Are Divorce Records Made Public

Divorce records are generally considered public records because they are court documents. However, certain personal information, such as tax returns and Social Security numbers, is not made public. The initial filing for divorce, motions made with the court, and the final decree are public, but exhibits presented to the court are not available to the public. Support payment arrangements, including child support and spousal support, are public because they contain personal information. Despite personal preferences, these documents cannot be sealed because the state believes that their availability is in the public interest. Are divorce records public? Generally speaking, divorce records are a court document and, as such, are considered public records. When a filing is made with the court, that filing is a public record. However, there are limitations. Personally protected information such as tax returns, Social Security numbers, and similar information is never made public. So in a divorce case, the initial filing for divorce is public, motions made with the court will be public, and the final decree will be public. However, all exhibits presented to the court will not be available to the public. One thing I often get asked is about support payment arrangements. Support payment arrangements, which include the amount and frequency of child support or spousal support, are one of the few documents that include personal information and are public. As much as you would prefer to have that information sealed, the state has decided that having this information available is in the public good, so it cannot be sealed.