Meet Georgia residency requirements: you or your spouse must have lived in Georgia for at least 6 months before filing
Choose the proper county: file in the Superior Court of the county where your spouse lives, or where you live if your spouse is out of state
Decide the grounds for divorce: no-fault “irretrievably broken” or one of Georgia’s fault-based grounds
Get the required forms from the Georgia courts or your county Superior Court clerk
Complete the divorce complaint and any required domestic relations forms
If children are involved, complete all required child-related forms and parenting documents
File the forms with the Superior Court clerk and pay the filing fee
Ask the clerk about any local county-specific filing requirements
Have your spouse formally served with the divorce papers unless they sign an acknowledgment or waiver
Wait for your spouse’s response period to pass
If your spouse responds, negotiate, mediate, or prepare for court
If your spouse does not respond, request a default judgment if eligible
Complete any required financial disclosures, parenting classes, or settlement documents
Attend any required hearings or court dates
Submit a signed settlement agreement if you and your spouse reach an agreement
Obtain the final divorce decree from the court after approval by the judge
Follow the court’s orders regarding property division, custody, support, and name changes