Guide to Divorce Records Search

Expect to pay for online divorce record search
By Donna Christenberry

When an employer conducts a background check, among items that may turn up from the courts are divorce records. This can alert your human resources department to court orders to garnish wages for alimony or support, or possible trouble from ex-spouses, depending on the nature of the divorce. Turning up divorce information now can prevent unpleasant surprises later.

Several online services are available to find divorce records. In addition, employers should contact the courts directly to obtain more detailed information. In most states, divorce decrees are a matter of public record unless they have been sealed by the judge.

Checking for divorce records can turn up the following information:

Alimony and child support orders;
Back support due;
Court warrants for nonpayment.

Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a divorce record online Online services can save much time in uncovering information and are usually quicker and easier than contacting the courts. The fee is usually worth the investment for an online divorce record search. The down side is that not all online services are equal in terms of actual information provided.

I recommend: Check Net Detective, which is a favorite of law enforcement officials, journalists and employers for its divorce records database. Another good site to try is Court Records. Both sites have a money-back guarantee.

Beware of free online divorce records Many sites on the Internet bill themselves as offering free public divorce records. Once you pass the first page, however, you quickly find yourself stonewalled by a page requiring fees of varying amounts. Decide on your own whether to trust the information offered by such sites.

I recommend: Check Rhino Reviews for reviews of sites that offer public records searches. Hot Four rates the top providers among those offering divorce listings.

Get the details of public divorce records Services providing online divorce records will give varying amounts of information. For specifics, you likely will need to contact the court in which the decree was issued and you may need to go to the courthouse to search divorce records. In some cases, you can obtain the information from a state agency. Fees will vary according to state and agency.

I recommend: In Texas, you can obtain verification of divorce records from the Department of State Health Services, or through the website you can locate the district clerk to obtain a certified copy of the decree. The National Center for Health Statistics offers a directory of contacts in each state for public divorce records.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

You can save employee time and resources by using online services for divorce records. Once you find divorce records online, you should still verify the information with the court of record.

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