Rockland County Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Rockland County dissolution of marriage records are held by the County Clerk in New City. The clerk's office and the Supreme Court both sit at 1 South Main Street, making it simple to handle filing and record requests in one location. Rockland County is part of the 9th Judicial District and includes several large towns in the lower Hudson Valley. If you need to find a case number, get a copy of a divorce decree, or look into a past dissolution of marriage filing, the New City office is where your search starts.

Rockland County Clerk Dissolution Records

The Rockland County Clerk's Office is at 1 South Main Street, Suite 100, New City, NY 10956. Call 845-638-5221 for questions about records. The clerk keeps all Supreme Court case files for dissolution of marriage, separation, and annulment actions in the county. You can request records in person or by mail. Bring valid photo ID and as much case detail as you have. The index number is the fastest way to find a file. Without it, you will need to give the names of both parties and an approximate filing date so the clerk can run a search.

Rockland County is one of the smaller counties in the Hudson Valley, but it handles a steady volume of dissolution of marriage cases. The clerk's office processes requests for copies, certified copies, and search certificates. Contact the office for the current fee schedule before sending a mail request. Standard New York State copy fees are typically $0.65 per page, with certified copies starting at $5.

The WebCivil Supreme search tool lets you look up Rockland County dissolution of marriage case data from the statewide court system.

Choose Rockland County from the list and search by party name to pull up case index numbers and filing dates going back to 1983.

Rockland County Supreme Court

The Rockland County Supreme Court is at 1 South Main Street, Suite 300, New City, NY 10956. Phone: 845-483-8310. The Supreme Court handles all dissolution of marriage proceedings in the county. When someone files for divorce in Rockland County, the case goes to this court. The matrimonial part of the Supreme Court hears the case, and after a judgment is signed, the decree is filed with the County Clerk downstairs in Suite 100.

Having the court and the clerk in the same building is convenient. You can file papers with the clerk and check in with the court office without driving to a second location. This is not the case in every New York county, so Rockland County residents have it a bit easier in that regard.

Rockland County shares the 9th Judicial District with Westchester, Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess counties. The same judges rotate through these counties. Rules for dissolution of marriage are the same across the district, but each county clerk handles their own records.

Access to Dissolution Of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage records in Rockland County are sealed for 100 years from the date of the final decree. This comes from Domestic Relations Law Section 235. It is a state law, not a local rule. The public cannot view, copy, or inspect these files at the clerk's office or online. The seal covers all matrimonial case documents, including the summons, complaint, stipulation, and judgment of divorce.

Only certain people can see the records. The plaintiff and defendant in the case have full access. So does the attorney of record for either party. A third party can get access with a notarized letter of authorization from a party or attorney, or with a court order. Everyone who asks to see dissolution of marriage files must show valid photo ID at the Rockland County Clerk's Office.

Filing for Dissolution Of Marriage in Rockland

To start a dissolution of marriage case in Rockland County, you file papers with the County Clerk at 1 South Main Street. The filing fee for a new index number is $210. A Request for Judicial Intervention costs $95. Free divorce packets for uncontested cases are available at the court and online through the NYS Courts divorce forms page. There are separate packets for cases with children and cases without.

The most common ground for filing is the no-fault ground under DRL Section 170(7). One spouse states that the relationship has been broken down for at least six months. Before 2010, New York required fault-based grounds. Now, no-fault is available to everyone. Residency requirements under DRL Section 230 still apply. At least one spouse must have lived in the state for a full year before filing.

Rockland County Divorce Certificates

For dissolution of marriage cases from 1963 to the present, the New York State Department of Health can provide a divorce certificate. This is different from a decree. A certificate shows basic facts: names of the parties, date and place of the divorce. It costs $30 by mail. You need to fill out an application and send it with a copy of your photo ID and a check payable to the NYS Department of Health.

For the full decree with all the terms, conditions, and court orders, you must go through the Rockland County Clerk. The decree is the document signed by the judge. It spells out property division, custody, support, and all other terms of the dissolution. Only the clerk has the original file.

Cities in Rockland County

Rockland County has several towns with their own identity, but all dissolution of marriage records go through the County Clerk in New City. Residents of any town in the county file at the Rockland County Supreme Court.

Nearby Counties

Rockland County sits in the lower Hudson Valley. If the dissolution of marriage was filed in a neighboring county, contact their clerk's office for records.