How to Obtain and Use Information Found in Florida Divorce Records

There was a time when there were not too many options if you wanted to access divorce records, though they were maintained by the state and the county offices and were supposed to be shared with you. All you could do was submit an application and approach the right authorities.

Of course, you could have also walked into the office, called them up with the request and even sent a fax request. You had to ensure that you submitted your request correctly and approached the right authorities. In the case of Florida records, you had to approach the county offices because this is where the database was maintained.

In recent times however, it has become much easier for you to find Florida divorce records and those in the other states. Now, it is not essential for you to approach the county office anymore. You can directly approach the state office and they will then direct your request to the relevant county for you.

This is very helpful because often many people are not sure about the exact county where the divorce was obtained and where the record is maintained. It has become possible because today the data is computerized and networked. Thus by accessing the central pool, the authorities are able to know which county can provide the record you need.

The Internet Has Made Things Even Easier

In the modern day world, the Internet has helped us in so many ways and this is the case with accessing divorce records as well.

There are public search engines you can approach as well for the records that you want. The main advantage that these websites offer is that you are able to obtain the records you need quicker and with fewer hassles. The fact is, the state and county offices are almost always under-staffed and because of this, it might take a while for you to find what you want.

This is not the case with many official government and private websites. Plus, as an added advantage, you can often learn a lot more, too. These websites might charge a bit more as compared to the fee you need to pay to the state in person, but the advantages to you are worth the cost.

You may also take a look at the records kept in the local church or family documents. Like marriages, there could have been divorces at the church for religious annulment. So, it is possible that the record is kept at the church.

With all of these options, consider which one is most appropriate for you when you are thinking of requesting divorce records.

Why Divorce Records are Important

The records are useful to people in different ways. When you are trying to prove that you are single so that you can get re-married, you can obtain a copy of the divorce record yourself. Though these checks are also carried out for some employment purposes, in most cases it is for marital reasons.

For example, you might be considering getting married to a person whom you know was married before. So just to check, you want to find out whether the person has indeed been granted a divorce or not. This is so important because if the divorce is not yet granted, and if you get married to him or her in the meantime, the implications can be disastrous.

Divorce record searches are also carried out for genealogy research. Yes, the records play a lesser role in genealogy research as compared to marriage records, but they can still help you track family members. Of course divorce can be very emotional and if it happened many years ago, then it is possible that someone who departed from the family was also forgotten. Most people do not know too much about an ex-spouse of a family member who might be still living. Finding this information can be a great difficulty for a family historian.

Perhaps you are mapping your own family tree and want to find out about someone whom you know as a fact was divorced in the state. This is where the Florida divorce records can help you immensely.

How Do You Apply for a Divorce Record in the State of Florida? Where Do You Send Your Request?

Remember, the divorce records are maintained at the county clerk’s office and this is where you will find them. The state however has a large number of counties and it might not be possible to always know where the divorce was obtained. If this is the problem you are facing, you can send your request to the following office:

Office of Vital Statistics, Dept of Health

P.O. Box 210

1217 Pearl Street

Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042

(904) 359-6900 Ext. 1029

fax (904) 359-6993

You must remember a few things however when you send over your request for the divorce records. You will need to provide the following details when you are applying:

•    The date when the request was made

•    The complete name of the husband (last name in capital letters)

•    The complete name of the wife (maiden name should be in capital letters

•    The date of divorce or annulment

•    The place of divorce (town or city, state, county)

•    The type of final decree

•    Your relationship to the person on whom you want the record

•    The reason why you want the record

•    Your address and name

•    Your driver's license no. and state (necessary in some counties)

•    Your signature