California Divorce Records

Divorce is never a happy occasion but it is a part of our reality. Divorce is longer the big taboo it was in the earlier days. In this day of an age, genealogical researchers often try to follow divorce records in their journey. Divorce records not only provide you with information on both parties involved and can provide you with information regarding any other relatives of either individual and their offspring as well as ancestors, but it can also provide information on the married couple such as financial records and the reason the marriage was dissolved. In California, there are two forms of divorce records: Certified copies and Certificates of Record. The first is the official state approved document while the later is more of an unofficial informational document. Only the superior court can provide certified copies. For certificates of records, the Vital Records department can issue records from 1962 and 1984. The unofficial copies often carry the names of the people involved, dates and county where filed, however, it will not indicate whether the divorce was ever finalized in court.