Rochester Divorce Decree Records

Rochester divorce decree records are filed with the Monroe County Clerk's Office on West Main Street. Rochester is the county seat of Monroe County, and the Supreme Court handles all divorce cases for the area. When you need a copy of a divorce decree from a Rochester case, the Monroe County Clerk is where you go. You can search for Rochester divorce decree files in person at the clerk's office, send a request by mail, or use the state's online tools to find case details before making your formal request.

Monroe County Clerk and Rochester Divorce Decrees

The Monroe County Clerk's Office is at 39 W. Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Phone (585) 753-1600. The office is open Monday through Friday. Since Rochester is the county seat, the courthouse and the clerk's office are right in the city. Every divorce decree from Monroe County Supreme Court is stored here.

The Monroe County Clerk website lists hours and available services. The clerk also has a page specifically about marriage and divorce records that explains what you need to bring and how the process works. Certified copies of divorce decrees cost $5 for the first four pages, then $1.25 per page after that. Plain copies are cheaper.

Bring a valid photo ID. Have the names of both parties ready, along with the year the divorce was granted. An index number will speed things up considerably.

How to Get a Rochester Divorce Decree

Walk into the Monroe County Clerk's Office on West Main Street. Give the staff your case details and ID. They search the files. If they locate the case, you pay the fee and leave with your copy. Simple and fast.

Mail works too. Send your request to the Monroe County Clerk, 39 W. Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Include both names, the divorce year, and a check or money order. Put your phone number and address on the letter. Mail requests take a few weeks to come back. You can also check the Monroe County records search page for additional info about searching records at the clerk's office.

The WebCivil Supreme system is another option. It is a free online tool from the NYS Unified Court System that lets you search civil cases by name or index number. It will not give you the actual decree, but it shows whether a case exists and what index number was assigned. That info makes the clerk's search much easier.

Rochester Divorce Decree Access Rules

New York law restricts who can see divorce files. Under Domestic Relations Law Section 235, only parties to the divorce or their attorneys can view the full record. This rule applies to all Rochester divorce decrees in Monroe County. A court order is required for anyone else to get copies.

There is one exception. Anyone can get a certification of disposition. This short document confirms that a divorce took place and shows the outcome. It does not include terms or testimony. The cost is $5 for every two-year period the clerk has to search. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the clerk is required to search the records and provide copies when asked by an eligible person and paid the proper fees.

The NYS Archives page below explains where to find divorce decree records across the state, including guidance for Monroe County records.

That resource is helpful for anyone trying to figure out which office holds the Rochester divorce decree they need.

Divorce Certificate vs Decree in Rochester

A divorce decree is the full court judgment from Monroe County Supreme Court. It has property division, custody, support, and all other terms. The County Clerk stores it. A divorce certificate from the NYS Department of Health is a short form that lists names and the date the marriage ended. The state has certificates for divorces from 1963 forward.

For Rochester divorces before 1963, only the decree exists at the county clerk. State certificates cost $30 by mail or $45 online. Only the spouses or someone with a court order can request one. Call (855) 322-1022 if you need help.

Filing for Divorce in Rochester

Rochester residents file in Monroe County Supreme Court. The NYSCEF electronic filing system handles some case types, but matrimonial matters have different rules. Free forms are available from the court system. The New York State Bar Association has a referral line at 1-800-342-3661 for people who need a lawyer.

Monroe County divorce decree records go back to 1847. For cases before that, the NYS Archives holds upstate records. After 100 years, records become public. The New York State Library has genealogy resources. Genealogical copies cost $22 from the Department of Health.

Nearby Cities

Other cities and towns near Rochester have divorce records managed at the county level.