marriage records – Divorce Records – Find Divorce Records Online

Marriage Records-Why it is important and how to procure them

admin — Wed, 30 May 2018 14:28:37 +0000

How often have you wondered what the person you are dating may have concealed his marital status? Or, how would you ensure that the person you are planning to marry is legally eligible to do so? All your doubts can be put to rest with the help of marriage records.
Marriage Records – What?
Marriage records provide proof of legal union. They include names of both individuals who are married to each other. Also, the date of the marriage license, as well as the county where the ceremony took place, is given.
Marriage Records – Where?
The place you would find marriage records depends on the state where the marriage was solemnized. It may be housed and issued by the health department as in case of Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, and Hawaii. Alternately, you can find the records in government offices through clerks’ offices in county courts e.g. Arizona, the District of Columbia and Ohio offer record copies only through the courts. Marital history information is given only from vital statistics offices in case of America Samoa, Guam, and South Carolina. Marriage certificates are issued from varied sources and may also differ in type. In Indiana, for example, certified copies of the Record of Marriage are distributed through the State Health office, but only courts issue certified copies of the marriage certificate.
Marriage Records – How to procure?
A marriage certificate requires weeks or sometimes months to get issued. Meanwhile, the married couples can use the Record of Marriage Document that they receive after the marriage ceremony. This document can be used in some states to change the last name. However, other states insist on Marriage Certificate for the purpose.
It is useful to note the difference between a Marriage Certificate and a Marriage License. A Marriage Certificate is a legal proof that a couple is married. Marriage License, on the other hand, is a warrant that authorizes the couple to be married. Marriage license records are available to anyone in some states like Georgia. In Virginia, on the other hand, the records are not made public up to 50 years of the record.
Marriage Records – How to access?
The United States law mandates a small fee to give access to marital records. It is for the search process and not the information per se. The charges vary from US$ 5 in Illinois to $25 in Alaska. The fastest and most convenient way to access is to search online for these records. Care should be taken that a professional, trustworthy and valid information provider website is accessed. Marriage records fall into the public domain, which means you can access them using online services.
It is vital to know the accurate marital records before you take the plunge. Depending on the states, these records can be accessed in various ways. However, the most convenient and accurate method is to search online. Visit the websites and be assured of a firm marital background check as a basis for a sound, trustworthy relationship.

Online Search Divorce Records-What You Should Know

admin — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:08:19 +0000

In some situations, it becomes necessary to know about people’s marital history. It can be like you are in a relationship and want to ensure that your partner has a transparent marital history or you want the information for any legal purpose. If you wish there was a way to instantly get this information, you can use online Divorce Records services. These services come in two versions- the free and the fee-based.
What’s the difference between free and fee-based divorce records services, you may ask?
The answer depends on what are your needs and how detailed information you require. The main difference between paid and free online divorce certificates is time and money. Let us help you to understand divorce records easily.
Vital Records
Divorce records are included in the vital records that also include marriage, death and birth records. The marriage and divorce records are often lumped together in the search and most online divorce records services can retrieve both for you. These records have been into existence since the 19th century, however rate of divorce in those days was minuscule and records were not well kept. But by the end of 1960’s, County Divorce Records started uploading to the state repositories routinely.
The divorce decree was not the public domain that until the Freedom of Information Act of 1966 came into existence. Riding on the back of the act, divorce decree became a public domain like all other public record categories. This made divorce records accessible to anyone except the ones that qualify as the private divorce records and the records sealed by court orders. You can request these records from the government departments tasked with the service through mail, telephone, fax, in-person and online.
Online Divorce Records
Of all the available ways to obtain the divorce records, expectedly the online search for divorce decree is most popular. If you reach the concerned government agencies, you can obtain them for free online but if you need divorce certificate, official copies, decree and so forth, you will be charged a fee. The free records are usually too skimpy and they offer no practical use other than casual information. Other than that the free records are also not multi-state search friendly as there is no interlinking of the government public record databases between states.
By choosing fee-based divorce records services you get to the great expanse of the divorce decree for a small expense. These services can be thought of the premier league of the public records. Using their services you can retrieve the information in a fast, convenient and most accurate manner. The records you obtain from fee-based services also include contents that are not present in government databases and obtained from specialist networks and private databases.
Ultimately, it will depend on your purpose of search whether you choose the free or paid Online Divorce Records. If you do not need information of the professional standard and have enough time and patience, then you are good to go with free services. In all other cases, paid Online Divorce Records are advised.

Tips for Searching Divorce Records Safely

admin — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 06:31:16 +0000

It is a fact that divorce records just like all vital records are public. However, the access to them isn’t direct, meaning you will have to provide your details to the authority responsible for keeping the records. There are also private service providers which can take care of the search for you, but you will still have to give them proof of identity. For these reasons, it is essential to be careful when seeking this type of information. The advice shared here will help you to get maximum protection while achieving the results which you want.
Recognized Databases and Services
The official certificates of divorce and related documents are kept in archival databases managed by clerk’s offices and courts. Usually, the newest divorce records are in courts and this could help you channel your search in the right direction. To access these records, you will usually have to visit the courthouse in person or send them a letter over the mail. This is also the case when the documents which you need are at stored at the counter clerk’s office. Often, there is no online or email application. That is why many people resort to online services which are specialized in retrieving divorce certificates and other vital records.
If you decide to use a professional service, you must confirm that it is legitimate. Check if it is authorized. It is common for the authorities who work with such service providers to have their names on their website. This is a good place to start your search for a legit service.
Cautious Information Sharing
While it is fine to share your name and address with the service provider, you should be extra careful about giving out information such as your social security number. Find out why it is required and what measures the company takes to keep it safe. If you don’t feel comfortable about giving this number to a service provider, you can turn to the competent authority having the divorce records which you need.
Checking All Fees in Advance
You should keep in mind that both clerk’s offices and courthouses charge fees for providing divorce records to the public. These fees are legally required and you cannot avoid them. They should be clearly stated on the institution’s website. You can expect to have to pay more if the search information which you have at hand is limited. The same rules apply when you use a private service. Just keep in mind that there could be separate charges for the search and for the shipping of the document’s copy.
You are now ready to search divorce records.

What You Need to Find the Right Marriage Records

admin — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 11:46:20 +0000

It’s common for people to assume that they can go online, enter the couple’s names in the search bar, add “marriage records” and find what they are looking for. The reality is that these records contain formal documents are not as easily accessible as other information on the web. Besides, there are millions of licenses and certificates out there so finding the exact one could be a challenge. The good news is that you can get the desired results quickly and with minimal effort if you are well prepared. Find out how to achieve this.
Where the Ceremony Took Place
This is the most important thing which you need to know when searching the marriage records. If you know the name of the city or town, you can just check with the local clerk’s office and save a great deal of time and effort. This authority is legally required to keep records of marriage certificates and licenses issues in the area.
If you don’t know the exact location of the ceremony, this isn’t the end of the world. You can readily search the state database. The best part is that you can do it online. Just keep in mind that bigger databases naturally take longer to search and the price of the service will be higher. Still, you should not expect to pay a great deal of money.
The Names of the Bride and Groom
Even if you know only the name of one of them or their first names of the two people, you should still be able to find the marriage records which you need. Of course, you will have to wait longer and apply an elimination process if you find documents about more than one couple. In general, you can expect to get the most accurate results in the shortest time when you have the full names of both the bride and groom. It will be even better if you can use the names of their parents and/or witnesses too.
A Reliable Database
Before using any type of database with marriage records which does not belong to a local or state authority, you should check it carefully to confirm that it is legitimate. Check their license and reviews. Remember to take a closer look at what the service includes and how much it will cost you. Usually, there are separate charges for finding the documents and for sending a copy to the customer.
Use all of the tips shared here to find the marriage records that you need.

How Far Back Do Marriage Records Go?

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 09:35:09 +0000

When you conduct a genealogical search, you want to get as far down the family tree as possible. The marriage records have always been primary sources of valuable information as they show how families are formed. They are also extremely reliable as they are kept by authorities and other formal institutions. The question is how far back they can take you. Let’s find out.
A Bit of History
In modern times, marriage records are kept for statistical and legal purposes. They can also be used by the health and law enforcement authorities. In their modern form, formal records have been kept since the beginning of the 20th century in most cases. In fact, in many places, the compiling of databases began in the second half of the century. Before this time, each local authority was responsible for keeping its own records. Some have kept records since the second half of the 19th century while others have documents from earlier periods as well. Basically, you can expect to go some two centuries back while searching for your ancestors.
You should knot that the records kept by local and state authorities are not the only ones which present valuable sources of information. Before the introduction of legal marriage certificates, the documents issues by the church where the marriage took place had legal power. That is why it makes great sense to search church archives too. You may be able to find records from over two centuries ago. Libraries and local genealogical societies may also have older records.
Thorough Search
In order to find the largest possible amount of information about your family, you should make your search as thorough as possible. It is best to use all sources of marriage records which you can find. Now you do not have to visit the places where the documents are kept in person. You can access the digitalized information from the records directly online. You can search the records of the different authorities and organizations individually or use a larger database which includes a range of different sources.
The more information you have for performing the search, the better. You will save a great deal of time and effort if you know the name of one of the spouses and the exact place where the marriage has taken place. You should also try to define a fairly narrow period for your search.
You can readily use the information which you find in marriage records to go further and further back into the history of your family.

The Use of Divorce Records in Genealogy

admin — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 00:18:01 +0000

Every person wants to know as much as possible about his or her ancestors. As the formal study of family history, genealogy has become a passion for many amateurs as well as professionals. This science relies extensively on written sources which include all sorts of public records. The divorce records can be extremely valuable sources of information. That is why they are included in virtually every research. Find out more about their use.
Information Scope
All divorce records are based on legal documents issued by courts and other authorities. The information contained in them is absolutely accurate. The risk of errors is reduced to the very possible minimum. They are well protected from loss, theft and malicious amendment.
The number of details present in these records varies from one state to another. There may be differences between counties as well. In some places, it is possible for the former spouses to request some or most of the information to remain private.
The information which a genealogist can expect to find in any record of divorce includes the names of the spouses and the date of the event along with the date of the marriage. This makes it easy to calculate how long the couple has been married for. The more detailed records contain the ages, birth dates and addresses of the spouses. This can be quite useful for finding more about their life after the split. If the records are really thorough, they will also have the names and birth dates of the couple’s children. This information is more than valuable for the creation of a family tree.
It is worth noting that divorce records have time limitations. This is because such events were quite uncommon before the start of the twentieth century. In many communities, this practice remained unacceptable until much later.
Information Extraction
It is now perfectly possible to access the records which you require directly online. You can get all the information which is present in the paper record in digital form. This should be perfectly sufficient for your research. It is extremely important that you write down all details carefully. You have to be extra careful not to misspell names. If you require copies of the documents, you will have to send a written request and pay a small fee.
Given their easy accessibility, divorce records are extremely widely used in genealogy. Once you extract the required information from them, you can use it for further research deeper down into the history of your family.

Tips on Searching for Marriage Records

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 01:43:11 +0000

There is no doubt that the marriage records are extremely valuable sources of information for any person or family. They are now more easily accessible than ever before thanks to the electronic indexes, databases and search services which are available directly on the web. But do you know how to find the records which you are looking for exactly? Get some important advice which will help you with this.
Use a Name
The best way to find the marriage records which you require is to conduct a search by using the name of one of the spouses. If you are looking for information about your ancestors, you can ask older members of your family to provide the names which you need. Keep in mind that the search with the husband’s name produces more accurate results. This is because the wife would have changed her name after the marriage while her maiden name would be present on the marriage certificate. Of course, if you happen to have her maiden name and you are certain about it, you can use it without hesitation.
Define a Time Period
This will help you immensely with narrowing down the search. It is best if you have the precise date, but a month or a year will also do. If you do not have specific information, you can use deduction to define the time period of the marriage. You can use the birth dates of your ancestors and information which you have collected from stories to define the time period. It pays off to be prepared when you begin the actual search for the required marriage records. You will save a great deal of time and effort.
Specify the Location
It is really beneficial to use the place where your ancestors have got married specially if you search a national database. If you do not have the city or town name, the county name can be of great help too. Again, family stories can be of great help. You will benefit from using any genealogical information which you have collected already. If you know where the grandchildren or children of the couple were born, you can readily use the name of this place to narrow down the search.
Last, but not least, you should take your time when you search for marriage records. If you get several results which match your criteria, you should study them closely to identify the precise documents which you require. Use all of the information which you already have to make a decision.

What Information Is Contained in Marriage Records?

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 08:25:49 +0000

It is truly exciting to discover interesting facts about your ancestors which to share with your children and grandchildren. One of the best ways to get genuine information is to search the marriage records. Now you can do this directly over the internet without leaving the comfort of your home. You are certainly curious to know what sort of information you can dig from these documents. Let’s find out.
Basic Information
Each certificate of marriage, which is the main type of document found in marriage records, contains the names of the bride and groom. The woman’s maiden name can be of huge help for any ancestry research. If you are searching for your great grandmother, for instance, you can get to her parents and then further down the family tree. This is truly invaluable for any genealogist and especially for those who are venturing into this field for the first time.
In the same way, you can use the name of the groom to find more details about his family. His surname can be particularly valuable if you the family name has been changed more recently for one reason or the other. Generally, a single name can help you to expand your research immensely.
The marriage certificate should also contain the dates of birth of the bride and groom. Alternatively, their ages at the time of the marriage must be stated. These can also be important clues for any genealogical research. The place where the document has been signed must be mentioned as well.
Additional Details
One interesting thing to note is that older marriage records may actually contain more information than more recent ones. In the past, in many places the names of the parents of the bride and groom were also included in the official document certifying the marriage. This is truly invaluable information for the genealogist as it saves a great deal of time and effort. It can also save you money too. It is superb to be able to get information on two generations from a single document.
The addresses of the bride and groom before the marriage may be present in the records as well. This information can give you more clues for your research. It can also help you to get a better idea of the lifestyle which your ancestors had. If their houses are still standing, you may consider paying a visit and meeting the people who live there. They may turn out to be your relatives.
You will certainly find plenty of valuable information in the marriage records.

All About The Public Records

admin — Sun, 17 May 2015 06:44:27 +0000

Public records are the official documents that contain information that is not considered confidential by the law. The result is that anyone who wants to access that information can do so for anyone by providing the basic identification for the individual of group of people. One example of the public records is the marriage license for which a couple registers after their marriage. Another example is the arrest records. All of this information is available with the local office where the public records are stored. Every country has its own specific detailed laws and regulations as to how they manage these records but the base line is the same and that these records are not considered to be the sort of information that needs to be kept private from the people.

The first question that comes to mind here is that what is the purpose that these sort of public records serve. Well given the detailed nature of each type of the record, the purpose that they serve is going to be a different one. For example the marriage record is there to show the status of an individual and associated with that a number of legal dealings can be looked into when needed, like in the case of joint property that many couples own etc.

When it comes to the arrest records, the situation is a bit different then in the sense that this record section is checked in more often, this is because many a times it is used when one is looking for a job. The employers need to make sure that they are hiring the right person that they require and therefore this category of public records is checked for confirmation.

Not very long ago this information was only available on real paper archives that took a while before one could get to the specific information for which one was searching for. However, now with the addition of digitalization, all the records are readily available online and there are websites of areas and generic ones that hold all the public records information. So to save time and make sure that you also have the information it is important that you get hold of one of the popular websites that are out there. Further to ensure that you have all the information and that too the corrected version of it, make sure that you at least cross check it once.

Can Anyone Access Divorce Records?

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 11:24:01 +0000

When you perform a background check or do research for building your family tree, you may have to check divorce records for obtaining information that you require. The good news is that any person can access these records as they are public. Even though the break-up of a family is a private affair, there are legal aspects of divorce which require the event to be made known to the general public. At the same time, you have to be aware of the limitations of the information which these records can provide.
What Is Included
The amount of information which is available to the public depends on the respective state laws. In most cases the divorce records contain the names of the former spouses and the date and place of the divorce. The legal grounds for the divorce can be stated as well. This should be more than sufficient for any type of check or research. You will find out how long the couple has been divorced for and the formal reason for the separation.
Typically, the public records do not contain information on the addresses of the former spouses. The details on how they have divided their assets and on child custody and visitation rights are also not available. Still, it may be possible to get these details from other sources if you really need them.
Accessing the Information
Any member of the public can access the public divorce records freely. You do not require special permission to get information which is public. You simply need to find the database which you need and to conduct the search. All state and local authorities keep such databases. Most sources of information have been digitalized and can be accessed directly online. There are also databases kept by different public organizations. The usually have records from several different sources.
If you are doing genealogical research, you may have to access very old records which are no longer available directly from the authorities. In this cases, the databases kept by libraries, churches and genealogical societies can be of great help to you. Many are directly available on the web. If this is not the case, you will have to visit place where the paper records are kept.
You can readily access divorce records when you need them. Read the information carefully and ensure that you will note it down correctly. If you require copies of publically available documents, you will have to send a special written request to the respective authority or organization which is responsible for keeping them. The earlier you do this, the better. You would want to ensure that you will not wait for long.