How To Search Marriage Records California

By Claire Dowell


The California Department of Public Health is the state repository for public records, including California Marriage Records. Marriage records are initially filed at a county clerk of court where the marriage license was issued before they are forwarded to the state repository.

A marriage record contains important information regarding a marriage such as the full names of the couple, their respective date of birth, time and place of the marriage ceremony, and names of witnesses, amongst others. For a marriage to become official, the couple has to secure a marriage license, which is valid for 90 days. If the wedding ceremony is not carried within that period, the couple has to secure a new license. If a person has been married in the past, he or she will be required to present the official divorce record upon the application of the license.

Marriage files are deemed as either authorized or informational. Do not worry because both can provide you with the basic details of the file and both are certified copies. Authorized marriage files are allowed by the court to be used as a legal document in a legal proceeding while informational marriage files are only meant to provide information. Even though everyone can obtain marriage files, not of all them are given the right to access the authorized copies. Only names that are found on a certain file like the bride and the groom, their respective parents, law enforcers and others, are given the go signal to get authorized copies.

To start a search, head to the Public Health office and get the request form and make sure to supply it with all the necessary details. Mention all the details that you know of the document to increase the chances of locating the right document and to get the results faster and not have to wait a several months. If you are aware which particular county clerk of court has the documents, you can place your request there as well. A notarized sworn statement is required if you want to get authorized versions of the documents. Other requirements for requesting the documents include a government-issued ID and the appropriate fees. All fees paid are not subject to a refund even if the requested documents are not located.

You may also obtain marriage records from authorized online service providers. There are several you can find on the Internet. However, not all have the ability to provide genuine information. Create a short list of service providers you are considering of using and conduct a background check on them. One way of finding out if they are a reliable source is by looking at what other clients think of their services.

Some websites will require a certain amount of fee while some offer Public Marriage Records Free. No matter which one you choose to use, you will be given the basics of a marriage file. All you need to provide to begin a search is the full name of either the bride or the groom. It will not matter where you got the files as long as you abide by the laws that govern them. Anyone who uses the files to defame, embarrass, harass, or blackmail other people will be dealt with accordingly by the law.




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