You can visit the CDC’s vital records directory to find your state’s record office’s address. You can normally do this online, over the phone, or in person at the local public records office. [2] X Research source Some states, like Washington, call their divorce records “divorce certificates” or “certificates of dissolution. ” These are almost always the same thing, though. [3] X Research source
If you do not know which state to contact, you can always try pulling records from multiple states to see if you get any hits. Keep in mind, you may need to use someone’s maiden name if the name was changed before the divorce was finalized. It differs from state to state, but you normally don’t need to know the specific date of the divorce. However, you do typically need to choose a year for your search to help the state narrow the search down.
Do not trust any third-party website that claim they’ll pull records for free. These sites almost always waste your time and lock “results” behind a paywall. Only use official government pages to conduct your search.
A judge might seal dissolution status records if there is domestic abuse, to protect the identity of a public figure, or if record of the divorce would cause significant financial damage.
“Public” does not always mean “anyone can view it,” just that there is a government record of something happening (sort of like arrest records, or birth certificates).
You obtain divorce decrees the exact same way you obtain divorce records. It may cost a little more if your state/county charges by the page, though (a divorce decree can be 25-30 pages). [12] X Research source
