Find Dissolution Of Marriage in Richmond County

Richmond County dissolution of marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk on Staten Island. The clerk's office holds Supreme Court case files for all divorce, separation, and annulment actions filed in the county. Richmond County covers the borough of Staten Island and is part of the 13th Judicial District. If you need to search for a dissolution of marriage case, get a certified copy of a decree, or check the status of a filing, the County Clerk at 130 Stuyvesant Place is your starting point.

Richmond County Clerk Dissolution Records

The Richmond County Clerk's Office is at 130 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY 10301. Phone: 718-675-7700. The clerk handles all requests for dissolution of marriage case files, copies, and certified documents. You can visit in person or send a mail request. Either way, you will need valid photo ID and enough case details for the clerk to find your file. An index number helps the most. If you do not have one, give the names of both parties and the year the case started.

Richmond County is one of the five New York City counties. Like the other city counties, it follows all state rules for dissolution of marriage records. The clerk keeps the original case files. The Supreme Court hears the cases. The two work together but have different offices and phone numbers. If you need to ask about a pending case or court dates, call the Supreme Court. For copies of filed documents and decrees, call the clerk.

The WebCivil Supreme search tool covers Richmond County dissolution of marriage case index data.

Select Richmond County from the list and search by party name to find case index numbers and basic filing dates going back to 1983.

Richmond County Supreme Court

The Richmond County Supreme Court is at 18 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. This is where all dissolution of marriage cases in the county are heard. The court has a matrimonial part that handles divorces, annulments, and legal separations. Judges in the 13th Judicial District preside over these cases.

The Supreme Court building is separate from the County Clerk's building. The clerk is at 130 Stuyvesant Place. The court is at 18 Richmond Terrace. If you are filing new dissolution of marriage papers, you bring them to the clerk's office first to get an index number. Then the case moves to the Supreme Court for processing. Once a judgment is signed, the decree goes back to the clerk for filing and storage.

Cases that are e-filed go through NYSCEF. This started around 2012 for many New York counties. E-filed dissolution of marriage cases in Richmond County will not show up in the local search system. Check NYSCEF for those.

Dissolution Of Marriage Access Rules

Richmond County follows New York State law on dissolution of marriage record access. Under Domestic Relations Law Section 235, matrimonial files are strictly sealed for 100 years from the date of the final decree. This is not a Richmond County rule. It is a state law that applies everywhere in New York. The public cannot view, copy, or inspect these files.

Access is limited to these people:

• The plaintiff or defendant in the dissolution of marriage case
• The attorney of record for either party
• A third party with a notarized authorization letter from a party or attorney
• Anyone who obtains a court order granting access

You must bring valid photo ID to the clerk's office. Without it, they will not pull your file. This applies even if you are listed as a party to the case.

Richmond County Dissolution Record Fees

Contact the Richmond County Clerk at 718-675-7700 for the current fee schedule. Standard New York State fees apply in most cases. Copy fees across the state are typically $0.65 per page. Certified copies run around $5 for the first four pages. Search fees are usually $5 to $10 per name for a two-year period. Richmond County follows these standard rates, though it is best to confirm before you send payment by mail.

The New York State Department of Health also sells dissolution of marriage certificates for $30 by mail. These cover divorces from 1963 to the present. They contain basic information only: names of the parties, date and place of the divorce. For the full decree with all the terms and conditions, you need to go through the Richmond County Clerk.

Filing for Dissolution Of Marriage on Staten Island

All dissolution of marriage filings in Richmond County go through the Supreme Court. Free uncontested divorce packets are available at the courthouse and online at the NYS Courts website. Packets come in versions for cases with children and without children. The filing fee for an index number is $210. The Request for Judicial Intervention is $95.

The no-fault ground under DRL Section 170(7) is the most common. One spouse states the marriage has been broken for six months or more. Fault-based grounds still exist but are rarely used now. Residency rules under DRL Section 230 must be met. At least one spouse needs to have lived in New York State for one continuous year before the filing.

Other Sources for Richmond County Records

Besides the County Clerk, there are a few other places to find dissolution of marriage data for Richmond County. WebCivil Supreme is a free statewide search tool. You can find case index numbers and basic filing facts for Richmond County cases going back to 1983. No registration is needed. NYSCEF covers e-filed cases from around 2012 onward.

The New York State Archives has information about where to find older dissolution of marriage records. Cases from before July 1, 1847, for downstate counties may be at the New York County Clerk's Office at 31 Chambers Street in Manhattan. For cases after that date, the Richmond County Clerk has the files.

Cities in Richmond County

Richmond County covers all of Staten Island, which is a borough of New York City. All dissolution of marriage records for Staten Island residents go through the Richmond County Clerk at 130 Stuyvesant Place.

Nearby Counties

Richmond County is separated from most other New York counties by water. If the dissolution of marriage was filed elsewhere, you will need to contact that county's clerk.