Divorce cases were not that rampant until after the 19th century. It was then the time when New York Divorce Records emerged along with other public files such as that of birth, death, and marriage. In this particular state, these vital reports are maintained by the New York Vital Records Office.
The county, where the couple was legally separated, usually houses this information. No matter what your reason for searching is, this document is assured to be very useful. It reveals significant facts about the names of the individuals who are involved in the case, addresses, information on where and when the separation occurred, ages, children, custody, alimony, and more.
Generally, there are two types of files that will be made available to you by your local county courts office. The first of which is the original divorce decree. In this document, what you will find are the terms of the separation, plus the signature of the judge to make it legitimate. The second type is the divorce certificate which basically confirms the occurrence of the divorce, and the details on when, where, and who are involved.
Gathering this information in the state of New York requires two things from you-your proof of identity and a valid reason for obtaining it. There are several ways in which you can request for this account from the state archives. It can be through walk-in, fax, phone, mail, or through the Internet. However, searching at those governmental offices may require you to pay a minimal amount as an admin fee before they will provide you with the result. In that area, New York is said to be one of those states that charges high.
Fortunately, the state of New York has made this information open for everyone to access and view as long as they comply with the rules of those designated offices. It is only the State Center for Health Statistics that is authorized to provide a certified copy of this record for the dissolution of marriage. Such type of document is essential for purposes like remarriage and immigration. However, you can search online if you just wanted to gather information about the case.
When all else fails, going to the courts is usually the last resort for the couple to fix the situation. However, when it reaches to that point already, the involved individuals must know that they can no longer have the privacy that they once had. Generally, Divorce Court Records are made available for anyone to access and view. Usually, the court that handled the entire proceeding stores this information before uploading it to the state archives.