Online Santa Clara County Divorce Records

If you want to get hold of Santa Clara County Divorce Records, you can go to the office of the Superior Court and ask how you do so. Unlike other counties in California where you can access vital records from numerous local agencies, in Santa Clara County, only the Superior Court can grant access. Divorce details are part of public information along with birth, death, marriage, and also other records. And because they are deemed as a public record, any member of the general public can place a request for them as long as the requirements are met.

Separation and divorce files are categorized into two types: certified separation and divorce data and informational divorce documents. The former contains the detailed information of a divorce case. It includes the basic details such as the name of the couple, the date of the divorce, and the place where it was finalized. It also includes the confidential parts of the case such as the grounds of the divorce and the terms and agreement as approved by the presiding judge. The latter contains only the basic details because its only purpose is to provide enough details to ensure whether a divorce did occur or not.

It is permitted to access your own divorce file, if you have any. Full access is given to the couple, their immediate relatives, their respective lawyers, members of the law enforcement agency that have the consent of both owner and court, and a judge in-charge of the divorce case. Those whose names not mentioned but wants to acquire the records of another individual must get the consent of both the owner and also the court. However, the level access that will be granted is limited as the confidential facts are not disclosed to the general public.

To initiate a search, secure the proper request form for divorce documents from the Superior Court or download it from the official websites of Santa Clara County or that of the Superior Court. Complete the form properly by providing the details it requires such as the name of the couple, their contact information, basic information on the divorce record, and others. Next, have the completed form notarized. Submit the notarized form personally or through mail at the Superior Court along with your contact details and proof of identification. Include a check or money order worth $15 as payment for the search process. Fees are non-refundable whatever the outcome of the search.

Breakup files have a number of uses. They can be used as a legal report when applying for a loan, claiming assets, division of liabilities, to check the marital history of a potential partner, finding out the maiden name of a woman, and when a divorced person wants to secure a marriage license, to name a few.

An additional way to get hold of divorce details is by getting from websites not owned by the government that have the consent of the court to maintain and provide public record information, such as Santa Clara County Divorce Decree, to the general public. There are a number of websites that offer such service but not all of them can be trusted. You need to use only a trusted source and you can only determine that by running a quick criminal history check on them before you carry out your search.