In the United States, divorce records are public. A divorce records database contains all the divorce listings for a particular area or region. There are a few main methods individuals and businesses can use to access this information and find divorce records. Divorce records may be needed for legal proceedings and tax queries, among other reasons.

The pricing and costs of divorce records search queries is important to consider. In many instances, divorces themselves can be very costly. While spouses are given copies of their divorce decree and, in most cases, their divorce records, the paperwork can be destroyed in a fire or flood, prompting them to get new copies. Economical shopping is important, even when performing a marriage divorce records search. Competitive searchers may:

1. Save themselves or their business money;

2. Find the most convenient divorce search option;

3. Or use the fastest divorce records search options available.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Go to your county courthouse in order to perform a public divorce records search

When thinking about how to find divorce records, one of the simplest options is to go to the county clerk's office, which keeps track of all public records, including public divorce records. While the records located there can be accessed for free, it will cost a minimal amount to make copies of the paperwork. This is a great option for those who are performing a divorce record search in their immediate area. This is often the cheapest, and most economical, option available to searchers.

I recommend: Genealogy.com provides a national listing of county courthouses, which can aid you in your divorce record search. National Association of Counties has a similar listing but also allows you to search by county name if you know the name of the county you are searching.

Review online divorce records to complete your search

It is very difficult to find completely free online divorce records. Many of the websites that offer online public divorce record searches will not charge for the search but rather for their services. This results in a subscription fee. Paying a subscription fee may be worthwhile if you perform many searches each month or if you are unable to easily access the county courthouse where the divorce records are kept. Without a subscription, online divorce record searches can cost as little as $2.95 or as much as $39.95 for a single search. However, it might also be worthwhile to consider going to a local library and getting information online there. Many libraries subscribe to genealogy websites that can provide copies of divorce records.

I recommend: VitalChek.com charges approximately $16, less for a one-time order than GovernmentRegistry.org. However, VitalChek does not offer an optional subscription with purchase of a divorce record. GovernmentRegistry.org offers a yearly subscription at a discounted price when purchasing one divorce record. GovernmentRegistry.org charges approximately $40 for an entire year of divorce record searches, which is a good deal if you will be searching often.

Find a freelancer or research-savvy individual to search divorce records for you

The fee you would pay this individual could be negotiated as a flat rate and include all potential charges, such as the cost of copying or mailing the divorce records requested. Freelance courthouse researchers may be your best bet to get the work done for you. Independent researchers can vary greatly in their cost depending on what you need done. Many accept large genealogy projects but have the skills necessary to accomplish smaller tasks such as a divorce records search. Fees can vary but will likely range from $10 to $10 per hour.

I recommend: Elance.com offers a listing of freelance workers. Its searches can be limited by region, state and zip code. Learn about what is typically expected out of a freelance researcher at Find Freelance Work.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Try to make your money stretch for a divorce records search. If you are making copies of papers from a divorce record, only copy the sheets you need. Search competitively through online companies and freelance researchers.

When an employer conducts a background check, among items that may turn up from the courts are divorce records. This can alert your human resources department to court orders to garnish wages for alimony or support, or possible trouble from ex-spouses, depending on the nature of the divorce. Turning up divorce information now can prevent unpleasant surprises later.

Several online services are available to find divorce records. In addition, employers should contact the courts directly to obtain more detailed information. In most states, divorce decrees are a matter of public record unless they have been sealed by the judge.

Checking for divorce records can turn up the following information:

1. Alimony and child support orders;
2. Back support due;
3. Court warrants for nonpayment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a divorce record online

Online services can save much time in uncovering information and are usually quicker and easier than contacting the courts. The fee is usually worth the investment for an online divorce record search. The down side is that not all online services are equal in terms of actual information provided.

I recommend: Check Net Detective, which is a favorite of law enforcement officials, journalists and employers for its divorce records database. Another good site to try is Court Records. Both sites have a money-back guarantee.

Beware of free online divorce records

Many sites on the Internet bill themselves as offering free public divorce records. Once you pass the first page, however, you quickly find yourself stonewalled by a page requiring fees of varying amounts. Decide on your own whether to trust the information offered by such sites.

I recommend: Check Rhino Reviews for reviews of sites that offer public records searches. Hot Four rates the top providers among those offering divorce listings.

Get the details of public divorce records

Services providing online divorce records will give varying amounts of information. For specifics, you likely will need to contact the court in which the decree was issued and you may need to go to the courthouse to search divorce records. In some cases, you can obtain the information from a state agency. Fees will vary according to state and agency.

I recommend: In Texas, you can obtain verification of divorce records from the Department of State Health Services, or through the website you can locate the district clerk to obtain a certified copy of the decree. The National Center for Health Statistics offers a directory of contacts in each state for public divorce records.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You can save employee time and resources by using online services for divorce records. Once you find divorce records online, you should still verify the information with the court of record.

Couples need to obtain final divorce paperwork, which can later be located by virtually anyone willing to perform a divorce record search, in order to dissolve their marriage. In this country, all divorce records are considered public. Use of the Internet has made it even easier and more convenient to find divorce records and understand divorce records search basics to make the task simpler.

Divorce listings detail all of the divorced couples in a particular area. They include the final divorce paperwork, which is the actual document that most individuals and companies are looking to obtain when they perform a divorce record search. This final divorce document is needed for a variety of different reasons, including:

1. For investigators to prove an individual's true relationship status;

2. To act as a supplement in determining one’s taxes in the event of a legal concern;

3. And as verification for one or both parties to get remarried.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand what information you need to supply when you want to find divorce records

Searchers will be required to supply certain information when performing a divorce public record search, such as the name of the individual(s) listed on the divorce decree and their birthdays. Having this information readily available will help ensure an efficient and effective search.

I recommend: To learn about the necessary identification information required on one or both of the divorce decree parties, review the information at LovetoKnow.com or USAVital.com.

Know what you are looking for when you perform a search of public divorce records

Due to the fact that there is so much paperwork involved in getting a divorce, many people may not inherently know what they are looking for when they try to find the final divorce paperwork. Marriage divorce records often contain the stipulations of a divorce, as well as the final documentation. Don't waste time, energy or money gathering paperwork you don't need.

I recommend: A divorce decree will vary from state to state. However, OurDivorceAgreement.com offers a nice sample on what the decree looks like. Check out 77 Investigations for information that you should be looking for to locate a divorce decree in a marriage divorce records search, as well as what the differences are between divorce records and a divorce decree.

Investigate where you can find public divorce records

There are a number of places from which a person can search divorce records. Some are more convenient than others. If you have a computer with Internet access, you should consider reviewing online divorce records. If not, you can always go to your local county clerk's office to view the original and make copies of it.

I recommend: Find a divorce record online at VitalRec.com. While it does require a fee, the results are nationwide and not confined to specific states. Genealogy.com can help you find the county courthouse you need in order to perform your divorce search. Once at the courthouse, go to the County Clerk's Office in order to gain access to public records, such as divorce records.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Especially when trying to locate divorce records for official business, it is very important to make sure you get the right copy. Individuals may have similar names in the same geographic region. As a result, it is very important that you double check all relevant information and ensure that you have the proper paperwork.
• •  Also, keep in mind that most local libraries in the United States subscribe to websites like Ancestry.com and HeritgageQuest.com. This can allow you to get copies of divorce records without paying the subscription fee yourself. It's still a good idea to call the libraries ahead of time to ask if they subscribe to any such sites in order to save yourself time and energy.

There are many types of divorce records. These records can document alimony or spousal support, child support, child support orders, the divorce decree itself, dissolution and custody documents. Many of the free records are available from state sites such as the health department of a particular state. Going to the state sites can give you the opportunity to search by name. Descriptions of the various records can help you to know what types of records are generated as part of a divorce proceeding.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Alimony, spousal support

Alimony is financial support that one spouse is required by law to give to the other spouse as part of a divorce settlement. The courts determine the amount and the duration of the alimony, which can also be referred to as spousal support.

I recommend: Lovetoknow.com describes what alimony is and what goes into the legal decision that determines the amount and length of alimony.

Child support orders

Child support orders stipulate that one parent is required to pay support for the children involved in a divorce. Generally, this is done through garnished wages by a social service agency.

I recommend: The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services explains what child support is, how it is legislated, and collected. Sites of other states also offer extensive information to help residents of that state abide by state rules.

Dissolution

Dissolution is a mechanism by which to end a marriage without assessing blame to one partner or the other, as is the case in a divorce. This process is thought to lead to a more amicable divorce than a divorce proceeding. The end product is the same, termination of a marriage.

I recommend: The Washington Bar Association defines terms and explains the many aspects of ending a marriage.

Petition for divorce

The petition for divorce is the document filed by a person requesting a divorce. The petition lays the factual groundwork for the divorce proceeding.

I recommend: FindLaw defines what a petition for divorce is. The site explains that the petition may vary state to state but has similar required information. A list of common information is on the site.

Custody

Custody is the arrangement that is made for children in a divorce.

I recommend: The site of the American Psychological Association discusses parental rights and arrangements for children.

Marriage license

A marriage license is a record of two people getting married. It is filed within the court system. This record is often looked up as part of a divorce proceeding.

I recommend: US Marriage Laws has links to the sites of every state which explain what you need to bring to get a marriage license. It explains generally what will be expected.