Search Westchester County Divorce Records

Westchester County divorce records are maintained by the County Clerk's Office in White Plains, New York. The Supreme Court in Westchester handles all divorce cases for the county, and the clerk's Legal Division manages divorce case files once they are entered. Westchester is one of the most populated counties in the state, and the court processes a large number of divorce filings each year. Whether you need a certified copy of a judgment or want to search for a past case, the County Clerk is the main source. The state Department of Health keeps certificates for divorces from 1963 onward as well.

Westchester County Clerk's Office

The Westchester County Clerk's Office is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., White Plains, NY 10601. The phone number is 914-995-3080. The office holds probate records, divorce records, court filings, and land records. The Legal Division specifically handles divorce case files.

To get a copy of a divorce judgment, you must be one of the parties or the attorney of record. Third parties need a notarized authorization from a party to the case. A court order also grants access. Photo ID is required for every in-person request. The office checks identification carefully before releasing any sealed file.

The Westchester County Archives are at a separate location: 2199 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford, NY 10523 (phone: 914-231-1500). Older records may be stored there. If the clerk's main office does not have what you need, they may point you to the archives.

The online records search tool covers property and legal records going back to 1690. However, sealed divorce files are not available through that system.

Westchester County Divorce Records Fees

Certified copies of a Judgment of Divorce from Westchester County cost about $5.00 for up to four pages. Beyond that, each extra page is $1.25. A search fee of $5.00 per name per two-year period also applies. These fees are standard across most New York counties.

The New York State Department of Health charges $30 for a divorce certificate by mail. Phone and online orders run $45 plus a vendor processing fee. The DOH covers divorces from January 1, 1963 onward. For cases before that date, the County Clerk is the only option.

Call the White Plains office to confirm accepted payment methods. Money orders and certified checks are typical. Some offices now also take debit cards.

Filing for Divorce in Westchester County

All divorce cases in Westchester County are handled by the Supreme Court. You begin by purchasing an index number for $210. File your papers at the Supreme Court Clerk's Office in White Plains.

The Westchester County Courts marriage and divorce page provides local information about the process. New York requires that at least one residency condition is met. The most common: one spouse has lived in New York for at least one year and the marriage took place in the state, or one spouse has been a continuous resident for two years. There are five paths total, spelled out in the Domestic Relations Law.

After filing, the other spouse must be served within 120 days. The person doing the serving must be at least 18 and not a party to the case. If the other side does not respond, wait 40 days after service to file the Note of Issue ($125). When both parties agree and the defendant signs an Affidavit of Defendant, you skip the wait. The minimum total for an uncontested divorce is about $335.

Search Westchester Divorce Cases Online

The NYSCEF electronic filing system covers Westchester County Supreme Court cases. You can search by index number, party name, or attorney. Westchester is part of the 9th Judicial District, and e-filing is available for all Supreme Court case types.

Sealed matrimonial files will not show their full documents online. The public can check basic case status but cannot view the case papers. Only parties and their attorneys get full access. The screenshot below shows the Westchester County Clerk's website.

The Westchester County Clerk website provides an overview of the office and its services.

This is the main page for the Westchester County Clerk, where divorce record requests are handled through the Legal Division.

Westchester County Divorce Record Privacy

All divorce records in New York are sealed for 100 years from the date of the final decree. Under Domestic Relations Law Section 235, the public has no right to inspect matrimonial files during that period. Westchester County follows this rule for every divorce case on file.

Access is limited to the parties, their attorneys, and those with proper authorization or a court order. After 100 years, records open up for research. The New York State Archives has guidance on where to find older records. The NYS Archives birth, marriage, and death records page is also a useful resource for related vital records searches.

The image below shows the Westchester County Courts page on marriage and divorce.

Visit the Westchester Courts marriage and divorce page for local court details.

This page from the Westchester County Courts covers the basics of marriage and divorce proceedings handled locally.

Cities in Westchester County

Westchester County has several cities and large towns. Divorce cases for residents of these areas go through the Westchester County Supreme Court in White Plains. Below are cities with dedicated pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

Westchester County is just north of New York City. If a divorce was filed in a different county, reach out to that county's clerk for records.