Need a divorce lawyer in Savannah?
Georgia is an equitable-distribution state where you can file on the ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken, and Chatham County divorces run through the Superior Court in Savannah. A statutory waiting period applies, and the lawyer you choose sets the tone and the cost of the whole case.
Choosing a divorce lawyer is personal, and the right fit depends on whether your case is amicable or a fight over kids, a business, or property. Below are Savannah family-law firms and attorneys that appear consistently across Super Lawyers, Avvo, Expertise.com, and Martindale-Hubbell, with verifiable family-law focus. Most offer a consultation and handle the core issues of a Georgia divorce — property division, support, and custody.
How we picked these 9: We reviewed peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell), bar recognition, and client review patterns. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Divorce, child custody, support, property division, prenuptial agreements
Founder David I. Schachter has roughly 19 years in practice and carries a 5.0 Avvo rating with Avvo Clients' Choice recognition for family law. The firm is also listed among Savannah Magazine's best attorneys.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, support, alimony, prenuptial agreements
Attorney Susannah Rogers Pedigo (University of Georgia Law, 2004) has been selected to Georgia Super Lawyers from 2019 through 2026 and to Rising Stars before that. Her practice is focused on family law.
Practice focus: Complex and high-asset divorce, custody, international family law, appeals
Established in 1993, the firm practices family law exclusively, and founder Michael E. Manely has been selected to Super Lawyers in recent years. The firm handles complex and international matters from its Bull Street office.
Practice focus: Divorce, high-asset and military divorce, custody and support, mediation
Founding partners Robert Kraeuter and Kenneth Johnson bring roughly three decades each, and the firm cites more than a century of combined family-law experience. Its attorneys have been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America.
Practice focus: Contested and uncontested divorce, modifications, custody and support, alimony
Lead attorney Kathleen Aderhold Coolidge has practiced since 1991 and also serves as a guardian ad litem in family matters. The firm handles the full range of Chatham County divorce and post-divorce issues.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, support, property division, domestic violence
Managing attorney Stephanie O. Burgess has roughly 21 years in practice and carries a 4.9 Avvo rating. She is a member of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys.
Practice focus: Divorce, asset division, postnuptial agreements
Attorney Erin Haug holds 5.0 ratings on both Avvo and FindLaw and handles family-law matters alongside a broader practice. The office serves clients across the Savannah metro.
Practice focus: Divorce, paternity, child support, modifications
Sole practitioner Gwendolyn Fortson Waring carries a 4.7 Avvo rating and is admitted before the Georgia Court of Appeals. She has served in leadership of the Savannah chapter of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody and support, adoption, family violence
Serving the area since 1999, the firm's principal Dennis Dozier, Sr. has roughly three decades in practice and a 5.0 Avvo rating. It handles family matters across Effingham and Chatham counties.
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with vetted divorce attorneys in Savannah. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Match the firm to the conflict level. An uncontested Georgia divorce with agreement on the major issues is often a flat-fee matter. A contested case with custody disputes, a closely held business, or significant property needs a litigator who tries family cases in the Chatham County Superior Court.
Ask whether the firm offers mediation and collaborative divorce, who actually appears in court for you, and how custody is handled. Georgia courts decide custody by the best interests of the child, and a lawyer experienced with local Eastern Judicial Circuit judges sets realistic expectations on parenting time.
The firms above are a starting point, not a verdict. The right lawyer for you depends on your facts, your budget, and how you want to be treated. Use these five signals to compare them.
Relevant, recent experience. “We handle everything” is a weakness, not a strength. You want a lawyer who works divorce cases in Savannah week in and week out, not one who takes them occasionally between unrelated matters. Recent, repeated experience with cases like yours is the single best predictor of a good outcome.
Straight talk about your case. A good lawyer tells you what is strong and what is weak in your situation at the first meeting, not just what you want to hear. If everything sounds easy and the outcome sounds guaranteed, be skeptical — real cases have real risks, and an honest lawyer names them.
Communication you can live with. Most complaints about lawyers are not about losing — they are about silence. Ask who returns your calls, how fast, and whether you will reach the actual attorney or only a screener. Set that expectation before you sign, because it rarely improves later.
Fees in writing, in plain English. You should leave the first meeting knowing exactly what you will pay, what it covers, and what could cost extra. A clear written fee agreement is a sign of a well-run practice; a vague “don't worry about it” is a sign to keep looking.
Local courtroom knowledge. The lawyer who appears in front of your Savannah judges and agencies regularly knows how each one runs a proceeding, how local outcomes tend to break, and which resolutions are realistic. That practical knowledge is hard to fake and easy to verify — just ask.
A Savannah divorce is filed in the Superior Court of Chatham County, part of the Eastern Judicial Circuit. Georgia requires that a spouse have lived in the state for at least six months before filing, and the case is normally filed in the county where the other spouse lives. An uncontested case with a signed settlement can finish after a short statutory waiting period; a contested case takes far longer.
Most divorces settle. Chatham County encourages mediation, and many custody and property disputes resolve by agreement before trial. A contested divorce with custody evaluations and discovery commonly runs from several months to well over a year, depending on the issues and the court's calendar.
An uncontested Savannah divorce is often a flat fee of roughly $1,500 to $4,000, plus court filing costs. A contested divorce is billed hourly — most Savannah family lawyers charge about $250 to $400 an hour, with retainers commonly $2,500 to $7,500 up front.
All-in, a contested Chatham County divorce frequently lands between $7,000 and $20,000, and high-conflict custody or business-valuation cases run higher. Conflict, not the hourly rate, drives the cost: every issue you resolve by agreement is money you keep. A good lawyer tells you that at the first meeting.
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees how your divorce matter will end before reviewing your file, walk away.
The disappearing senior lawyer. You meet a name partner at intake, then never speak to them again while a junior runs the file unsupervised. Ask in writing who your day-to-day lawyer will be.
No verifiable track record. “We have handled thousands of cases” is marketing. Real evidence is named results, peer recognition such as Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers, and a clean record with the state bar.
Pressure to sign immediately. A reputable firm gives you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a sign of a volume mill, not a careful practice.
Vague fee terms. “Don't worry about the cost” is a red flag. Every legitimate firm puts the fee, what it covers, and what triggers extra charges in writing.
Most firms on this list offer a consultation. Use it, take notes, and compare at least two firms before you sign.
Equitable distribution, not 50/50. Georgia divides marital property equitably — by what is fair given each spouse's contributions — rather than automatically in half. Separate property generally stays with the spouse who owns it.
No-fault and fault grounds both exist. You can divorce on the no-fault ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken, but Georgia also recognizes statutory fault grounds, which can affect alimony and the tone of a case.
Custody by best interests. Chatham County judges decide custody and parenting time by the child's best interests, and each has tendencies. A lawyer who practices in the Eastern Judicial Circuit regularly gives you a realistic read.
If you are dealing with a divorce issue in Savannah right now, a few moves protect you while you take the time to choose the right lawyer.
Write down the timeline. Put the dates, names, and what was said on paper while it is fresh. Memories fade and details that feel obvious today are easy to lose in a month, and a clear timeline makes your first consultation far more productive.
Save everything. Keep the documents, emails, text messages, photos, and bills connected to your situation in one place. The strength of a divorce case often comes down to what you can show, not just what you can say.
Do not sign or agree to anything under pressure. Whether it is an insurer, the other side, or a fast-talking intake person, you are allowed to say you want to speak with your own lawyer first. A reputable Savannah firm respects that; anyone who does not is telling you something.
Book two consultations. Most firms above offer a free or low-cost first meeting. Talk to at least two before you commit, and choose the lawyer who explains your options clearly and answers your questions without rushing you.
Tell us what is going on. We'll match you with vetted Savannah firms from the list above. Most respond within one business day.
Yes. You can file on the ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken without proving wrongdoing. Georgia also recognizes statutory fault grounds, but most Savannah divorces are filed no-fault.
An uncontested case with a signed settlement can finish after Georgia's statutory waiting period, often within a couple of months. A contested case with custody or property disputes can take many months to over a year.
In the Superior Court of Chatham County, part of the Eastern Judicial Circuit. Georgia handles divorce in Superior Court rather than a separate family court.
Generally yes. A spouse must have been a Georgia resident for at least six months before filing, and the case is usually filed in the county where the other spouse lives.
Georgia uses equitable distribution, dividing marital property by what is fair given each spouse's contributions, not automatically 50/50. Separate property generally stays with the spouse who owns it.
Uncontested divorces are often flat fees of about $1,500 to $4,000. Contested cases are billed hourly, usually $250 to $400 an hour, with retainers commonly $2,500 to $7,500.
Georgia courts decide custody and parenting time based on the best interests of the child, weighing factors like stability, each parent's role, and the child's needs. Chatham County judges have their own tendencies.
Often only briefly. Most Georgia divorces settle, and Chatham County encourages mediation. Contested issues that cannot be resolved by agreement go before a Superior Court judge.
Maybe. Georgia alimony is not automatic; a court weighs need, ability to pay, the standard of living, and conduct during the marriage. A lawyer can tell you whether your facts support a claim.
Yes. Talk to at least two firms before you sign. Ask each how many Savannah divorce cases like yours they have handled in the last three years.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one how many cases like yours they have handled in Savannah in the last three years. The answer tells you most of what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team