Public Divorce Records Information

The public records contain information that are recorded or filed by various local, federal, state and government agencies. Corporate bodies also provide information wherever required. These records are stored and maintained mostly by government agencies. But non governmental agencies also maintain such records. These records are allowed to be viewed by the public due to which these are referred to as public records. Availability of these records depends on the regulations coded by the federal, local and state bodies. At the federal level the accessibility to the public records are controlled by the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (1966).

Public Divorce Records- An Introduction

According to the recent statistics, almost 40% of America’s married population is divorced. This makes divorce records a widely viewed public record. These serve as the most common type of sources to check out the marital status of a person.  Information contained in a public divorce record generally includes-

• Full name of the person including maiden name
• List of addresses
• Date and location of the divorce
• Alimony
• Filing number
• Names of the couple’s children
• Asset division
• Child custody
• Divorce certificate may also by present in some cases
• Divorce decree
• Family tree

The type of information depends on the place or site from where the records are searched. Therefore not all the above information will be provided. Divorce records are directly filed under departments of vital records in specific state, county and local offices. Divorce records are also kept in state specific offices and departments of libraries, state archives, historical societies, departments of health and social services and so on. These records are compiled in systematic way and are regularly updated. A nominal administrative fee is charged for obtaining a copy of the record.

Public Divorce Records Search

Searching for public divorce records is no longer an elaborate process. They can be searched in various state government agencies, online search portals and with the help of a private investigator. If you are seeking a particular divorce record simply log on to the respective site and get what you want. While searching online the following fields need to be filled-

• First name
• Last name
• State

When requesting a copy of a divorce record via post, the following information should be mentioned in the application letter-

• Complete names of both the spouses
• Divorce date
• Type of the final decree
• Place where the divorce or annulment has taken place
• Relationship shared with the person who is requesting the copy
• Valid telephone number including area code
• Purpose of request

Some people may also want to verify a certain divorce. In that case simply send in an application to the respective office. It is important to know that different states have different offices where these records are maintained. Log on to the following page and choose the state from where you want to retrieve a copy of a divorce record-
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm

Or directly address your mails at:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA

Email at: cdcinfo@cdc.gov.

The time and availability of divorce records varies state wise. For example Alabama provides records from the year 1950 onwards, Virginia files details since 1918, Washington files details since 1968, Oregon records details since 1925, South California files details since 1962, New Hampshire files records since 1880 and Michigan files records since 1897. To learn more on rest of the states, visit the respective offices or official websites.