Find Divorce Decree in New York County

New York County divorce decree records are held at the County Clerk's Office inside the Supreme Court building at 60 Centre Street in Manhattan. The clerk is the official keeper of all Supreme Court files, including divorce judgments. You can search for a divorce decree by visiting in person, sending a mail request, or looking up case details through WebCivil Supreme online. New York County is part of the 1st Judicial District and has been maintaining divorce decree records since 1847. Manhattan handles a very large number of divorce cases each year, and the records system has both paper and digital files depending on the era.

New York County Divorce Decree Office

The New York County Clerk's Records Department is at 60 Centre Street, Room 103B, in the basement of the Supreme Court building. The phone number is 646-386-5955. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This is the main place to get a divorce decree in New York County. The Records Department holds all Supreme Court files. Divorce records are filed here after the judge signs the final judgment.

The Matrimonial Judgment Section is in Room 141B, also in the basement at 60 Centre Street. This is where you go for certified copies of divorce judgments. For judgments entered after March 15, 1999, you can get a certified copy right at the Certification Desk. For older judgments, you first request the case file from the Record Room, make a photocopy, and then have it certified at the desk. The fee is $8 cash for certification. Copies run $0.25 per page. The office takes cash, certified checks, attorney checks, credit cards, and money orders. They do not take personal checks.

Records from 1955 through 1984 are on microfiche. Records from 2014 to the present are digitized. This matters because the format affects how fast the clerk can find your divorce decree. Older records take more time to pull. Under Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law, all matrimonial files are confidential. You must be a party, an attorney of record, or have notarized authorization from a party to see anything.

Search New York County Divorce Decrees

The New York County Supreme Court at 60 Centre Street handles all divorce proceedings for Manhattan. The court is busy. Thousands of divorce cases move through each year. WebCivil Supreme is a free online tool that lets you search for divorce decree cases. You can search by party name, index number, or attorney name. The system shows case status, party names, and filing dates. You will not see the full decree on screen because of the privacy laws. But a search can confirm a case exists and give you the index number.

Here is the New York County Clerk Records page, which covers all Supreme Court filings, including divorce decrees for Manhattan.

This page has details on the Records Department, the Certification Desk, and how to request copies of divorce decree documents in Manhattan.

The NYSCEF electronic filing system is widely used in New York County. Note that electronic filing is mandatory for most Supreme Court cases in Manhattan, but matrimonial matters are actually exempt from mandatory e-filing. Self-represented parties are also exempt. Some divorce documents may still appear on NYSCEF if one side chose to file that way. Check with the clerk if you are not sure about a specific case.

New York County Divorce Decree Access

Getting a divorce decree from New York County takes a few steps. First, go to the Record Room in Room 103B. The Record Room closes at 3:00 PM, so plan your visit early. Give the clerk the index number or the names of both parties. The clerk will pull the file. You can then review it and make copies at $0.25 per page. To get a certified copy, take your photocopies to Room 141B and pay $8 cash.

For divorces before January 1, 1963, the decree filed with the New York County Clerk is the only record. The NYS Department of Health has divorce certificates for cases after that date. The certificate is a short form. It lists names and the date the marriage ended. It does not show the full terms. The fee from the Department of Health is $30 by mail. New York County also holds pre-1847 divorce records for downstate counties at the clerk's office at 31 Chambers Street, which is right in Manhattan.

The NYC311 service can help you find the right office for your divorce decree request. Call 311 from within the city or 212-NEW-YORK from outside. They can confirm hours, addresses, and tell you what documents to bring.

Divorce Decree Laws in New York County

DRL Section 235 makes all matrimonial files in New York County confidential. The clerk cannot show anyone the pleadings, testimony, findings, or the divorce decree unless you are a party or attorney of record. But subdivision 3 says any person can get a "certification of disposition." This document confirms what happened in the case without giving away any details. It costs $5 for each two-year period searched.

Section 255 of the Judiciary Law requires the clerk to search files and make copies when asked by an eligible person who pays the fees. For divorce cases in New York County, the clerk checks your ID before letting you see anything. The law is firm on this point. If you are not a party to the case, you can still get the certification of disposition but nothing more.

New York County Divorce Decree Help

The NYS Unified Court System offers free divorce forms. The court system strongly suggests using a lawyer. The New York State Bar Association has a referral line at 1-800-342-3661. For those who cannot afford a lawyer, Ask a Law Librarian helps answer questions about divorce decree records and filings.

The New York State Archives has information about very old divorce records. For cases before July 1, 1847, downstate records are at the New York County Clerk's Office at 31 Chambers Street. The Archives building is actually in Albany, but for Manhattan records, you check the local clerk first. The New York State Library also has vital records information for genealogy research. Divorce decree records older than 100 years are open to anyone.

Nearby Counties

These counties border New York County and also maintain their own divorce decree records.

Cities in New York County

New York County covers Manhattan, which is part of New York City. Visit the city page for more details on divorce decree access.