California Public Divorce Records

By Claire Dowell


If you are looking for the records of a Divorce in California, you can head to the Vital Records Office, Department of Health Services. Initially, when the Health Department started disseminating divorce files, they did not require any payment. But throughout the years, the cost of processing requests have increased and forced the department to impose corresponding fees to whoever requests for them.

Only divorce records that were filed between 1962 and 1984 can be found at the Vital Records Office. However, they can only provide a divorce certificate, which can only be used as a source of reference and not as a legal document. Certified divorce records are kept at the exact Clerk of Superior Court that finalized the divorce. Only certified divorce records are recognized by the court as a legal file that can be used in a court hearing.

Any person can request for a divorce certificate but only the couple and their representatives have full access to the certified divorce records. A request form is available at the California Health Department. The request form should be filled-out correctly and be submitted with a signed sworn statement. If the request is through mail, the sworn statement should be signed and be notarized. A request costs $13 and there is an additional fee of $7 in case you want to fax your request.

The time it takes to process requests at the Health Department is about 15 to 20 weeks, which I s mainly because of the shortage of employees in government agencies. It is probably okay if you are not in a hurry to get the records. But if time is a luxury you do not have, you may access the records through private websites. The Health Department has an official website and a database where they keep soft copies of public records such as divorce records. Private websites keep public records as well but with the permission of the government. Such websites are experienced in providing information online and can provide them instantly.

Online service providers are categorized in two types: they are either for free or they impose a certain amount of fee for their services. Free service providers offer simple details regarding a divorce record such as the name of the spouses, their respective birthdays, the date and place where the divorce was finalized, and others. Service providers that impose fees also offer the simple details of a divorce record and more. Members are given the privilege of doing as many searches as they want and are provided with as much information as there is available. To become a member, you must pay a one-time membership fee only, and there are no other fees to be paid after which. You may also choose to not become a member and just pay separately for every search that you make.

Marriage and Divorce Records are usually kept in one repository because they complement each other. Marriage records are necessary when filing for a divorce while divorce files are required of people who wish to acquire a marriage license. Both files can be obtained from an online search tool but corresponding requirements should be submitted, which varies from state to state.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire