{"id":351745,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/divorce\/divorce-records-and-privacy.html"},"modified":"2023-06-27T15:32:45","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T20:32:45","slug":"divorce-records-and-privacy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-records-and-privacy.html","title":{"rendered":"Divorce Records and Privacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Divorce Records and Privacy<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Unless the parties to a divorce ask the court to file the divorce records under seal, these records will remain accessible to the public.  When a court files divorce records under seal, confidential or sensitive information within those records remain private. Courts can order entire documents or portions of them to be filed under seal.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Court proceedings are generally public information. In most jurisdictions, this includes divorce proceedings<\/a>. Public policy requires all other vital records to be available to the public. Unless the court agrees to file divorce records under seal, filings in divorce proceedings become matters of public record. For example, cases that identify children or victims of sexual abuse are often sealed.<\/p>\r\n

The following is an overview of divorce records and privacy protections.<\/p>\r\n

The Decision to File Divorce Records Under Seal<\/h2>\r\n

The court will not automatically seal divorce records. Parties in a divorce case must request that the court seal them. The judge must decide whether to grant a motion to seal.<\/p>\r\n

To obtain a court order to seal the divorce records, the parties must present a motion stating:<\/p>\r\n