Find Lewis County Divorce Decrees
Lewis County divorce decree records are kept at the County Clerk's Office in Lowville. The clerk serves as the clerk of the Supreme Court, which handles all divorce cases in New York State. Lewis County is a rural county in northern New York with a small population, but the same state rules for divorce decree access and privacy apply here as they do everywhere else. You can search for case information online through WebCivil Supreme and then contact the clerk to get certified copies of the divorce decree itself.
Lewis County Divorce Decree Overview
Lewis County Divorce Decree Office
The Lewis County Clerk's Office is located at 7660 North State Street in Lowville, NY 13367. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. The clerk holds divorce decree records from 1847 to the present. Lewis County is part of the 5th Judicial District, which also includes Jefferson, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and Herkimer counties.
To get a copy of a Lewis County divorce decree, you need to bring a valid photo ID. The clerk will ask for the full names of both parties to the case. Having the index number helps speed things up. If you do not have the index number, the clerk can search for it, but there is a $5 fee for every two-year period they look through. A certified copy costs $5 for the first four pages. Each page after that is $1.25. Plain copies cost about $0.65 per page.
The Lewis County Clerk's website provides information about available services and records.
The clerk handles court records, land records, and vital records. For divorce decree copies, reach out to the office at the Lowville address.
Mail requests are accepted. Send a check or money order for the fees along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Include the full names of both parties and any case details you have. The clerk will process the request and send copies back to you.
Search Lewis County Divorce Decrees
WebCivil Supreme is a free online tool for looking up divorce decree cases in Lewis County. You can search by party name, index number, or attorney name. The system shows case status, party names, and filing dates. The full text of the divorce decree is not available online because of state privacy laws. But the search can confirm a case exists and give you the index number to use when you request copies from the clerk.
The NYSCEF electronic filing system is another option. Some Lewis County cases may have documents filed through NYSCEF. Not all divorce cases show up there. The 5th Judicial District Help Center at 315-671-1144 can answer questions about procedure and forms if you are not sure where to start.
Lewis County Divorce Decree Access
The NYS Department of Health maintains divorce certificates for all divorces on or after January 1, 1963. This is a separate document from the divorce decree. The certificate is a short form that lists names and the date the marriage ended. It does not include the full terms of the decree. The mail-in fee is $30. For divorces before 1963, the Lewis County Clerk is the only source.
The New York State Archives holds divorce records from before July 1, 1847, for upstate counties. Lewis County divorce decree records from 1847 forward are at the County Clerk's office in Lowville. Records older than 100 years are open to the public under state law.
Note: Lewis County has a small caseload, so requests are often processed faster than in more populated counties across the state.
Divorce Decree Laws in Lewis County
Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law keeps all matrimonial files confidential in Lewis County. The clerk cannot let anyone view the pleadings, testimony, or the divorce decree unless you are a party or an attorney of record. This rule stays in place for 100 years. Subdivision 3 of Section 235 does allow any person to ask for a "certification of disposition," which is a short document that confirms what happened in the case without revealing details. The fee is $5 per two-year search.
Section 255 of the Judiciary Law requires the clerk to search records and make copies when asked by an eligible person who pays the proper fees. For Lewis County divorce cases, you must prove your identity before the clerk will release any documents.
Lewis County Divorce Decree Help
The NYS Unified Court System offers free divorce forms and instruction booklets. The court strongly recommends using a lawyer, even for uncontested cases. The New York State Bar Association referral line is 1-800-342-3661. For low-income residents, Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York covers Lewis County and may help with family law matters.
Ask a Law Librarian is a free service that can answer questions about divorce decree records and the filing process. The New York State Library has vital records information for genealogy research. Lewis County divorce decree records that are more than 100 years old become public and can be viewed by anyone without restriction.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Lewis County and maintain their own divorce decree records through their County Clerk offices.
Cities in Lewis County
Lewis County does not have any cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. For divorce decree records, contact the Lewis County Clerk's Office in Lowville.