Marriage files in Massachusetts are stored in their Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. The registry has been doing so since 1916. Originally, the files are created at the county where the bride and groom acquired their marriage license. Citizens can place a formal request for Massachusetts Marriage Records at the registry or at the specific county where it was originally created. Every half a decade, the oldest five years of marriage files are handed over to the state archives where they are better safeguarded.
Any member of the general public is allowed to submit a request for marriage records because they are deemed as part of the public domain. However, the privacies of the owners of the records are also protected. A full marriage record is only given to the couple, their legal representatives, and those with authorization from the court. If you want to request the records of another person, you need to specify a valid reason why you are making such request. If your reason is accepted, you will be given access to the basics of the records such as the name of the couple, the date and place of marriage, names of witnesses, and many more. One acceptable reason is if you want to make sure that the person you are about to marry is not involve in another marriage.
In a legal proceeding, only marriage records are accepted by a judge to support the validity of a marriage. If the marriage takes a downfall and the couple decides to end it, they need to provide a copy of their marriage record when they file for a divorce. If there is no record of any marriage between them, then filing for a divorce is no longer necessary.
Before you begin your search, make sure that you know the full name of either of the couple. If the name you chose to provide is a common one, include additional information so the possibility of finding the exact record is higher. Also provide a government-issued ID and your contact information. If you choose to get the records from the county where it was originally created, there is also a certain fee, which may vary depending on which county. Regardless of where you are getting it from, all fees paid are not subject to a refund even if the records that you requested for are not found.
You can also get the records from websites that are not owned by the government but have the authority to maintain and provide marriage records to the public. The Internet hosts a number of websites that cater to such business. However, not all are capable of providing you with reliable information. To assess the reliability of the website, you can check its history. Find out what other clients are saying about their services and the kind of information that they have been provided.
Such websites are either fee-based or those that can provide you with Free Public Marriage Records. Fee-based websites can provide you with an extensive amount of information. Those that do not render any amount of fee can only give the basic pieces of information.
Government or private record providers for Free Public Marriage Records? Make the right choice to suit your particular needs. You can learn all about them by visiting our site at Public Marriage Records.