Hartwell Family Law Attorney
If you live in Hartwell or elsewhere in Hart County and need help with a divorce, custody, or child support matter, your case will be filed with the Hart County Clerk of Superior Court on West Franklin Street. Samuel Thomas Law is based in Athens and represents Hart County families. Attorney Samuel E. Thomas handles each case personally, from the first consultation through the final order.
Hart County Superior Court
Hartwell is the county seat of Hart County. Family law cases for Hart County residents are filed in the Superior Court of Hart County, part of the Northern Judicial Circuit. The Clerk of Superior Court’s office is in Room 1 of the Courthouse Annex, 185 West Franklin Street, Hartwell, GA 30643 (phone 706-376-7189).
Lake Hartwell Property in a Divorce
Many Hart County couples own lake property, a second home, a boat, or rental property on Lake Hartwell. In a Georgia divorce, the court divides marital property equitably, which means first deciding what is marital and what is separate. A lake house bought before the marriage or inherited by one spouse may be treated differently from one bought together. Our pages on property and asset division and high-asset divorce explain how this works.
Family Law Matters We Handle
- Divorce, contested and uncontested
- Child custody and visitation, including relocation
- Child support, including how support is calculated and modifications
- Spousal support and alimony
- Property and asset division, including family businesses and retirement accounts
- Paternity and legitimation and fathers’ rights
- Grandparent rights
- Contempt actions to enforce existing orders
- Prenuptial agreements
- Adoption
Parenting Seminar and Mediation
Hart County parents complete the Divorcing Parents Program in Elberton, which serves Elbert, Franklin, and Hart counties. It is a two-hour session, the fee is $35 per parent, and it must be completed before the final decree. Parents are scheduled automatically by mail.
Domestic cases in the Northern Circuit can be mediated through the Tenth District ADR Program. We prepare you for mediation and attend with you.
Communities We Serve in Hart County
Besides Hartwell, we represent clients from Bowersville, the Lake Hartwell communities, and the Hart County portions of Canon, Lavonia, and Royston.
About Attorney Samuel E. Thomas
Samuel E. Thomas is a fourth-generation Athens business owner, a University of Georgia graduate, and a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. He is admitted to practice in all Georgia Superior Courts, including the court that hears Hartwell cases. Read more about our firm.
Hartwell Family Law FAQ
I live in Lavonia. Is my case filed in Hart County?
It depends on your address. Lavonia is partly in Hart County and partly in Franklin County, and a divorce is generally filed in the county where the responding spouse lives. Your property tax bill or voter registration will show your county.
Is a lake house automatically split 50/50?
No. Georgia uses equitable division, which is not always an even split, and separate property may be treated differently from marital property.
I was just served with divorce papers. What should I do first?
Note the date you were served and get legal advice before moving money or property. See what to do when you’re served.
Talk With a Hartwell Family Law Attorney
Call us at 706-546-0999 or book a consultation online. You can also send us a message using the form below.
Our Office
Samuel Thomas Law, LLC
585 Research Drive, Suite A
Athens, GA 30605
Phone: 706-546-0999
Email: customerservice@samuelthomaslaw.com