Divorce is an official procedure in the US. Their records are mandated by law (Freedom of Information Act,’66) to be maintained and availed for public access and retrieval. Every state has a central agency assigned with the task under its public health or information department. They come under State jurisdiction and are provided practically free of charge. Although considered public records, certain information contained in these free divorce records are potentially personal in nature, thus, procedures are required for acquiring and utilizing them.
A main reason for people to obtain such documents is to provide an official certification of the dissolution of their past marriage or marriages as a pre-requisite to apply for a license to remarry. Other common reasons for public divorce records retrieval are replacement of copies that got lost or destroyed, official background checks and verification. Most of all, they are discreetly investigated by nosey neighbors, friends, relatives and colleagues or concerned romantic partners looking to advance the relationship.
County Divorce Records are the origin of all divorce information. They are the most authentic informational resource pertaining to divorce and are usually requested in person although mail, telephone, fax and internet options may be offered. Details contained in them include the names of the couple, their ages, date and place of marriage and its eventual dissolution, joint-properties and assets, names and birth dates of children and the reason for the separation. State level divorce records at their central repositories are basically aggregate records of the various counties and multiple divorces within the same state are all captured.
Divorce Public Records can generally also be requested from the appointed central State agency in person, mail, telephone, fax and online over the internet. The fees are usually nominal as they are charged to cover only the administrative and other overhead costs but not for the records per se. As is characteristic of government outfits, waiting time is involved ranging from same-day to several months depending on the mode of request, queue and the particular office involved.
The good news is that public records are abundantly found on the internet nowadays. Besides government facilities, they are available from many private websites too and come in primarily two versions; fee-based and FOC (free-of-charge). Private FOC resources usually have a catch and many of them just smack of virus and spyware outright. It’s much better-advised to play it safe and stick with professional fee-based providers who are certified by a recognized third-party laboratory.
With commercial record providers in the fray, the industry has become highly competitive in price and quality. This bodes well for users especially private parties. Gone are the days when public divorce records were mainly retrieved by professional investigators, divorce lawyers and court officials. Private consumption has long taken over the lion’s share of their access. After all, they’re now very affordable, hassle-free and convenient not to mention practically 100% discreet.
Public Records Search vary from state to state per the respective state laws. Visit us at California Divorce Records for individual details pertaining to particular states.
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