How to Obtain and Use Information in Oklahoma Divorce Records

In recent times, the number of cases of divorces has increased in the U.S.. The rate of divorce in the United States is now 1 out of every 3. That actually means there are over a million divorces every year. Divorce record archives are a part of the vital statistics that the state and county maintain because it is mandatory by law to do this.

Since there are so many cases of divorces now, and a large number of them are in the State of Oklahoma, the divorce record database is growing with each passing day. You will be happy to know that each of these incidents is recorded by the authorities.

Actually, the state and the county authorities are legally obliged to maintain records of vital statistics and this includes divorce records too. The great news is that when you place a request and do so correctly, the authorities are legally obliged to share the information with you.

The records are maintained for both public and government reference, as well as purposes of information. The Freedom of Information Act, which was passed in 1966, ensured that since 1967 this has been officially done. You should note that most of the states already practiced it at the county level long before that.

Except for a mere few, almost all American states have a central office for statistics or records which does not issue certified copies of divorce documents. These departments involve themselves in verifying whether a divorce was granted in the state or not. They serve by redirecting requests pertaining to original documents to the county office where the divorce was granted.
 
You must also know that you will have to submit a request when you want to get a divorce record, and there is a nominal fee involved in this. The service is not free.

How to Find and Obtain Oklahoma Divorce Records?

You need to submit your request for Oklahoma divorce records to the state or the county office. Depending on which agency you choose to contact, free Oklahoma divorce records can usually be obtained by walking in, telephone or fax.

Ideally, you should be approaching the county office because this is where the record is maintained. If you are not aware about the exact county that approved the divorce, you may also approach the state office, which will then forward your request to the appropriate county.

You Can Now Submit Requests Online

Online options for requesting records over the Internet are now available. The main advantage is that these websites can make the processing quicker so you save time. Plus, there are a lot fewer hassles as well. In some cases, you can receive quite a bit of additional information.

According to existing law, every American citizen has access to vital statistics, including divorce records. In most cases, the database has been computerized and centralized through a network. This is often of great help because you can now finally apply to the state office (if you do not know the name of the county where to apply) and find the information you want.

For accessing Oklahoma divorce records, you need to contact:

Vital Records Service
Oklahoma State Dept of Health
1000 Northeast Tenth, Room 117
Oklahoma City, OK 73117
(405) 271-4040

If you want to approach the government for the records, then you have many options for submitting a request. You can write a letter or walk in to the office. You may also call them and even send a fax request.

Information Included in Oklahoma Divorce Records

There is a lot of information that is actually stored in the state's database. You must know however that when you place that request, you cannot have access to all of the associated details.

What you can know is the fact of whether the person has actually been granted the divorce or not and the date and county in which the divorce was granted. You will not be able to know the reason for the divorce, issues related to settlement, child custody and other personal details about the parties involved.