Search Niagara County Dissolution Of Marriage
Niagara County dissolution of marriage records are kept by the County Clerk at 175 Hawley Street in Lockport. The clerk's office files and maintains all Supreme Court matrimonial cases for the county, including divorce decrees and annulments. If you need to search for a case, request a certified copy, or look up a past dissolution of marriage filing, the Lockport office is where you go. Niagara County has a Divorce File Request form for mail requests and offers a Certificate of Dissolution for people who are not parties to the case.
Niagara County Dissolution Of Marriage Overview
Niagara County Clerk Dissolution Records
The Niagara County Clerk's Office is at 175 Hawley Street, First Floor, Lockport, NY 14095. The mailing address is P.O. Box 461, Lockport, NY 14095-0461. Call 716-439-7022 for questions. The fax number is 716-439-7189. For Supreme Court matters, you can also reach 716-280-6400.
Niagara County handles dissolution of marriage record requests in person and by mail. For in-person visits, go to the clerk's office during business hours. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID. Give the clerk the names of both parties and, if you have it, the case index number or the year the case started. The clerk will pull the file and make copies for you if you are authorized to see it.
Mail requests require a completed Divorce File Request form. Send the form to the Niagara County Clerk's Office, Courthouse, P.O. Box 461, Lockport, NY 14095-0461. Include payment for the fees and a copy of your photo ID. The office also takes email and phone inquiries about dissolution of marriage records, though you cannot get copies that way.
The Niagara County government website provides contact details for the County Clerk and general information about services including dissolution of marriage record access.
The county site lists office locations, phone numbers, and mailing addresses for the clerk and other departments in Lockport.
Niagara County Dissolution Of Marriage Fees
Niagara County has a clear fee schedule for dissolution of marriage records. Plain copies cost $0.65 per page with a minimum of $1.30. Certified copies are $5.00 for the first four pages. Each additional page after four costs $1.25. A Certificate of Dissolution, which is available to people who are not parties to the case, costs $5.00.
The Certificate of Dissolution is a helpful option if you are not the plaintiff, defendant, or attorney. It confirms that a dissolution of marriage took place and gives the basic outcome. It does not show the terms of the divorce, the financial details, or any testimony. This is the document that other government offices will accept as proof that a divorce happened.
Filing a new dissolution of marriage case in Niagara County costs $210 for the index number and $95 for the RJI. These are state-set fees. The Department of Health also sells divorce certificates for $30 by mail for cases from 1963 forward.
Niagara County Dissolution Access Rules
Dissolution of marriage records in Niagara County are sealed under New York State law. Domestic Relations Law Section 235 restricts access for 100 years. The records are available only to either spouse or to entities with valid court orders. For divorces before 1963, the County Clerk in Lockport is the only source for the records since the Department of Health did not start keeping divorce certificates until that year.
If you need access to a file and you are not a party, you have two choices. One is to get a signed and notarized letter from one of the parties granting you permission. The other is to get a court order. Without one of those, the Niagara County Clerk will only issue a Certificate of Dissolution.
Note: Niagara County dissolution of marriage records from before 1963 are only available through the County Clerk since the state did not track divorce certificates until that year.
Searching Niagara County Cases Online
Niagara County does not have its own online search tool for dissolution of marriage records. The best option is the statewide WebCivil Supreme system. Pick Niagara County from the list, enter a name, and you can find basic case information going back to 1983. The results show the index number, party names, case type, and filing date. Full documents are not available online.
The NYSCEF e-filing system may have some newer Niagara County cases. Matrimonial files on NYSCEF are restricted to parties and their attorneys. Public users can see a case listing but not the actual documents. For full copies, contact the clerk in Lockport.
Filing for Dissolution in Niagara County
All dissolution of marriage cases in Niagara County are filed in Supreme Court. The county is part of the 8th Judicial District. Free uncontested divorce packets are available from the NYS Courts website or at the courthouse. The packets come in versions for couples with and without children under 21.
The no-fault ground under DRL Section 170(7) is the most common basis for filing. Either spouse states the marriage has broken down for at least six months. Residency requirements still apply. At least one spouse must have lived in New York State for one continuous year before filing. The process for an uncontested case is fairly simple if both sides agree on terms. Contested cases take longer and typically need lawyers.
The NYS Department of Health keeps divorce certificates from 1963 to the present. You can order one by mail for $30. The New York State Archives has guidance on finding very old records. For anything after 1847, the county clerk is your primary source.
Nearby Counties
Niagara County is in Western New York along the Canadian border. If the dissolution of marriage case was filed in a neighboring county, contact that county's clerk for records.