Are Divorce Records Public in Wyoming?
Divorce records are confidential records in Wyoming. This means that they are not available to members of the public. However, parts of divorce records containing public information such as summons, motions, oral arguments, and opinion dockets can be viewed by anyone.
Divorced individuals can petition the court to seal their divorce records. This petition must provide significant reasons to convince a judge to remove the records from the public domain. If the enumerated reasons satisfy the judge, they will issue a court order instructing the court clerk to seal the record in question.
Sealed divorce records in Wyoming are records removed from the public domain by state statutes or court orders. Wyoming statutorily protects certain information contained in divorce records and makes them unavailable to the public by default. These include financial records, child support arrangements, and identities of minors, witnesses, and victims of domestic abuse.
How to Find a Divorce Record in Wyoming
Wyoming divorce records are legal and vital documents generated following the dissolution of marriages in Wyoming Courts. These records include case files that provide details of divorce court proceedings and documents that validate the final dissolutions of marital unions. In Wyoming, the three types of divorce records available are divorce certificates, divorce decrees, and divorce case records. Each record has specific functions and cannot be used in place of the others.
Divorce records are considered court records. They may, therefore, be searched using official court platforms and some third-party public record websites. Divorce records can offer personal information on minors, finances, and sensitive criminal information like domestic abuse.
Understanding Wyoming Divorce Records
A divorce record refers to the entire case file generated during a divorce court proceedings. It contains elaborate details about pre-trial and courtroom litigation processes, including initial filings, motions, orders, summons, notices, oral arguments, evidential materials, and the final judgment.
In Wyoming, divorce records are available at the courthouses where the cases were handled. While all three types of divorce documents are referred to as divorce records, divorce certificates, and divorce decrees are short-form extracts of complete divorce case records.
Wyoming Divorce Certificate
A divorce certificate is a vital record confirming that a divorce has been granted. It provides essential details such as the names of the divorced individuals, divorce dates, and the county/city where the marriages ended. While divorce certificates contain the least details, they are the most commonly requested divorce records. In Wyoming, only certified copies of divorce certificates are issued. These copies were made available to the divorced parties named on these records and their attorneys.
Wyoming Divorce Decrees
A divorce decree is a court document that provides a judge’s final ruling in a divorce case. It establishes the end of a marriage and details the terms of the dissolution. This document establishes the rights and obligations of each party in a divorce and provides clear details about spousal and child support, asset division, and visitation rights and schedules. Both parties in a divorce receive copies of the divorce decree. They may request more copies from the Office of the Wyoming District Court Clerk in the county where their divorce was finalized.
Wyoming divorce decrees are confidential documents. Therefore, they are strictly available to the divorced parties, their legal representatives, and third parties with valid court orders.
How to Find Public Divorce Records Online
There is no statewide divorce database where record seekers can find public divorce records in Wyoming. Individuals can only search for divorce records in Wyoming in person or by mail. However, record seekers can find public divorce records online on third-party websites. Such sites can allow requesters to find basic information about a divorced person at a small fee.
How to Obtain Wyoming Divorce Court Records
In Wyoming, District Court clerks are responsible for maintaining family court records. These clerks accept in-person and mail-in requests for divorce records, provided requestors are eligible to access and retrieve the documents they seek.
Before visiting or mailing Wyoming District Courts for copies of a divorce record, make sure to have all the information needed to find and retrieve the record. This information includes the names of the divorced parties on the record, the case file number, and the year the divorce was finalized. If uncertain about the year, provide a range (up to 10 years, 10 - 15 years, etc.). Requesters should be aware that multiple-year searches may incur additional research fees.
Those requesting divorce court records must submit their government-issued photo identifications if they are requesting confidential information or copies of sealed divorce records. Acceptable IDs include driver’s license and passports.
Some Wyoming District Court clerks also accept phone and email requests for divorce records. Contact the clerk’s office in the District Court of Interest to enquire about acceptable methods of request, current copy fees, and payment options.
Wyoming District Court clerks charge a standard fee of $10 for a divorce record search. If copies are also requested, the clerks charge $1 for the first page and 50 cents for each additional page of plain copies of divorce records. A certified copy of a divorce court document costs $3, while the court charges $6 for exemplified records. These fees are subject to change and may vary from county to county. Contact the court clerk’s office to inquire about the current rates before submitting a request.
Government public record search portals and third-party public record websites both may provide court records search tools, which can help find divorce records, though record availability usually varies widely. Divorce records in particular, may simply not be available through either source.
How to Obtain a Wyoming Divorce Certificate
The Vital Statistics Services of the Wyoming Department of Health provides copies of divorce certificates prepared in all 23 counties of the state. This office accepts both in-person and mail requests for these vital records. It is important to note that divorce records that are 50 years or older are maintained by the Wyoming State Archives.
To submit a request in person, visit the Vital Statistics Services Division with the necessary information and documents. These include names of divorced individuals on the record, the date of divorce, and the city or county of divorce. Provide the information by completing the highlighted portion of the Application for a Certified Copy of a Vital Record. Print, fill, and submit the form along with legible copies of a government-issued photo ID to the office located at:
Wyoming Department of Health
Vital Statistics Services,
2300 Capitol Avenue Hathaway
Building Cheyenne, WY 82002
The Wyoming Vital Statistics Office charges $20 for each certified copy of a divorce certificate. Bring a check or money order covering copy fees when submitting the application in person. Make the money order or bank-personalized check payable to Vital Statistics Services.
To request for a Wyoming divorce certificate by mail, start by downloading and printing the Vital Records Application Form. Complete the highlighted section of the form and mail it along with appropriate fees, a legible copy of a valid government-issued ID, and a self-addressed prepaid envelope to:
Vital Statistics Services 2300
Capitol Avenue Hathaway
Building Cheyenne, WY 82002
The same fees apply for mail and in-person requests. Pay for copy fees with a check or money order made payable to Vital Statistics Services. Note that the check must be bank-personalized.
Does Wyoming Recognize Common-Law Marriage?
Although Wyoming does not recognize common-law marriage, the state recognizes the validity of common-law marriages contracted in other states. If a divorce is necessary, Wyoming common-law partners must present themselves before an attorney, just as they would in a legal marriage, to stop the relationship. The following are the requirements for obtaining a legal marriage license in Wyoming:
- Payment of the license fee
- Couples must meet the minimum age to marry, which is 18 years old. Individuals under the age of 16 must get a court order.
- There is no requirement for a blood test or residency.
- At the wedding ceremony, two witnesses are necessary.
- Finally, the license is only valid for a year, and it must be renewed thereafter.
How to Find Out if Someone is Divorced in Wyoming
There are two ways a record seeker can find if someone is divorced in Wyoming:
- By contacting the Wyoming Vital Statistics Services Office: Requesters can visit or send mail to the Office. Unfortunately, only the divorced parties and their legal representatives can assess official divorce records provided by the Office. However, divorce records become open after 50 years. Mail-in requests must contain a Request for Certified Copy of a Wyoming Vital Record form, an attached photocopy of identification, and a $25 check or money order.
- By contacting the Wyoming State Archives office: When a divorce record becomes open to the public, a record seeker can contact the Archives office to get such records. Requesters must provide the following information to search for divorce records in Wyoming:
- Record holder’s name
- File type (divorce)
- Date and place of divorce
- Docket or case number (should be gotten from the county clerk of the District Court where the divorce was filed)
- County and Court of origin (municipal, circuit, Justice of the Peace, district, supreme)
Record seekers can access information like the date and place of marriage, date and place of divorce, grounds for divorce, property settlement, and child custody agreements when they request divorce records in Wyoming.
What is the Dissolution of Marriage Records?
In Wyoming, dissolution of marriage is usually used interchangeably with divorce. Dissolution of marriage records in Wyoming refers to a decree of separation that terminates the status of two individuals as husband and wife. The marriage dissolution process begins when the plaintiff files the divorce papers with the District Court in the county where they or their spouse resides. Afterward, the paperwork is served on the defendant. The judge will sign the divorce decree and file it with the Clerk when all necessary conditions are met. Official dissolution of marriage records is only available to the divorce parties and their legal representative. Typically, it contains the full names of the divorced parties, the date and place of divorce, and details of the divorce agreement.
How to Find Dissolution of Marriage Records in Wyoming
Requesters can find certified copies of dissolution of marriage records by making in-person or mail-in requests to the Wyoming Department of Health Vital Statistics Services Office. Alternatively, marriage dissolution records can be obtained by contacting the Wyoming State Archives office at (307) 777-7826, (307) 777-7044, or by email.
How to Get Divorce Papers in Wyoming
The Wyoming Supreme Court prepares divorce papers that are accessible to members of the public. Hence, interested persons can get original divorce papers in Wyoming from any District Clerk’s office in the county where they or their spouse resides for $10. Alternatively, a plaintiff can get divorce papers online for free from the Wyoming Judicial Branch website. The Court requires that all papers filed by the plaintiff are served on the defendant to notify them about the divorce.
How to Find Divorce Papers Online
Original divorce papers are available online on the Wyoming Judicial Branch website. First, go to the Wyoming District Court menu at the top bar and scroll to the Legal Assistance and Forms section. Next, click on “read more” to go to the Legal Assistance and Forms page, and click on “read more” under the Court Self-Help Forms menu to go to the Court Self-Help Forms page. Finally, click on the Family Law menu on the left bar to access the forms packets needed to file for divorce in Wyoming.
