Madison County Divorce Decree Records
Madison County divorce decree records are held at the County Clerk's Office in Wampsville. The clerk serves as the clerk of the Supreme Court, which handles all divorce cases in New York. If you need a certified copy of a divorce decree from Madison County, the clerk's office is your primary source. You can also search for basic case details online through WebCivil Supreme before making a formal request. Whether you need a decree for a legal matter, a name change, or personal records, this guide walks you through the steps.
Madison County Divorce Decree Overview
Madison County Divorce Decree Office
The Madison County Clerk's Office is at 138 North Court Street in Wampsville, NY 13163. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. The clerk holds divorce decree files from 1847 to the present. Madison County is part of the 5th Judicial District, which also covers Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, Jefferson, Herkimer, and Lewis counties.
To get a copy of a Madison County divorce decree, you need a valid photo ID. Bring the full names of both parties to the case. The index number helps, but it is not required. Without it, the clerk will search for the case at a cost of $5 per two-year period. Certified copies are $5 for the first four pages. Each page after that is $1.25. Plain copies cost roughly $0.65 per page. For mail requests, send a check or money order to the Wampsville address. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
The Madison County official website offers general county information and links to various departments.
The website links to the County Clerk, courts, and other departments. For divorce decree copies, contact the clerk's office directly by phone or mail.
Find Madison County Divorce Decrees
WebCivil Supreme is a free tool for looking up divorce decree cases in Madison County. You can search by party name, index number, or attorney name. The results include case status, party names, and filing dates. The full divorce decree text is not viewable online because of privacy rules. But the search can confirm a case exists and give you the index number for your records request.
E-filing is available for matrimonial cases in Madison County through NYSCEF. The 5th Judicial District Help Center at 315-671-1144 is located at the Onondaga County Courthouse at 401 Montgomery Street in Syracuse. They can help with questions about divorce forms, filing procedure, and how to get copies of existing records. The center is a good resource for self-represented people who need guidance on the process.
Divorce Decree Laws in Madison County
Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law makes all matrimonial files confidential in Madison County. The clerk cannot let anyone see the pleadings, testimony, or the divorce decree itself unless you are a party or an attorney of record. This rule lasts for 100 years from the date of the final decree. After that, the records become public and anyone can view them.
Subdivision 3 of Section 235 provides one exception. Any person can ask for a "certification of disposition." This is a short document that tells you the outcome of the case without showing the details of the pleadings or testimony. The fee is $5 per two-year search period. Section 255 of the Judiciary Law requires the clerk to search the files and make copies when asked by an eligible person who pays the correct fees.
Note: Family Court does not handle divorces in New York, so all Madison County divorce decree records are filed through the Supreme Court.
Madison County Divorce Decree Access
The NYS Department of Health maintains divorce certificates for all divorces on or after January 1, 1963. This is not the same document as the divorce decree. The certificate is a short form that lists names and dates. It does not show the full terms of the decree. The mail-in fee is $30 per copy. For divorces before 1963, the Madison County Clerk is the only source for the decree.
The New York State Archives has info about historical divorce records. For cases before July 1, 1847, upstate county records are at the State Archives in Albany. Madison County records from 1847 forward are at the County Clerk in Wampsville. Records that are more than 100 years old are open to the public under state law.
Madison County Divorce Decree Help
The NYS Unified Court System offers free divorce forms and instruction booklets. The court system recommends using a lawyer. 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 Madison County and may help with family law matters.
Ask a Law Librarian is another free resource that can answer questions about divorce decree records and the filing process. The New York State Library has vital records information for genealogy research. Madison County divorce decree records older than 100 years are available to anyone without restriction.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Madison County and maintain divorce decree records through their County Clerk offices.
Cities in Madison County
Madison County does not have any cities that meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. For divorce decree records, contact the Madison County Clerk's Office in Wampsville.