Divorce education by state · Georgia
Divorce Education Classes in Georgia
In Georgia, the court-required divorce-education requirement is the Divorcing Parents Seminar (Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 (adopted circuit-by-circuit)), overseen by each county’s Superior Court (its judicial circuit), acting under Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, adopted statewide by the Supreme Court of Georgia / Council of Superior Court Judges and administered locally. Here's who has to take it, whether you can do it online, how long it takes, what it costs, and how to find a course your county's Superior Court will accept.
Quick answer: divorce education in Georgia
Varies by court / county. Georgia's divorce-education requirement is the Divorcing Parents Seminar, authorized by Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 — a permissive statewide rule each Superior Court circuit adopts by majority vote of its judges, so it is not one uniform mandate, but nearly all circuits (Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth, Clayton, and others) have adopted it. The seminar is capped at four hours and focuses on the effects of divorce on minor children. Format varies by county — many now accept an approved online seminar (Gwinnett, for example, offers its 'Navigating Family Change' seminar virtually) while some circuits still require in-person attendance and honor only providers on the local court's approved list. your county's Superior Court decides what counts — confirm the course and format before you enroll or pay.
At a glance
| Is divorce education required? | Often — required by many counties/courts (not uniformly statewide) |
|---|---|
| Who takes it & when | Parents in a Superior Court divorce (or separate maintenance, legitimation, paternity, or custody/visitation modification) involving a child under 18 generally must complete a court-approved Divorcing Parents Seminar before the judge enters a final order — in the large majority of Georgia circuits that have adopted the program. |
| Course name | Divorcing Parents Seminar |
| Legal basis | Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 (adopted circuit-by-circuit) |
| Deadline | Set by each circuit's local rule or standing order — many require completion within about 30 days of service, and virtually all require the certificate to be filed before the final decree. |
| Typical length | Up to 4 hours (capped by Rule 24.8; typically a single 4-hour seminar) |
| Typical cost | Typically about $30–$55 per parent; Rule 24.8(D) requires a fee-waiver procedure for indigent parties. |
| In person or online? | Varies by court / county |
Georgia-specific rules to know
- The legal basis is Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 ('Court Mandated Programs in Domestic Relations Cases'), a permissive statewide rule each superior court circuit adopts by majority vote of its judges — it is NOT a uniform statewide mandate, so whether a seminar exists and its exact rules vary by county.
- The seminar is capped at four hours by rule and applies to divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, legitimation, and custody/visitation modification cases involving a child under 18; contempt actions and (generally) domestic-violence matters are excluded.
- Both parents are typically required to complete it, but they do not have to attend together and can take it separately; a certificate of completion must usually be filed before the final decree, and many circuits set roughly a 30-day-from-service deadline.
- Rule 24.8(D) requires a fee-waiver procedure for indigent parties (pauper’s affidavit, Medicaid/Medicare, or state indigency guidelines); the seminar fee otherwise typically runs about $30–$55 per parent.
- Online acceptance and the list of approved providers are decided locally by each circuit, not by a statewide agency — some counties accept approved online courses, others require in-person attendance, so verify with your county before enrolling.
Find an approved divorce-education class in Georgia
Start with the official state or court list — that's the one your county's Superior Court is most likely to accept — then confirm the specific course with your court or clerk:
Georgia doesn't publish one central approved-course list — your county's Superior Court, your clerk of court, or your county's family-law self-help center will tell you which courses are accepted for your case.
Prefer to look on a map? Search Google Maps for divorce-education classes in Georgia — then check any provider against the official guidance above and your court's order before enrolling.
Divorce education vs. a parenting class: "divorce education" focuses on the divorce process itself and how it affects children, while a court-ordered parenting class is the broader custody / co-parenting requirement. In many states the two overlap or are the same course. See how Georgia's requirements line up on our Georgia parenting-classes page.
Source & accuracy: compiled from each county’s Superior Court (its judicial circuit), acting under Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8, adopted statewide by the Supreme Court of Georgia / Council of Superior Court Judges and administered locally and official Georgia court sources. Requirements change and can vary by county and case — always confirm the course, format, hours, cost, and deadline with your court before enrolling. Sources: assets.georgiacourts.gov/4/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/03170432/UNIFORM-SUPERIOR-COURT-RULES-2025_03_06.pdf, georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/family-law/divorce-forms/divorce-with-minor-children, gwinnettcourts.com/court-programs/parenting-seminar.aspx.