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.