Essex County Divorce Records

Essex County divorce records comprise the official documentation of marriage dissolution cases handled by the Essex Probate and Family Court. These files are essential for individuals needing to prove their marital status, change their name, apply for a new marriage license, or change financial accounts.

When a couple decides to legally dissolve their marriage, the court tracks the entire process through physical paperwork or digital entries. A divorce record contains the names of the spouses, case initiation and finalization dates, the case number, financial disclosures, parental agreements, the Certificate of Divorce Absolute, and other related information/documents.

In Massachusetts, divorce records are generally considered public records. Anyone can look up the basic case docket to see when hearings occurred and when the divorce was finalized. However, the court automatically redacts sensitive information and documents within a complete divorce file to protect the privacy of the former spouses. These include financial statements and child custody evaluations.

To retrieve a copy of a divorce record, such as the decree, possessing the case number is necessary. Individuals should complete the form for requesting a copy and mail or submit it in person at the Salem or Lawrence courthouse.

County	Court Name	Address	Phone Number	Office Hours
Essex County	Essex Probate and Family Court	36 Federal Street, Salem, MA 01970	(918) 744-1020	Monday to Friday 8: 00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.