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New York Divorce Records Free Access

By Claire Dowell


Over the years, there has been a significant drop in the divorce rate in America according to Statistics. In fact, marriages are stronger today than they have been in a long time. It was in the 1970s and early 1980s when divorce rate peaked. For the three decades since, the rate of divorce fortunately has been declining. Reasons for the dramatic drop in the marriage dissolution rate include later marriages, birth control, and even the rise of so-called love marriages.

Divorce decrees, the more comprehensive type of divorce document are available only at the local courthouse in the county where the divorce was filed and ratified. Usually, it is the judge of the local court who finalizes the decree, and sets for the terms and conditions of the divorce. Data of such proceeding are then archived at the local courthouse. Divorce certificates, on the other hand, are accessible through the New York State Department of Health. Such entity is in fact the primary repository for all vital documents in the Big Apple State. Certificates that are obtainable through this agency, nevertheless, are those of divorces registered since January 1863.

Although most records generated by government repositories are deemed public, divorce records specifically divorce decrees are restricted only to the persons indicated in the document and to those who have been issued with a court order allowing them to request for such file. Divorce certificates, the other type of divorce record, are accessible through the Department of Public Health in New York State. They are not restricted as they contain only the basic information about the divorce. Nonetheless, the only certificates of divorce that can be accessed or requested at the state level are those that transpired and recorded on or after January 1, 1963.

To file an entreaty, the Mail-in Application for Copy of Divorce Certificate form must be completed. You can use such form if you are the wife, husband or spouse indicated in the divorce document. Otherwise, a New York State Court Order must be submitted along with the application form. Please take note that for entreaties whose purposes are explicitly for genealogy research, such application form cannot be used. Once accomplished with all the significant particulars, the form must be mailed with a check or money order to the State Office or to the local county court.

Currently, entreaties with priority handling that are filed via mail are processed within 2 to 4weeks from when they are received. Sending your request to the Vital Records processing center via overnight delivery is highly recommended. Once requests are completed, they will be returned by first class mail. Mail requests with regular handling, on the other hand, are processed within 10 to 12 weeks from the time the order is placed.

Technology has indeed played a significant role in expediting transactions and services today. With innovations like the Internet, it is easier to retrieve records. New York divorce record requests can now be filed online especially with alternative record solutions that offer the same service for a much faster turnaround. Public records are already available through various alternative repositories. But are divorce records public? Certainly! Divorce records, along with other registers, are considered public and thus can be accessed by any member of the general public who wishes to as long as the applicable laws are adhered to and the proper procedure of getting a hold of them is strictly followed. Also, because it is done through the Web, your desired record is just one click away. What's more, you are absolved from the hassle the manual method of record procurement entails!




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