Marriage is a beautiful unity between two spouses who agree to take on the world together. While millions of Americans get married each year, unfortunately, only about half of all marriages make it to the distance. When marriages fail, it often results in a lengthy court battle through a process known as divorce. While divorce goes through the court system, you may be wondering if those records are public.
So, are divorce records public? While you may be able to see some information, every state handles the publicity of these records differently. Thankfully, we’re here to clear everything up for you. Read on to learn more about divorce records and whether or not they’re public.
What Are Divorce Records?
First things first, it’s important to understand what divorce records are. While it may seem like a simple form that says So and so is divorced, there are a lot more records than that. In fact, the entire documentation of the court case is recorded.
For this reason, divorce records will usually include information about the spouses, the reason for divorce, and asset allocation. Details about child support and alimony may also be available in these records.
Are Divorce Records Public?
Whether or not divorce records are public depends on the state. For example, New York allows you to see basic information about the spouses, but that’s about it. While other states may be more forthcoming with this information, most states have similar confidentiality clauses when handling divorce records.
What’s more, divorce records may vary in publicity depending on who you are. For example, legal representatives and other parties involved in the proceedings may be able to see the extent of the divorce records.
How to Find Divorce Records
You may only be able to find some information about divorce records, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find anything. In fact, there are a few resources you can check to find divorce records. These options include public records search tools, Google, and even county databases. Learn more about these options below.
1. FreePeopleSearch.com
The best way to find divorce records is to use a public records search tool. FreePeopleSearch.com offers a wide variety of people search tools that will help you find public records with only someone’s first and last name; an address option is also available if that’s all you have.
With FreePeopleSearch.com, all you need to do is enter the information into the search bar and let the tool do the rest. Any public information will be available within a comprehensive full report that will contain all public records, ranging from divorce records to criminal records. You can also find social media accounts, contact information, and much more.
2. County Clerk
Another great way to find a divorce decree or judgment is to visit the county clerk. You’ll need to visit the county where the trial took place to find the information, so if you don’t know which county to start with, it’s a good idea to use a people search tool first.
Once you know the county, you can visit the county clerk’s office and request divorce records. Members of the public may be able to find the divorce decree and some other documents, but parties involved in the divorce may be able to access more information.
3. Google
One of the fastest ways to find divorce records in high-profile cases is to use Google. If the case is famous, you should be able to find results almost immediately when you enter their name. In fact, even if you just have the case number or information associated with the case, you should be able to find some record of it.
That said, Google is a limited tool because you’ll only find divorce records for famous people, celebrities, or in cases that were popular for other reasons. What’s more, you may not find public documents, but just information about the case. Therefore, whether or not you should use Google depends on what exactly you’re searching for.
So, Are Divorce Records Public?
At the end of the day, divorce records may or may not be public depending on the case. While you can usually find information about the spouses in a limited capacity, you may be able to find more information if there is a litigation, domestic dispute, or another legal problem. What’s more, you can usually find the divorce decree or judgment if you use a public records search tool or visit local courts or county websites.
