Montana Divorce Records

Finding Divorce Records in Montana

Each state regulates the granting of divorces that are filed in their jurisdiction. The divorce records are held in that state, typically at the local county courthouse level. Usually, county courthouses have a specific office, the Prothonotary Office, where the records can be found. Smaller courthouses may not have this particular office, yet they will have the records.

A request for a certified copy of a divorce record should be made at the local county courthouse where the divorce was filed and finalized. If the county name isn�t known, then you can begin your search at the state�s central location for divorce records. Many states have a state repository where all records are maintained. Once you have the name of the county, you can then place your request.

Additionally, a search for current and past spouses will generate a list of the names of all spouses as well as their addresses at the time of the marriage. From this information, you can acquire the names of any counties involved and then continue your search. Additionally, you may conduct a search one county at a time if you prefer.

Divorce records are filed under the husband�s name. Basic information about the couple will be on the records including: the husband�s full name, the wife�s full name including her maiden name, the county name where the divorce was filed, the recorded filing date of the divorce, the actual date of the finalized divorce, and a certificate number for identification purposes. Some states also include the number of children the couple had under the age of eighteen at the time of the divorce proceedings.

A request for divorce records usually takes between two to ten days to be processed. Genealogical searches typically take longer depending on the amount of information that has been provided. A small fee is requested at the time of the request, but may vary from state to state.