Ohio Divorce Records

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Divorce Records

Ohio Divorce Records Dates

Divorce Courts in Ohio
Before 1843	Supreme Court (counties)
1843-1852	Chancery Records of Court of Common Pleas (counties)
1852-1894	Court of Common Pleas (counties)
1894-1911	Court of Common Pleas and some Probate Courts (counties)
1911-present	Domestic Relations Courts and Court of Common Pleas (counties)

Online Resources

• 1803-1852 Ohio Divorces, 1803-1852, by David G. Null. National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 69 (1981):109-114. FS Library Book 973 B2ng v. 69 (1981); Online at: National Genealogical Society website ($);
• 1962-2007 Ohio Divorce Abstracts, 1962-1963, 1967-1971, 1973-2007 at Ancestry — index ($)
• 1962-2011 Ohio Divorce Records, 1962-2011 at Findmypast — index ($)

Print Publications

• Ohio Divorces : The Early Years, by Carol Willsey Bell. Boardman, Ohio: Bell Books, 1994. FS Catalog book 977.1 V2b; At various libraries (WorldCat).

Offices to Contact

• Restrictions - Most divorce records in Ohio are public with no restrictions.
• Listing of County Clerks of Court - Divorce decrees can be requested from the specific county where it was finalized.
• Divorce Records at Ohio History Connection (Ohio History Center) - some county divorce records available

Coverage and Compliance

• Divorces are court records and have high compliance.
• Many couples separated leaving no divorce record.

Information in the Records

Ohio Divorce Records Usually Include:
Names of Parties*	x
Original Marriage Place	x
Divorce Place	x
Divorce Date	x
# of Children Affected	x
* May not include maiden name of the woman

Ohio divorce records have been kept since the the creation of the county. Documents may include:

• Petitions, which started the process, include at least names of parties and the grievance. May include date and place of marriage.
• Certificates or registers contain date marriage was dissolved and names of parties.
• Case files contain the papers created and include marriage and divorce details, residences, and name changes. May include children's names, ages, birth dates.
• See United States Divorce records for more information.

Strategy

• Divorces can be difficult to locate. The divorce may have occurred in another county. Try all the residences of both the husband and wife.
• Newspapers often printed information about separations and divorces in the area to help you determine if a divorce exists.
• Many couples simply separated, leaving no divorce record.
• See United States Divorce Records for more information.