Allegany County Divorce Records

Allegany County keeps divorce records at the County Clerk's Office in the courthouse in Belmont. The clerk has court records going back to 1806, though divorce filings specifically start from 1847 when the Supreme Court took over matrimonial cases. Whether you need a certified copy of a judgment or just want to check whether a case was filed, the Allegany County Clerk handles those requests. You can visit in person, mail in a request, or use state-level tools to search for basic case details. The NYS Department of Health also holds divorce certificates for any Allegany County case from 1963 forward.

Allegany County Clerk's Office

The Allegany County Clerk's Office is at 7 Court Street, Room 18, Belmont, NY 14813. The phone number is (585) 268-9270 and the fax is (585) 268-5881. The County Clerk is Robert L. Christman. His email is Rob.Christman@alleganyco.gov. Deputy clerks Ryan Keib and Jessica Lynch also work in the office.

Hours are Monday through Friday, though the office closes for a long list of holidays including New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Lincoln's Birthday and Election Day are closed to the public as well. Plan your visit with these closures in mind.

The clerk accepts cash, check, money order, and credit or debit cards. Card payments carry a 2.95% service fee with a $3.99 minimum. Make checks out to "Allegany County Clerk." The office began accepting e-recorded documents through CSC Recording and Simplifile on October 3, 2022.

Searching Allegany County Divorce Records

To find divorce records in Allegany County, your main option is the clerk's office. Bring both party names and the approximate date. Court records here go back to 1806, but they fall in order of occurrence with no alphabetical listing. That means the more details you can provide, the easier the search will be. The clerk also keeps marriage records from 1908 to 1935, deeds, mortgages, judgments, federal liens, and military discharges among other document types.

For online searching, the WebCivil Supreme system covers Allegany County. Select the county, enter a name, and set the status to "All." You will see basic case data like the index number and filing date. Full documents are not available online due to the confidentiality rules under DRL Section 235. Matrimonial files stay sealed for 100 years from the final decree date. Only parties, their lawyers, or people with court orders can view the actual case file.

The Allegany County Clerk's office is the main point of contact for divorce record requests in the county.

The 8th Judicial District also offers Alternative Dispute Resolution for mediation in matrimonial matters across Allegany and nearby counties.

Allegany County Divorce Filing Process

All divorces in Allegany County go through the Supreme Court. The courthouse is at 7 Court Street in Belmont. The Supreme and County Chief Clerk is Jenise Cicirello, reachable at 585-449-3462. The fax number is 585-449-3474. Office hours run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Filing starts with buying an index number for $210. The Note of Issue costs $30 or $125 depending on the case. A Request for Judicial Intervention is $95 in some situations. Uncontested divorces that go smoothly will cost at least $335 total in court fees. New York has seven grounds for divorce under Domestic Relations Law Section 170. The most used is "irretrievable breakdown," which is the no-fault option requiring a six-month period. The plaintiff has 120 days from filing to serve the defendant. Service must be done by someone over 18 who is not the plaintiff.

If you can't afford the fees, you may ask the court for poor person status by filing the right forms.

Getting Copies of Allegany County Divorce Decrees

The New York State Archives confirms that divorce records from July 1, 1847, forward are filed with the county clerk where the case took place. For Allegany County, that means the clerk at 7 Court Street in Belmont. You can request a certified copy in person or by mail. The standard certification fee is $5.00 for documents up to four pages, then $1.25 per additional page. A search fee of $5.00 per name per two-year period also applies.

For divorce certificates (not the full decree) from 1963 or later, write to the NYS Department of Health at P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602. The fee is $30 by mail. Online orders cost $45 plus a vendor fee. Expect 10 to 12 weeks for standard mail processing. Priority handling is available for an extra $15.

The state Department of Health page shown below handles divorce certificate requests for Allegany County and every other county in New York.

Use this state resource to order a certificate of dissolution for any divorce from 1963 to the present.

Note: Census books are available at the clerk's office for years 1850 through 1925, at $5.00 per certificate.

Allegany County Court Resources and Legal Aid

The 8th Judicial District, which includes Allegany County, offers an Alternative Dispute Resolution program. This provides mediation and arbitration for civil and matrimonial matters across Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties. A Court Help Center also gives free procedural information, forms, and explanations of how the process works.

Allegany County has two judges who handle court matters. Hon. Ian M. Jones serves as County, Family, and Surrogate Court Judge (585-449-3432). Hon. Terrence M. Parker serves as County Court Judge (585-449-3437). For divorce specifically, cases go to the Supreme Court, and visiting justices from the 8th Judicial District may be assigned.

Free divorce forms can be downloaded from the NYS Courts divorce page. The NYSCEF electronic filing system is available for Allegany County cases as well.

Nearby Counties

Allegany County borders several other counties. If the divorce was filed in a different county, contact that county's clerk directly.