You Need to Know Before You File 

It depends. There is a mandatory waiting period, but uncontested divorces are typically faster than contested cases involving disputes over custody, finances, or property. 

Divorce ends a marriage. Legal separation (called separate maintenance in Georgia) allows spouses to live apart while remaining legally married, with court orders for finances and custody. 

Learn more: Understanding Legal Separation (Separate Maintenance) in Georgia 

Georgia equitable distribution laws divide property fairly and not necessarily equally. 

Learn more: Property Division In Georgia: Equitable Distribution Explained 

Debts are also divided equitably based on fairness, including who incurred the debt and each spouse’s ability to pay. 

It depends. Georgia courts look at how long you were married, the standard of living, each spouse’s income and needs, and how much each spouse contributed to the marriage. Also, although Georgia is a no-fault state, as grounds to end the marriage and get a divorce, alimony is a separate issue, and fault can be considered when awarding alimony. 

Your spouse cannot stop the divorce, but can delay the process. A court can still finalize the divorce if one spouse proves the marriage is irretrievably broken. 

Costs vary depending on complexity, conflict, and whether issues like custody or financial disputes require litigation. 

Calculator: Georgia Attorney Fees 

In Georgia, family law deals with matters affecting your household, like divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, alimony, property division, post-divorce changes, adoption, domestic violence, and protective orders.  

Learn more: Georgia Family Law Resources and Court Information 

Georgia recognizes common law marriages that were made before January 1, 1997, or created in a different state that permits common law marriage. If you lived with your significant other before this date, Georgia does not consider you “married” under state law. 

An annulment is a court order stating your marriage is invalid, usually because of fraud, bigamy, or one spouse not being of legal age to consent to the marriage. If granted, the marriage is legally erased, as if it never happened. It’s different than a divorce, which legally ends a valid marriage. 

Paternity establishes who a child’s father is and is important to determine the rights of parents when dealing with things like child support, child custody, visitation, inheritance, and making major decisions involving the child. You can establish paternity in Georgia through the Georgia Department of Human Services. 

Learn more: Paternity in Georgia: Establishing Legal Fatherhood

Yes, and it’s common for parents who were never married to get a parenting plan to lay out custody arrangements, holidays, visitation, and how decisions about other important matters involving the child will be made.  

Learn more: Parenting Plan in Georgia: What Parents Need to Know 

Child relocation in Geogia happens when one parents wants to move and the move would have a major impact on the custody or visitation arrangement. In Georgia, courts consider things like each parent’s ability to continue a strong relationship with the child, school, activities, and other family support when deciding if the move is in the child’s best interests. 

The deadline to object to a relocation notice is typically included in your original court order and varies by case. If you receive a relocation notice, acting quickly and speaking to a family law attorney immediately is crucial so you don’t miss the deadline and lose your right to respond. 

Learn more: Relocation “Move-Away” Cases in Georgia 

Yes. If there is a significant change in circumstances, a divorce decree can be changed later to address things like child custody, child support, parenting time, and sometimes, alimony. This often occurs because of major changes involving a move, job loss, or the child’s needs. 

You should document any records of situations involving your child, like communication with the other parent, missed visits, late pick-ups or drop-offs, missed child support payments, and any other issues that negatively affect your child. Having organized records that can be used as evidence later can play an important role in deciding what’s in the best interests of your child.  

Learn more: 10 Things to Know About Failing to Pay Child Support in Georgia 

Georgia uses the Income Shares Model, which combines both parents’ incomes to determine support based on what the child would have received if the parents lived together. A Georgia child support guidelines and calculator can be found on the Georgia Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) website. 

Use our calculator: Georgia child support calculator 

Child support covers basic needs like housing, food, clothing, education, healthcare, and may include childcare and extracurricular activities. 

Typically, until the child turns 18, or up to age 20 if the child is still in high school and living at home. 

Yes. Child support can be changed if there is a significant change in income or the child’s needs. 

Failure to pay can result in wage garnishment, license suspension, tax refund interception, fines, or jail time. You can start child support enforcement in Georgia through DCSS. 

Learn more: 10 Things to Know About Failing to Pay Child Support in Georgia 

No. Parenting time and child support are separate legal issues. 

Apply for child support in Georgia by submitting an application for services to DCSS and pay the filing fee. You can apply online or at a local office. 

No. You are not required to have a lawyer to get child support in Georgia, and you can apply yourself through DCSS. However, many people still choose to hire a family law attorney to help guide them through the process and ensure the child support payments are fair. 

Usually, child support is still paid by one parent even if they have 50/50 parenting time because the court considers the incomes of both parents and not just the custody schedule. The Georgia worksheet does allow the amount of child support to be adjusted to reflect how much time the child spends with each parent. 

A child support calculator can provide a strong starting estimate when you input accurate income and child-related costs. For best results, use real documents like pay stubs and tax returns. Final amounts depend on the official worksheet and any deviations. 

Use our calculator: Georgia child support calculator 

Yes. Georgia allows alimony, also known as spousal support, which is financial assistance paid by one spouse to the other after separation or divorce. It is designed to help the financially dependent spouse maintain stability while transitioning to life after the marriage. 

There is no fixed formula. Courts consider factors such as the length of the marriage, income, standard of living, and each spouse’s contributions. 

No. Alimony is awarded on a case-by-case basis. 

Alimony is ongoing financial support paid by one spouse to the other after separation or divorce. At the same time, property division is the one-time process of fairly dividing marital assets and debts. Georgia follows equitable distribution for property division, meaning assets are divided fairly, not necessarily equally, and separate factors are considered when awarding alimony. Depending on the case, a spouse may receive alimony, property, both, or neither. 

Try our calculator: Georgia Assets and Debts Calculator  

Yes. A spouse who caused the separation through adultery or desertion may be barred from receiving alimony. 

Yes. Temporary alimony, also called pendente lite support, may be awarded during the divorce process to help a spouse cover living expenses while the case is pending. Once the divorce is finalized, temporary alimony ends and may be replaced with a longer-term award, if appropriate. 

Learn more: Understanding Legal Separation (Separate Maintenance) in Georgia 

The duration of alimony in Georgia depends on the facts of the case. It may be temporary, short-term (rehabilitative), or long-term. Courts consider factors like the length of the marriage and the recipient spouse’s ability to become financially independent. 

Yes. Alimony can be modified after a divorce if there is a substantial change in financial circumstances, such as job loss, a significant increase or decrease in income, or other material changes affecting either spouse. To request a modification, you must file a new action with the court, and a judge will decide whether to adjust the amount. 

Yes. In most cases, alimony automatically ends if the receiving spouse remarries, unless a divorce agreement or court order states otherwise. Alimony may also terminate if the receiving spouse cohabitates in a marriage-like relationship with a new partner. 

The cost of an alimony attorney in Georgia depends on the complexity of the case, including disputed income, financial discovery, and the level of conflict. To manage costs, it’s helpful to identify key issues early and gather clear, accurate financial documentation. 

Try our calculator: Georgia Attorney Fees Calculator