Where are Massachusetts Divorce Records Located?Īs with other state vital records, such as birth, marriage, and death records, changes have occurred over the years regarding the current location of divorce file records. Other more recent restrictions on divorce records, i.e., say, post the year 2000, including restricting access to Qualified Domestic Orders (QDROs) for retirement funds to only the parties named on the record or their legal representative. Photo IDs are needed to access impounded records and are usually only done in person, face to face, at the court. Whether a divorce is restricted is entirely at a judge's discretion. The presiding judge could also impound the file for almost any reason. Why Would a Massachusetts Divorce Record be Impounded?Ĭourts usually impound divorce records when famous individuals are involved or when there is a possibility of emotional or physical abuse, and one of the parties wants to keep their location confidential. These records are accessible only by the parties named on the divorce petition or their legal representative. "In Massachusetts, almost all divorce records, sometimes referred to as divorce dockets, divorce case files or divorce decrees, are considered public records and open to anyone for public inspection."įinancial information, however, beyond specifics laid out in a separation agreement, is open only to the parties named in the divorce or to their lawyer or other designated legal representative.Ī small percentage of divorce records are NOT public because the court impounded them. If you have specific questions about divorce or divorce records in California, please contact our office for a free consultation.Are Massachusetts Divorce Records Public Records? Learning about the legal alternatives to divorce can often help those worried about ending their marriage. If you are considering a divorce, but are worried about having a public divorce record, it’s a good idea to speak with an experienced divorce attorney to learn more about the process and your options. This includes having a court rule on the division of property, alimony, child support, custody, and visitation. Legal Separation: While not technically a divorce, a legal separation is for couples who want the security of a court order that defines all the same legal aspects of one. This is often the choice for those who want to end their marriage but also remain faithful to their religious beliefs. This means spouses who opt for annulment are then legally “single” and not “divorced”. Marriage Annulment: With an annulment, it’s as if the marriage never happened from a legal standpoint. It is not uncommon for one spouse to have lied about or simply not disclosed the fact that they were previously married.įor those who want to avoid having a divorce be a matter of public record, there are a couple of potential alternatives to getting an actual legal divorce: More relevant to the topic of divorce, public records are often accessed during a family law investigation to gather information about a spouse. They are also be useful to help monitor and maintain public health. Catholicism, for example, does not allow remarriage after divorce if both spouses are still living and there has not been an annulment.Ī spouse who wants, or has gotten a divorce, but who also wants to remain a member of their church, may worry about friends or family finding out if the records are public.īirth, death, marriage, and divorce records are used by all kinds of private and government agencies for statistical purposes. Many religions heavily frown upon, or outright forbid, divorce. The most common concern of having a divorce record being public information is because of religion. Informational copies of divorce records are available to anyone upon request. In California, divorces are public record and are accessible through the California Department of Public Health. For some couples, the prospect of divorce is worrisome not only because of the actual process itself, but also because of the disclosure of the divorce as a matter of public record.
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