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Illinois Public Divorce Records

By Ben Kingsley


Divorce certificates, like many vital documents, are considered as a matter of public domain. This means that, with the proper requirements and credentials, any member of the public can have access to any vital information they seek, including divorce decrees and other pertinent data. In the state of Illinois, public documents fall under the jurisdiction of the state's Department of Public Health. Its Division of Vital Records keeps Illinois divorce records that date back to January 1962. Unfortunately, the state office does not release certified copies of such reports.

The state of Illinois' Department of Public Health may only verify the legitimacy of marriage and divorce reports. Applicants requesting to obtain a copy of a divorce certificate will only get a verification letter stating the existence of such record. Certified copies of birth and death records, on the other hand, can be availed through this office. Verifications for marriage and divorce certificates will cost you five dollars each. All payments must be made payable to the state office, by personal check, certified check, or money order.

If you are interested in obtaining a certified copy of a particular divorce certificate, you may contact the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was settled. You should ask the person on the other line for some guidance on how to proceed with acquiring a certified copy of the divorce report you want, what the costs are, and what the requirements may be. Keep in mind that each county office may have different processing charges, procedures, and requirements.

A good alternative source for vital documents, especially the older ones, is the Illinois State Archives. The Illinois Regional Archives Depository, IRAD for short, maintains divorce indexes much older than those available at the state or county offices. This is actually the perfect information resource for people conducting genealogy research or those doing marital history research on their ancestors. You should visit or contact the state archives office for more details on what kind of records they house in their database.

For background research purposes, on the other hand, an online information resource is a much more convenient and practical option. There are quite a few online record retrieval services available that is capable of disseminating comprehensive vital record data. Reputable online record providers can offer unrestricted and unlimited access to an extensive database of birth certificates, death reports, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees. All you will need is a working computer and an Internet connection.

Choosing to go with a record search website will only cost you a small one-time membership fee. You will need to complete a short registration process. But once the registration is completed, you can start running searches on any vital report you want. If you wish to access the divorce records of the person you are currently dating, for instance, all you need to do is type in his name and the state where he previously resided. With this kind of service, you can expect quick and comprehensive results and no additional fees or waiting periods.




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