Access Lee County Divorce Decree Records
Lee County divorce decree records are kept by the Circuit Court Clerk in Jonesville, Virginia. Lee County sits at the southwestern tip of Virginia, bordered by Kentucky to the west and Tennessee to the south. The Circuit Court Clerk handles all family law filings for county residents, including divorce decrees and case files. If you lived in Lee County when your divorce was granted, your records are at this courthouse.
Lee County Overview
Lee County Circuit Court Clerk
The Lee County Circuit Court Clerk is the official custodian of all divorce records filed within the county. Final decrees and complete case files are held at the courthouse in Jonesville. The Clerk's office handles records requests, copies, and new filings for the entire county. Lee County is part of the 30th Judicial Circuit, which covers the southwest Virginia coalfields region.
The courthouse is in Jonesville, the county seat. Because Lee County is remote, it is smart to call ahead before making the trip. Staff can confirm that the records you need are available and let you know the best way to request them. For mail requests, include the names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, a copy of your photo ID, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Under Virginia Code § 17.1-275, the first certified copy of the final decree is free to any named party. Additional copies cost $0.50 per page.
| Office | Lee County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address |
Lee County Courthouse P.O. Box 326 Jonesville, VA 24263 |
| Phone | (276) 346-7763 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | vacourts.gov - Lee Circuit Court |
| Record Type | Final Divorce Decrees, Divorce Case Files |
| Judicial Circuit | 30th Judicial Circuit |
The Virginia Judicial System case portal at eapps.courts.state.va.us lets you search Lee County Circuit Court cases online for free. Select Lee County from the court list and enter party names to find case numbers and filing dates. Older records may not all appear online, so contact the Clerk's office if you cannot find what you need in the portal.
How to Search Lee County Divorce Records
Start your search at the Virginia Judicial System online case portal. It is free and available at all hours. Select Lee County Circuit Court from the dropdown and enter one or both party names. If the divorce case is in the system, the portal shows the case number, filing date, and docket entries. That information makes your records request much easier when you contact the Clerk's office.
For certified copies of the final decree, contact the Clerk's office at (276) 346-7763. You can visit in person during business hours or send a request by mail. Either way, have the case number or full party names and the approximate year ready. In person, staff can pull the file and make copies while you wait. Mail requests take more time, so plan ahead if you need the records by a specific date.
For divorce certificates from VDH, contact the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. VDH holds records for Virginia divorces from 1918 to the present. Their office is at 8701 Park Central Drive, Suite 100, Richmond, VA 23227. Call (804) 662-6200 or visit vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records. The fee is $12 per copy. Under Virginia Code § 32.1-271, only named parties and their immediate family may request divorce records until 25 years have passed since the divorce.
The Virginia residency requirement, shown in the screenshot below from the official Virginia Legislature site, governs who may file for divorce in Lee County.
Virginia Code § 20-97 sets the six-month residency rule that applies to all divorce filings in Lee County Circuit Court.
Lee County Divorce Decree Fees
The filing fee for a divorce case in Lee County Circuit Court is $60. This amount is set by Virginia Code § 17.1-275 and applies across all Virginia circuit courts. The fee includes one free certified copy of the final decree for any named party. You do not pay additional for that first copy.
Extra copies of the final decree cost $0.50 per page. The Clerk's office can tell you how many pages your decree is before you pay. Divorce certificates from VDH cost $12 each and require a separate request to the state office in Richmond. Payment at the Lee County Clerk's office is typically by cash, cashier's check, or money order.
If you cannot pay court costs, Virginia law provides a process to request a waiver. The Clerk's office can explain the general process. For assistance with applying for a fee waiver, contact a regional legal aid organization. Lee County is served by legal aid organizations in the southwest Virginia region that assist with fee waiver requests and other court procedures.
Note: Call the Lee County Circuit Court Clerk at (276) 346-7763 to verify current fees and hours before visiting, as hours can vary for holidays and special circumstances.
Filing for Divorce in Lee County
Lee County divorce cases follow Virginia state law in all respects. The residency requirement under Virginia Code § 20-97 says at least one spouse must have lived in Virginia as a genuine resident for six months before the date the complaint is filed. If both parties are Virginia residents, either can file in the county where they live.
Virginia allows no-fault and fault-based divorce. Under § 20-91, a no-fault divorce requires the parties to live separate and apart for one full year without any cohabitation. If there are no minor children and both parties have signed a separation agreement, that waiting period is reduced to six months. Fault grounds include adultery, felony conviction with confinement for over one year, cruelty, and willful desertion or abandonment.
To start the case, the petitioner files the Divorce Complaint at the Clerk's office along with the VS-4 State Statistical Form, the Domestic Case Coversheet, and the $60 filing fee. The other spouse must be served with the complaint. Once the waiting period is met and all issues are settled or decided, the judge signs the final decree. The Clerk records the decree and sends the monthly report to the State Registrar under § 32.1-268. That report leads to the divorce certificate that VDH eventually issues.
What Lee County Divorce Records Contain
Lee County divorce records fall into three categories. Knowing which type you need will save time and help you go to the right office with the right request.
The divorce certificate is a short document from the Virginia Department of Health. It confirms that a divorce occurred and lists the parties' names, the date, and the county. VDH has records from 1918 forward. This document is what you need to prove a divorce happened when you do not need the full terms. The cost is $12 per copy from VDH.
The final divorce decree is the court order that officially ended the marriage. It comes from the Lee County Circuit Court Clerk and contains all the terms: property and debt division, any spousal support, child custody and visitation details, child support, and name changes. Named parties get one free certified copy under § 17.1-275. Extra copies cost $0.50 per page.
The divorce case file is every document submitted during the proceeding. It includes the original complaint, summons, motions, financial disclosures, and the final decree. This is the most complete record of what happened in the case. The Clerk holds the case file. Access is restricted to parties and their immediate family for 25 years under § 32.1-271. A court can also seal the file under § 20-124 on motion of either party.
Legal Help in Lee County
Legal resources in Lee County are limited due to its remote location in the far southwest corner of Virginia. Residents have access to regional legal aid organizations that cover the coalfields and southwest Virginia area. Phone and online services may be more practical than in-person visits for many people.
Legal Aid of the Coalfields serves Lee County and the surrounding southwest Virginia counties. They provide free civil legal services to eligible low-income individuals, including help with divorce and family law matters. Call (276) 523-5905 or visit their office in Norton. You can also find them through the statewide directory at valegalaid.org. They may be able to assist over the phone if travel is a barrier.
The Virginia State Bar lawyer referral service is available at (800) 552-7977 or vsb.org. Attorneys in Norton, Wise, and the Kingsport-Bristol region sometimes handle Lee County divorce cases. Official Virginia court forms for self-represented parties are available at vacourts.gov. The Clerk's staff can identify the forms you need but cannot give legal advice about how to complete them.
Cities Near Lee County
Norton is the nearest Virginia independent city to Lee County. Norton residents file divorce cases at the Norton Circuit Court, not at the Lee County courthouse in Jonesville.
Nearby Counties
These Virginia counties are adjacent to Lee County. Each has its own Circuit Court Clerk responsible for maintaining divorce records for county residents.