Files of divorce in California are conserved in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. The same with any other area in the county, definite instructions and processes have to be exercised to secure such documents. In the past, one can access these files for free, but when the expenses involved and the number of appeals has rocketed, the government had no choice but to impose specific fees for this service.
One should keep in mind that copies of such documents can be released only to those individuals whose names appear in the record, a legal representative and persons or entities authorized by state law.
The California Department of Health Services’ Office of Vital Records keeps divorce files of the state from 1962 to June 1984. You can order by mail if you want to get hold of a copy of such document. You just have to pay the amount of $13.00 to search the data and to identify the exact location where the divorce was approved. You can also choose to fax your petition but you will incur an extra fee of $7.00. The agency does not receive cash payments so prepare your personal check or money order payable to CDPH Vital Records. You must also ensure that you mention your contact number and complete address in case the file you need will be mailed to you.
The aforementioned bureau will give you a Certificate of Record which indicates the names of the individuals involved in the divorce, the date of filing, the county where the divorce was granted, and the court case number. Keep in mind that this paper is not an authenticated duplicate of the divorce data. It also does not reveal any information if the dissolution of marriage was finalized in court.
One can request for an authenticated copy of a divorce record from the Clerk of the Superior Court of the county where the marriage split-up happened. You will be asked to submit a completed application form together with a sworn statement that is signed by you. You must identify the essential particulars like the current and birth names of the husband and wife and the place and date where the divorce was granted. The demand you will submit through mail must have a notarized sworn statement; or else, your petition will be thought of as insufficient and will not be disregarded. Always keep in mind that you will not receive any refund for the amount you paid. Take note also that it will take about 15 to 20 weeks before you will acquire the files you need because of manpower shortage in the agency.
Divorce is a common occurrence nowadays. So if you are doing a research about your family tree and you want a more convenient way to get a copy of a certain divorce decree, you can do so with the help of the Internet. There are a lot of available online records providers which you can choose from. Although the costs are slightly expensive, you can be assured to get the record you want in a few minutes, wherever you are.
If you find Divorce Records missing certain information, it may be found in Public Divorce Records. Click on and learn all about it.