Ontario County Divorce Decree

Ontario County divorce decree records are on file with the County Clerk in Canandaigua. The clerk serves as the custodian of all Supreme Court civil and criminal records, which includes every divorce decree filed in Ontario County. The office is at 20 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. You can call (585) 396-4200 for questions. Ontario County is in the 7th Judicial District, and e-filing is available for matrimonial matters through the NYSCEF system. If you need to find a divorce decree, this office is the starting point for all requests in the county.

Ontario County Divorce Decree Clerk's Office

The Ontario County Clerk handles all divorce decree records for the county. The clerk is the chief recording officer and the custodian of public land records, but the office also maintains all civil and criminal court files from the Supreme Court and County Court. Divorce actions are part of those civil court records. The office sits at 20 Ontario Street in Canandaigua. The clerk keeps divorce decrees filed going back to 1847, which is when New York's Supreme Court took over divorce cases from the old Court of Chancery.

The Ontario County Clerk website provides information about the office and its services. Here is a look at that page.

The page lists the clerk's contact details and describes the office's role as custodian of court records in Ontario County.

Getting a Divorce Decree in Ontario County

To get a copy of a divorce decree from Ontario County, you need to be a party to the case or an attorney of record. DRL Section 235 makes divorce files confidential. Bring your photo ID to the clerk's office at 20 Ontario Street. You will also need the names of both spouses and the approximate year the divorce was granted. The index number is helpful if you have it. The clerk will search for the file and pull a copy.

Certified copies run $5 to $8 for the first four pages. Each page after that costs about $1.25. If the clerk has to search for your case without an index number, a fee of $5 per two-year period applies. Ontario County divorce records include decrees, certificates, and separation agreements. Basic case information is publicly accessible, but certified copies of the actual decree have restricted access. The records are kept permanently.

Below is a page with more details on Ontario County divorce records and what is available.

That page explains the types of divorce records held in Ontario County and access rules that apply.

Ontario County Supreme Court Divorce Cases

The Ontario County Supreme Court is at 27 North Main Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424. The phone number is 585-412-5300, and the fax is 585-412-5327. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. This is where all divorce cases in Ontario County are heard. The court is part of the 7th Judicial District. When a judge signs a divorce decree, the document gets filed with the County Clerk at 20 Ontario Street. That is where the permanent record of the divorce stays.

Family Court in Ontario County is at the same address, 27 North Main Street. The phone number is 585-412-5299. But Family Court does not handle divorce cases. It deals with custody, support, and visitation matters that may come up after a divorce is done. The Surrogate's Court is also at 27 North Main Street (585-412-5301). That court handles estates and probate, not divorce.

Divorce Decree Access Laws for Ontario County

New York law limits who can view divorce records. Under Judiciary Law Section 255, the County Clerk must search records and give copies when paid the right fees. But for divorce cases, only the parties and their lawyers get full access. Anyone else can ask for a certification of disposition under subdivision 3 of DRL Section 235. This confirms the outcome of the case without revealing details. The fee is $5 per two-year search period.

After 100 years from the date of the final decree, the file becomes public. The New York State Library has information on accessing older vital records. The NYS Department of Health handles divorce certificates for cases after 1963. A divorce certificate is different from a decree. It is a short form that just lists names, date, and place. The decree has the full terms.

The NYS Unified Court System has free divorce forms and instructions. The Ask a Law Librarian service can help with questions about divorce decree records.

Cities in Ontario County

Canandaigua is the county seat of Ontario County. All divorce decree records for cities and towns in Ontario County are managed by the Ontario County Clerk, not by local municipal offices.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Ontario County. Each has its own County Clerk who keeps divorce decree records.