Retrieve Free Clay County Divorce Records (Check Status)

Access free Clay County divorce records today to check who has legally separated.

In the search for divorce information, applicants will come across different types of marriage dissolution documents and details. This resource clearly explains how to find and obtain divorce records in Florida’s Clay County at little to no cost.

Track Down Clay County Divorce Records for Free

Before searching for divorce information, applicants must know the type of record they need.

While divorces are public records, the results won’t reveal which cases are divorces and what the outcome was. It also doesn’t reveal sensitive information such as financials or custody matters. A search does, however, provide a case number, which is helpful when requesting documents from the county clerk.

To search for divorce records in Clay County, individuals should first identify the correct office. Typically, divorce records are kept by the Circuit Court in the county where the divorce was granted. Many courts have websites where users can start their search. Look for a section related to records search or public records. It may involve a specific portal or database dedicated to divorce records.

Remember to always respect the privacy of individuals involved in the divorce proceedings and use the information wisely.

When the searcher uses the court record search, they can use the name or case number to look up information.¹

Enter the relevant information into the search fields provided. This will populate the names of the parties involved, such as the applicant, defendant and attorneys. It also reflects the date of the proceedings.

The official record search offers slightly more detailed results.²

The applicant can search for a record using:

• Direct name, reverse name or both
• Book types, such as plats or official records
• Document types, such as family law or marriage license
• Document categories, such as judgments or deeds
• Time period

For a copy of the divorce documents, applicants can approach the Clay County Government to perform a public record search. The online portal offers a new search request option and an option to track an existing request.

Applicants need to provide the following information for a public record search:

• Their name
• Phone number for further communication
• Email address
• Home address
• The specific details of the public records they wish to access

Clay County Government offers three different formats of the records, including electronic copies, paper copies and review or inspection copies. Applicants perform the request online. For further information, requesters can contact the Clay County Government Records Department using the information below.

Clay County Board of County Commissioners
P.O. Box 1366
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Phone: 904-269-6376
Email: [email protected]

A divorce judgment or decree is a full report of the divorce proceedings and includes personal and sometimes sensitive information. The court prepares this document, and requesters use it for legal proceedings such as custody hearings.

Applicants can only request this document from the Clay County Government as part of a public record request or as a certified document from the Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s Office.³

Clay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller
825 N Orange Ave. PO Box 698
Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043

Phone: 904.284.6302

A divorce certificate doesn’t contain as much information as a decree or judgment, and applicants can use it when they’re getting remarried or applying for travel visas.

Find Clay County Divorce or Dissolution Information Through City Resources

Clay County is the third largest county in the Jacksonville Metropolitan area and consists of eight towns. The county uses a centralized courts and records system to store its divorce records for Doctors Inlet, Fleming Island, Green Cove Springs, Lake Geneva, Middleburg, Orange Park and Penney Farms.

This streamlines the process when requesting a copy of a divorce decree or divorce judgment. Applicants can submit their request to the Clay County Government through:

Clay County Board of County Commissioners
P.O. Box 1366
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Phone: (904)-269-6376
Email: [email protected]

The Clerk of Circuit Court sends divorce records to the Bureau of Vital Statistics for safekeeping. The bureau has information for the period June 6, 1927, to current. The Clay County Clerk of Court will assist with information before this date.

Clay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller
825 N Orange Ave. PO Box 698
Green Cove Springs, Florida 32043

Phone: 904.284.6302

Keystone Heights may offer additional services to its residents.

Clay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller – Keystone Heights
7380 State Road 100, Suite 10
Keystone Heights, FL 32656

Phone: 352-478-8016
Fax: 352-473-7652

How To Go Through the Florida Government To View Statewide Divorce Information

Sometimes, individuals may realize a divorce occurred in a neighboring county or somewhere else in the state. When this happens, the county custodians will be unable to assist with the search, but the broader state vital records office can be quite helpful.

A certificate is available through the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics or a government-verified third-party agency endorsed by the government called VitalChek.⁴

To order a certificate through the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics, applicants need to provide:

• The full names of the parties to the disillusionment of marriage
• The date of the divorce
• The county in which the divorce took place
• Details of the requester, including their full name, mailing address, phone number, signature and their relationship to the parties in the divorce
• Form DH260 Application for Dissolution of Marriage Certificate⁵

Applicants can also request the information in person or mail their requests in. The costs are:

• $5 for one search and certified copy
• $4 for each additional certified copy
• $10 rush fee for walk-ins that require same-day services
• $1 shipping and handling fee

The certificate can take between three to five business days to complete. For faster or same-day order processing, there’s a rush order option at an additional fee.

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
1217 North Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202 

Phone: 904-359-6900 Ext. 9000

Applicants can also request divorce papers through VitalChek and need to provide:

• State and city of the divorce
• Date
• Reason for the request
• Full name of the applicant
• Their relationship with the parties
• Date of birth
• Signature

The fees for the requests are:

• $5 for the first copy
• $10 rush fee
• $7 VitalChek processing fee

Searchers can access historic data through the Archives Center at the Historic Triangle for documents before 1958 or use the Clay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller’s Office for divorce documents dated after 1958.

It’s worth noting that Florida doesn’t recognize common-law marriages and, therefore, doesn’t provide common law divorces. The only condition where Florida will honor the provisions of a common-law marriage is if the parties move there from a state that recognizes this type of union.

Can Anyone in Clay County Florida Search Public Divorce Records?

According to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, commonly called “Florida’s Public Records Law,” the state of Florida classifies divorce records as public records, and citizens may request the information connected to those records.⁶ However, requesters need to provide their personal information when requesting these documents.

When seeking divorce papers, know that these involve all the documents filed as part of the petitioning process pertaining to the divorce. This includes the original motion, any summons, financial declarations and even the agreements reached between the parties.

Divorce decrees, on the other hand, primarily deal with the final judgment issued by the court at the conclusion of the divorce. These detail the result of the proceedings and declare the responsibilities of each party involved.

Whether either or both of these are available for free depends on the policies of the county and state. Specific details have been provided above with links to online search tools and contact information should any of the offices need to be reached directly.

It’s unusual for clerks to deny a public record request. Instances where they may deny the request include:

• They can’t verify the applicant’s details
• Incorrect forms
• Non-payment
• Sealed records
• Incorrect request type

Search requests for Clay County divorce records are accessible and centralized, which speeds up the process. To access a county’s divorce index, the request needs to be clear, correct and include all the relevant information. Other third-party providers may offer resources the county doesn’t provide, but if they aren’t government-endorsed, they can’t be used for official purposes.