Schoharie County Divorce Decree

Schoharie County divorce decree records are kept at the County Clerk's office on Main Street in Schoharie. The clerk serves as the filing arm of the Supreme Court in this part of the 3rd Judicial District, and all divorce decree files pass through that office. If you need to find a divorce decree from Schoharie County, you can search the case index by party name or case number. The clerk's staff can pull files for those who have the right to see them. Records go back to 1847 for this rural county in central New York. Online tools like WebCivil Supreme let you check if a case exists before you make the trip to the courthouse.

Schoharie County Clerk and Divorce Decree Files

The Schoharie County Clerk's Office is at 284 Main Street, Room 118, Schoharie, NY 12157. Lawrence J. Caza is the County Clerk. The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM. You can call them at (518) 295-8316. The fax number is (518) 295-8338. The clerk handles land records, civil court filings, passport services, and all Supreme Court documents, including divorce decree records. Online records are also available through the Search IQS system for some document types.

Divorce decree files in Schoharie County are sealed. Only the parties to the divorce or their attorneys of record can get copies. If you are not a party, you need a court order. This rule comes from Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law, which makes all matrimonial case files in New York confidential. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. The clerk will check your name against the case file before giving you anything.

You can also ask for a certification of disposition. That is a short document that says a divorce took place without giving away the details. The fee for that search is $5 for every two years the clerk has to look through.

Divorce Decree Cases in Schoharie County Supreme Court

Schoharie County is part of the 3rd Judicial District. The Supreme Court sits at 290 Main Street in Schoharie. The mailing address is P.O. Box 669, Schoharie, NY 12157. You can reach the court at (518) 453-6998 or by email at SchoharieSupremeandCounty@nycourts.gov. April Schmick is the Chief Clerk and Casey Dingman is the Deputy Chief Clerk. Hon. Ryan T. McAllister serves as the County Court Judge. Court hours run Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM.

The Supreme Court is the only court in New York that can grant a divorce. Family Court does not handle divorce cases at all. Every divorce decree in Schoharie County comes from this court. After the judge signs the judgment of divorce, the decree gets filed with the County Clerk down the street. That filing is what makes the divorce official and creates the permanent record. The Family Court in Schoharie handles custody and support matters but has no power to end a marriage. You can reach the Family Court at (518) 453-6982 and the Surrogate Court at (518) 453-6986.

Schoharie County Divorce Decree Resources

The Schoharie County Clerk has an official website where you can find contact details and learn about the services the office provides, including divorce decree record requests.

That page lists the clerk's hours, phone number, and the types of records you can request in person or by mail.

The 3rd Judicial District court page for Schoharie County gives details on the Supreme Court where all divorce decree cases are heard and decided.

Use that page to find the court's email, phone, and current staff contacts for divorce decree case questions.

How to Get a Divorce Decree in Schoharie County

You have a few ways to get a copy of a divorce decree from Schoharie County. The most direct way is to visit the County Clerk's office in person. Walk in during business hours with your photo ID. Tell the staff you need a divorce decree copy. Give them the names on the case and the year it was filed, or the index number if you have it. They will pull the file and make copies for you. Certified copies cost $5 for the first four pages and $1.25 for each page after that.

You can also request a Schoharie County divorce decree by mail. Send a letter to the County Clerk at P.O. Box 549, Schoharie, NY 12157. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate date of the divorce, and the index number if you know it. Include a check or money order for the copy fees, made out to the Schoharie County Clerk. Non-certified copies cost about $0.65 per page. Make sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

For divorces from 1963 or later, you can also get a divorce certificate from the NYS Department of Health. That costs $30 by mail or $45 online. The certificate is a short form. It does not have the full terms like a divorce decree does. Call (855) 322-1022 for questions about that process.

Schoharie County Divorce Decree Access Rules

New York law is strict about who can see divorce decree files. Section 235 of the Domestic Relations Law seals these records. Only the plaintiff, the defendant, or their lawyers can view the file. Everyone else needs a court order. This applies in Schoharie County the same as every other county in the state. The 100-year seal means that divorce decree records from before 1926 are now open to the public, which helps with genealogy research.

The New York State Archives has details on how the divorce decree system works across the state. For very old cases from before July 1, 1847, upstate records went to the State Archives in Albany. Schoharie County is an upstate county, so any pre-1847 divorce records would be there. For all cases after that date, the Schoharie County Clerk is the right place to look.

Nearby Counties

If the divorce decree you need was not filed in Schoharie County, check these neighboring counties.