Putnam County Divorce Decree
Putnam County divorce decree records are filed at the County Clerk's Office in Carmel, located in the Hudson Valley. The clerk serves as the clerk of the Supreme Court and holds all divorce judgments granted in Putnam County. You can get a copy by visiting the office at 40 Gleneida Avenue, sending a written request, or searching case details through WebCivil Supreme online. Putnam County is part of the 9th Judicial District. The county is relatively small and sits between Westchester and Dutchess counties. Divorce decree records go back to 1847.
Putnam County Divorce Decree Overview
Putnam County Divorce Decree Office
The Putnam County Clerk's Office is at 40 Gleneida Avenue in Carmel, NY 10512. The phone number is 845-808-1142. The clerk maintains all Supreme Court records and County Court records, including divorce decrees. The office handles land records too, along with other public filings. You can visit during business hours or send a mail request for copies.
A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $5 for the first four pages and $1.25 for each page after that. Bring valid photo ID. You must be a party to the divorce, an attorney of record, or have notarized authorization from a party. If you do not know the index number, the clerk searches at $5 per two-year period. Plain copies run about $0.25 to $0.65 per page. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope with mail requests.
Under Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law, divorce decree files in Putnam County are confidential. Only the parties, their lawyers, or someone with a court order can access the full file. This restriction lasts 100 years. However, anyone can request a "certification of disposition," which confirms the outcome of the case without showing details. This is a good option if you just need proof that a divorce took place.
Search Putnam County Divorce Decrees
The Putnam County Supreme Court is at 40 Gleneida Avenue in Carmel. The phone number is 845-808-1600. The court is part of the 9th Judicial District. All divorce cases in Putnam County are heard by the Supreme Court. Family Court handles custody and support but cannot grant a divorce. The Supreme Court and the County Clerk share the same building, which makes getting records after a case ends easier.
WebCivil Supreme lets you search for Putnam County divorce decree cases for free online. You can look up cases 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 confidentiality rules. But the search gives you the index number you need to request records from the clerk.
The NYSCEF electronic filing system is available for some Putnam County cases. You need an account. Not all divorce cases appear on NYSCEF. Check with the clerk to see if your case has electronic filings.
Here is the NYS electronic filing system homepage, which covers courts across the state including Putnam County.
NYSCEF allows filing and checking case status from any location. Not all Putnam County divorce cases use this system.
Note: Putnam County shares the 9th Judicial District with Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, and Orange counties, so some court resources overlap.
Putnam County Divorce Decree Access
If your divorce was before January 1, 1963, the decree at the Putnam County Clerk is the only record. For divorces after that date, the NYS Department of Health also has a divorce certificate. The certificate is a short form that lists names and the date the marriage ended but not the full terms. The fee from the Department of Health is $30 by mail.
The New York State Archives has information about older records. For cases before July 1, 1847, upstate records are at the State Archives in Albany. After that date, they are at the Putnam County Clerk's office in Carmel.
Divorce Decree Laws in Putnam County
DRL Section 235 makes divorce decree files in Putnam County confidential. The clerk cannot show anyone the pleadings, testimony, findings, or the decree unless you are a party or attorney of record. Subdivision 3 allows anyone to ask for a "certification of disposition." It confirms the case outcome without giving away details. The fee is $5 per two-year search period.
Section 255 of the Judiciary Law requires the clerk to search records and provide copies when asked by an eligible person who pays the fees. The clerk has to look through files, papers, records, and dockets. If the records cannot be found, the clerk says so. In Putnam County, you need valid ID before the clerk will hand over divorce decree documents.
Putnam County Divorce Decree Help
The NYS Unified Court System has free divorce forms and instruction booklets. The court system recommends hiring a lawyer even for simple cases. The New York State Bar Association referral line is 1-800-342-3661. Ask a Law Librarian is free and helps with questions about divorce decree records and filing procedures.
Putnam County does not have a dedicated Matrimonial Center. Self-represented people should use the statewide court resources available online. The clerk's office at 40 Gleneida Avenue in Carmel can help with basic procedural questions. They cannot give legal advice. The New York State Library has vital records information for genealogy. Putnam County divorce decree records older than 100 years are open to anyone for research.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Putnam County and keep their own divorce decree records at their County Clerk offices.
Cities in Putnam County
There are no qualifying cities in Putnam County that meet the population threshold for an individual page. Contact the Putnam County Clerk's Office in Carmel for all divorce decree requests.