It can be very difficult to prove that a divorce took place years ago.  Divorce records weren’t kept as accurately as they are now, and women had very few rights in a divorce.  States didn’t start keeping records of divorces until the early 1900s.  Even then, they were spotty at first.

Today the records are clearly kept and filed.  Even if the county fails to forward a divorce agreement for some strange reason, the county itself will have the record.  It makes it hard for us to imagine such things being neglected in the past.  If you need to find an old divorce record for your family tree, there are a couple of realistic options.

State Vital Statistics
If the divorce took place in the last 100 years, you should check with the State first of all.  They will likely have kept a record of the divorce in their court files.  Each state has slightly different expectations when you apply for a copy of the divorce decree, but the basics involve the following.

• The names of the divorced
• The location of the divorce
• The approximate date, a year is a good starting point
• Your relationship to the divorced

Fees vary so take the time to check the vital statistics website for the state you desire and download the proper form.

Using Online Search Services for Divorce Records
Quickly find divorce records from an online database of vital records.  They maintain huge databases that contain billions of documents.  Most are renewed daily as new documents become available.

If you are unsure of where a divorce took place or don’t know the name of one of the parties, this is the best place to look.  You can begin a search with what you know and then progress farther as you remove unlikely candidates based upon knowledge the state doesn’t consider such as subsequent marriages.  In no time at all, you will be holding a copy of your ancestor’s divorce decree.

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