Fulton County Family Court Guide
Fulton County — home to most of the City of Atlanta — runs one of the busiest family law dockets in Georgia. Family cases are heard by the Family Division of the Fulton County Superior Court in downtown Atlanta.
At a glance
Court: Superior Court of Fulton County, Family Division
Location: Justice Center Tower, 185 Central Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 (the Fulton County courthouse complex also includes 136 Pryor Street SW)
Clerk of Superior Court: main line commonly listed as (404) 613-5313
Addresses, room numbers, and phone numbers change — verify with the court before visiting or filing.
What the Family Division handles
The Family Division of Fulton County Superior Court hears the full range of domestic relations matters, including:
- Divorce (contested and uncontested), separate maintenance, and annulment
- Child custody, visitation/parenting time, and modification of existing orders
- Child support establishment, modification, and enforcement (contempt)
- Legitimation and paternity actions
- Family violence protective orders under Georgia's Family Violence Act
- Name changes and certain other domestic matters
Fulton County was an early adopter of a dedicated "family division" model, in which domestic relations cases are managed on a specialized track. In practice this means family cases are assigned to judges who handle a high volume of custody and divorce matters, and case management deadlines tend to be actively enforced.
How a custody or visitation case typically flows
- Filing. The case starts with a complaint or petition filed with the Clerk of Superior Court. Fulton County uses electronic filing for most civil matters; self-represented litigants should ask the clerk's office about their current e-filing and paper-filing options.
- Service. The other party must be formally served with the paperwork, usually by the sheriff's office or a court-approved process server, unless they acknowledge service.
- Temporary hearing. In contested cases, either party can request a temporary hearing where the judge sets interim arrangements — who stays in the home, a temporary parenting schedule, temporary support. Temporary orders often shape the rest of the case, so they matter more than the word "temporary" suggests.
- Discovery and evaluation. The parties exchange information. In custody disputes, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem (an attorney who investigates and reports on the child's best interests) or order a custody evaluation.
- Mediation. Fulton County routinely refers contested family cases to mediation before trial. Many cases settle here.
- Final hearing or trial. If the parties cannot agree, the judge decides custody, a parenting plan, and support after hearing evidence. Georgia requires a written parenting plan in essentially every case involving custody or visitation.
Parenting seminar requirement
Like most metro Atlanta courts, Fulton County generally requires parents in contested custody and divorce cases involving minor children to complete an approved parenting seminar (often four to six hours) before a final order is granted. Check the court's current standing order or ask the clerk which providers are approved — see our co-parenting resources page for what these classes typically cover.
If supervised visitation comes up in your case
Fulton County judges can and do order supervised visitation when there are concerns about a child's safety or the circumstances of a parent's contact. If your order requires supervision, read our plain-English supervised visitation explainer and our guide to finding a supervised visitation provider in the Atlanta metro. Bring your court order to any provider you contact — the order controls what kind of supervision is required.
Practical tips for the Fulton courthouse
- Arrive early. Security screening lines at the downtown complex can be long, especially on Monday mornings.
- Bring your case number and multiple copies of anything you plan to hand to the judge.
- Parking downtown is paid and limited; MARTA's Garnett station is a short walk from the courthouse complex.
- If you cannot afford filing fees, ask the clerk about a pauper's affidavit (fee waiver request).