Cattaraugus County Divorce Decree Lookup

Cattaraugus County divorce decree records are kept at the County Clerk's Office in Little Valley. The county is part of the 8th Judicial District, and all divorce cases are heard in the Supreme Court. If you need a copy of a divorce decree from Cattaraugus County, you can visit the clerk at 303 Court Street or send a written request by mail. The clerk holds marriage, military, naturalization, divorce, court, and land records. Court records go back to 1850 and land records to 1808. Divorce decree files from 1847 onward are available for eligible requesters.

Cattaraugus County Divorce Decree Office

The Cattaraugus County Clerk's Office is at 303 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755. Call 716-379-6636. The clerk serves as the clerk of Supreme and County Courts. This office holds marriage records from 1908 onward, military records, naturalization files, divorce records, court records from 1850, and land records from 1808. The clerk is the main point of contact for anyone who needs a copy of a Cattaraugus County divorce decree.

To get a copy of your divorce decree, bring a valid photo ID to the clerk's office. You need the full names of both parties and the approximate year the divorce was granted. If you have the index number, it makes the search much faster. Without the index number, the clerk charges a $5 search fee for every two-year period they need to look through. A certified copy of the divorce decree costs $5 to $8 for the first four pages. Each extra page is $1.25. Plain copies cost about $0.25 to $0.65 per page.

Under Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law, Cattaraugus County divorce decree files are confidential. Only the parties, their attorneys, or someone with a court order can see the full file. Financial affidavits and statements are sealed by default. Records with information about minor children have restricted access too. Cases that involve domestic violence may be partially or fully sealed.

Search Cattaraugus County Divorce Decrees

The Cattaraugus County Supreme Court is at 303 Court Street in Little Valley. The phone is 716-938-9111. The Supreme Court has unlimited jurisdiction and handles all divorce, separation, and annulment cases. The County Court handles criminal prosecutions for felony offenses and limited civil cases up to $25,000. Only the Supreme Court can grant a divorce decree in Cattaraugus County.

Here is the Cattaraugus County Supreme Court information page that explains the court's role in handling divorce cases.

The Supreme Court page outlines the court's jurisdiction over divorce and other civil matters in Cattaraugus County.

WebCivil Supreme is a free online tool that lets you search for divorce decree cases in Cattaraugus County. Search by party name, index number, or attorney name. The system shows case status and filing dates. The full divorce decree is not viewable online because of privacy rules. But the search gives you the index number you need to request records from the clerk.

Cattaraugus County Divorce Decree Records

The Cattaraugus County Clerk holds several types of divorce records. The county has court case files with pleadings, motions, and judgments. It also has divorce certificates that summarize the dissolution. The divorce decree is the full court document signed by the judge. The certificate is a shorter form.

Here is the Cattaraugus County divorce records information page with details on access rules and record types.

This page covers the different types of divorce records held in Cattaraugus County and who can request copies.

Court divorce case files are official public records, but there are big exceptions. Financial affidavits are sealed by default. Records with details about minor children have limited access. Cases with domestic violence may be fully sealed. Certified divorce certificates and divorce decrees have restricted access. Only parties, attorneys of record, or people with a court order can get copies. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the clerk must search and provide copies when asked by an eligible person and paid the correct fees.

For genealogy research, the Surrogate's Court has probate records from 1800 onward. The New York State Archives holds pre-1847 divorce records for upstate counties like Cattaraugus. After 100 years from the final decree date, all divorce decree records become open to the public. The NYS Department of Health has divorce certificates for cases from 1963 onward at a cost of $30 per copy by mail.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Cattaraugus County and each has its own County Clerk who keeps divorce decree records.

Cities in Cattaraugus County

Cattaraugus County does not have any cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. Divorce decree records for all communities in Cattaraugus County are handled by the County Clerk's Office in Little Valley.