Are Divorce Records Available to the Public in Nevada?
Divorce records are generally considered public records in Nevada. However, sections containing sensitive information remain protected by state statutes and are deemed confidential. In addition, individuals involved in a divorce can petition the court to seal their divorce records.
To seal an entire divorce record in Nevada, the requesting party must petition the court and provide cogent reasons why the records should be removed from the public domain. If the judge agrees with the petitioner, they will issue a court order directing the court clerk to seal the record. Petitioners should seek legal counsel before petitioning the court to increase their chances of successfully sealing their records.
Note: Sealed divorce records are available to the divorcees and their designated attorneys. Members of law enforcement agencies may require the information contained in these records for ongoing investigations and persons with relevant court orders may also gain access to sealed divorce records.
Understanding Nevada Divorce Records
Divorce records consist of full case files generated during the divorce process. They include all documents presented before Nevada family courts as evidence, summons, motions, sworn affidavits, orders, notices, citations, oral arguments, and final judgments. Divorce records are maintained by the clerks of the courthouses where the cases were handled. The information contained in divorce certificates and divorce decrees is included in or extracted from divorce case files.
How to Obtain Nevada Divorce Court Records
Divorce records in Nevada are official documents generated when married people terminate their unions at the state’s family courts. After a divorce, the clerk files and stores all case proceedings, including evidence, oral arguments, reports, motions, orders, and judgment.
Divorce court records include divorce decrees and divorce case files. These records are filed in and maintained by the family courts or family divisions of Nevada District Courts. Nevada court clerks are responsible for releasing these records to interested parties. The Supreme Court Clerk also maintains the case files of appealed divorce cases heard in the state’s appellate court. It is important to note that divorce records are not available from the Nevada Department of Public and Behavioral Health. This office can only search for and verify divorces.
Before visiting or mailing Nevada District Courts for copies of a divorce record, make sure to have all the information needed to find and retrieve the record. These include the names of the divorced parties in the record, the case file number, and the approximate year the divorce was finalized. Also, specify the particular record of interest. Usually, no documents are required to obtain public portions of divorce records. However, requesters will need to submit their government-issued photo identifications if they are requesting certified copies or sealed divorce records.
Most Nevada courts accept both in-person and mail requests for divorce records. Some of them also accept email requests. To ascertain the methods accepted in a particular courthouse, contact its clerk’s office and inquire about accepted methods of requesting the court records.
Nevada courts charge 50 cents per page for plain copies of divorce records. A certified copy of a divorce court document costs $3, while the court charges $6 for exemplified records. Contact the court clerk’s office to inquire about the current rates before submitting a request.
The 8th Judicial District Court of Nevada, located in Clark County, also allows the public to search and view divorce records online from its Court Records Inquiry page. Search this portal using divorce case numbers, names of the parties involved, or names of representative attorneys.
Government public record search portals and third-party public record websites both may provide court records search tools, which can help find divorce records, though record availability usually varies widely. Divorce records, in particular, may simply not be available through either source.
How to Find Public Divorce Records Online
Some district courts maintain online case search portals that record seekers can use to find public divorce case records online. An example of these portals is the 8th Judicial District Court’s Records Inquiry Page. To use the portal and similar portals, a record seeker would need to provide the divorce case numbers, names of the parties involved, or names of attorneys involved in the case.
Alternatively, third-party websites and private aggregate databases that offer court records search services may also be used to obtain divorce records online.
Note: These documents are prepared in three forms, each containing varying degrees of information. The three forms include divorce certificates, divorce decrees, and divorce records. All three records are used for various reasons and cannot serve as substitutes for one another.
Divorce records are considered court records. They may therefore be searched on third-party public record websites.
Understanding Nevada Divorce Certificates
A divorce certificate is a vital document that indicates a divorce process has been completed. This document is the most summarized form of divorce records as well as the most frequently requested. It contains the names of the persons involved, date of divorce, and the court where the separation was finalized. Divorce certificates are required documents for those applying for new marriage licenses when remarrying.
How to Obtain a Nevada Divorce Certificate
Order Nevada divorce certificates from the District Court Clerk Offices in person or by mail. Requesters must provide the information needed to search for and retrieve these records. These include names of the divorced parties, case numbers, divorce dates, and names of presiding judges. Before visiting a Nevada District Court to request divorce certificates in person, contact the office of the court clerk to get information about the current search/copy fees and acceptable payment methods.
To submit a mail request for a Nevada divorce certificate, send a written request providing all required information to the clerk’s office at the courthouse of interest. Enclose a copy of a valid government-issued ID, appropriate fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Some Nevada District Court clerks provide downloadable request forms on their respective websites to facilitate the request processes. If available, complete and submit this form in place of a written request.
Understanding Nevada Divorce Decrees
A divorce decree is a court record generated during divorce case proceedings. It contains the final judgment and provides details of post-marriage arrangements such as asset and debit divisions, child and spousal support, and custody rights and arrangements. To be considered valid, divorce decrees must be signed by the presiding judges. Those eligible to receive copies of divorce decrees include the divorced parties named on these records, their legal representatives, and third parties with relevant court orders.
Does Nevada Recognize Common-Law Marriages?
Nevada recognizes common-law marriages started before March 29, 1943. In Nevada, marriage is a civil contract that requires the consent of both parties and a formal ceremony known as “solemnization” in front of witnesses. Two individuals may form a domestic partnership with the Secretary of State if they share a residence, are not married or members of another domestic partnership, are not blood relatives in a way that would preclude them from marrying in Nevada, are both at least 18 years of age, and are both competent to consent to the partnership. Domestic partners are entitled to the same benefits, duties, obligations, protections, responsibilities, and rights as spouses. No company, however, is compelled to give healthcare benefits to an employee’s domestic partner.
How to Lookup Divorce Records in Nevada
In Nevada, divorce records are held at the county level by the district court of the county where the divorce was granted. Hence, individuals who want to look up or search divorce records in Nevada can do so by writing to the relevant county’s district court clerk. The Nevada Secretary of State's online directory can be used by interested parties to find the contact details, website, and address of any district court clerk in Nevada.
What is the Dissolution of Marriage Records?
According to NRS 125.130, documents about a court’s judgment or the divorce decree that fully and completely dissolves a marriage contract between two parties make up the a dissolution of marriage records in Nevada. These documents are generated and issued by Nevada district courts, as these courts have jurisdiction over divorce cases in the state. Under NRS 125.010, a court may provide a divorce decree that dissolves a marriage for any of the following reasons:
- Either spouse in the marriage is insane for two years before the commencement of the action.
- Spouses living separately for at least a year
- Incompatibility
Filing for marriage dissolution or a divorce degree is among the first steps for filing for a divorce in Nevada.
How to Find Dissolution of Marriage Records in Nevada
The dissolution of a marriage is the legal process for terminating a marriage. To find and obtain dissolution of marriage records in Nevada, one may contact the clerk's office of the district court where the divorce was finalized. Depending on the court, these records may be requested in person, by mail, or online. Most courts provide a dedicated request form on their website that record seekers can use to request records.
Interested persons can also find these records through case lookup portals since marriage dissolution records are maintained as court records in Nevada. These portals are available on the websites of some district courts. The Clark County district court case lookup portal is one illustration. Per NRS 19.013, courts generally charge 0.50 per photocopied page of records. The court may also charge an additional $3.00 per document for certification. Record seekers can also opt to use third-party websites that offer public record search services to find and obtain dissolution of marriage records in Nevada.
How to Find Out if Someone is Divorced in Nevada
To find out if someone is divorced in Nevada, interested persons can look up divorce records through the state Office of Vital Records. However, the vital records office can only verify divorces that occurred from 1968 to September 2005. They do not provide copies or original divorce papers.
Record seekers can conduct a divorce records search by completing the marriage and divorce record search request form with the sought-after record holder's information. These include the full name of either party listed on the record, the date the divorce was finalized, and the city or county where the divorce was finalized. After completing the form, the record seeker can either submit it along with the search fee in person or by mail to the state office of vital record at:
Office of Vital Records and Statistics
4150 Technology Way, Suite 104
Carson City, NV 89706
Phone: (775) 684-4242
Each search costs $10, and payment options include check, money order, or credit card. Checks and money orders should be made payable to the Office of Vital Records. For credit card payment, the requester must include a copy of their photo ID and an authorization of credit card use form.
Nevada divorce records are also maintained as court records. Hence, it may be possible to verify if someone is divorced through a county district court clerk. Record seekers must know the county district or family court where the divorce was finalized to use this method. A good starting point is to contact the district court in the county where the subject presently or previously resides.
Searching for divorce records through third-party websites is also a viable option for finding out if someone has been divorced in Nevada. Third-party websites are typically not limited to a particular county or geographic location. Hence, it is easier to find divorce records through them. Most third-party websites would require the full name of either parties listed on the record or the city/county where the divorce was finalized to look up divorce records. However, third-party websites are not sponsored by the government, so the availability and accuracy of records may vary by site.
