Verification Letters For Divorce Records For Dallas County
The Dallas County Clerk’s Office provides certified copies of birth and death certificates, and verifications of marriage and divorce. All requests must be made in person during normal business hours.
Due to privacy concerns, online access to records of family district cases is suspended. Attorneys can obtain current case information through the new statewide court record portal re:SearchTX.
Verification Letters
Individuals often need verification letters for divorce records for a variety of reasons. For example, some employers may request copies of a person’s divorce record before hiring them. Additionally, some background checks include information about a person’s current and past marital status.
Obtaining a divorce verification letter is relatively easy in the state of Texas. However, it is important to understand the process before beginning your search. For starters, you should know that you cannot get these letters for divorces before 1966 or divorces after 1968. In order to obtain a divorce verification letter, you must contact the county clerk (marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in the county where the marriage or divorce took place.
You may request a divorce verification letter by mail, in-person or via phone. Generally, requests are processed in the order they are received and the cost associated with the request may vary. You can also request a copy of your record for a fee.
Certified Copies
Divorce records are considered public information and are available for review through our statewide court record portal re:SearchTX. A certified copy of a divorce certificate is an official legal document signed by the judge which provides evidence of a final divorce decree from the state of Texas. This document is useful for remarrying, applying for benefits such as social security or health care, and other reasons.
Unlike a marriage or death verification letter, a divorce verification letter does not provide details of the divorce such as specific terms related to children, pets, property, who got what car, etc. This type of verification is most often needed when a person gets married outside the United States and the country of origin requires them to present a single status letter affidavit from their Texas county of divorce.
To obtain a certification copy, you must complete an application and have it notarized. You will also need a valid driver’s license, state ID card, U.S passport, military identification or a green card to prove your identity.
Indexes (Lists)
The District Clerk has public indexes for marriage license applications and divorce decrees since 1966 and 1968, respectively. These indexes are compilations of information sent to the District Clerk by the county (marriage) and district clerk (divorce) where the record was obtained and cannot be considered complete.
The Texas State Library and Archives has a collection of microfilm that contains the original records for some counties in Texas. These are available for interlibrary loan. In addition, FamilySearch has an extensive collection of genealogical resources including indexed marriage and divorce records by year. These records may also be found online at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, Genealogy Bank, and MyHeritage (subscription services).
The Dallas Genealogical Society has been actively collecting and publishing information of interest to genealogists. It has a large amount of material that can be accessed on-line through its Resources webpage. This includes transcribed mortality schedules from 1850-1870; abstracts of minutes books for the 14th District Court, 1846-1855; and a growing list of Dallas County cemetery records.
In-Person Services
There are several ways to access Dallas County public records. By utilizing the most efficient methods for contacting or submitting requests to official custodians, searchers can promptly obtain copies of many record types.
For instance, individuals seeking marriage or divorce verification letters can bypass the state’s online ordering process by visiting the county clerk (marriage) or district clerk (divorce) in person during normal business hours. However, it is strongly recommended that those requesting verifications ensure that the letter will satisfy its intended use before placing an order.
Interested parties can also request criminal court records by completing a simple form on the clerk’s website or contacting the CSCD Administration Office. Additionally, the CSCD offers an online tool that provides access to Dallas County Felony and Misdemeanor Courts Document Information via party name or case number search. Alternatively, individuals can use a third-party service that offers more comprehensive checks across the nation. This can save searchers time and money.