Divorce records have been made public records via the Freedom of Information Act of 1966. Because they are public records they fall under the jurisdiction of the state and are maintained by repositories of the state.
City and county courthouses, from where the records are uploaded, are normally maintained by city and county repositories. A majority of these documents and their information can be found online.
Ohio Divorce Records Online
Because divorce records are rather private, most states have imposed a degree of restriction on their use and accessibility. Nevertheless they are still deemed public records, which allows anyone to access anyone else’s public divorce records. This can only happen if the proper procedures are followed and complied by.
Divorce Record Usage
Public divorce records can be searched for many reasons. One of these reasons includes finding past information on a future relative, in-law, or spouse. Some search through concern for friends. There are official uses for search divorce records also.
These include cases of remarriage after a past divorce. This kind of search is done to confirm that the divorce was properly completed as well as to acquire the document for the application of a current marriage license. Some cases of this also require the production of a certified copy of the Divorce Certificate.
There are other uses of divorce records. These include the location of biological parents from adopted children – which can be done the other way around too – genealogy research, and establishment of identity and inheritance status in specific matters and claims.
Some choose to use public record divorce records for wrongful uses, which can include blackmail, campaign smearing, and ransom bargains.
Obtaining Ohio Public Divorce Records
Obtaining public divorce records can happen in many different ways. A record may be received upon request via mail, fax, telephone, or personal walk-in. Even as these are the ways used most commonly in the past, the new most commonly used way of obtaining divorce records is via the Internet. This is because the Internet is the fastest way where records may be downloaded electronically.
Records can be obtained in two ways: paid or free-of-charge. The paid version of most records is often the best way to approach. Even as it involves money, formal and official purposes often require quality over speed. The purchased records are often in the best condition possible.
Records that are obtained over the Internet are fast but, at times, are not able to be used in official and formal uses, such as court proceedings.
What Can be Learned from Divorce Records?
The information found in divorce records can be valuable and can also vary from record to records. Some records may state that a person was divorced on the grounds of violence or abuse, while another may say a person was divorced on the grounds of infidelity. Some records open the knowledge of a person’s past, such as drug abuse, alcohol usage, and rehabilitations.
Divorce records also give the information of children involved, child custody, reason for divorce, time and location of the marriage and divorce, as well as alimony, settlements, filing number, restraining orders, asset division, and final decree.