Search Free Oakland County Divorce Records (Order Documents)

Retrieve Oakland County divorce records for free using this streamlined resource. These records usually provide information about the names of the parties involved, the date the divorce was granted, and the court that finalized it.

This brief yet thorough article covers some useful resources for those who are looking for divorce information in Oakland County, Michigan, and provides links to make for a convenient and efficient lookup.

How Do I Look Up Oakland County Divorce Records at No Cost?

Interested parties can find divorce records in Oakland County using the Court Explorer website.¹ This is free to search, and the tool is quite easy to use. To look up a divorce case, you can do the following:

• Enter the first name and surname of one of the parties
• Click Advanced Search
• Enter the case type (e.g. DO for Divorce with no minor children, or DM for divorce with minor children). A list of case types is provided on the site.
• Click Search

The results page will show a list of all matching records. Clicking on a name in the results table will open a Case Details page, which includes information such as the date the case was filed, the type of case and the name of the judge.

In some cases, it may be possible to purchase copies of court documents for a nominal fee of $1 per page for non-certified documents. Those who require certified documents can request them for an additional $10 per legal instrument.

Divorce records can also be requested by writing to the Oakland County Clerk’s Office:³

Oakland County Clerk’s Office
1200 North Telegraph, Department 413
Pontiac, MI 48341

Phone: 248-858-0582
Email: [email protected]

Those seeking copies of records can contact the clerk using their online contact form, or visit the clerk’s office in person. Its hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

There is a fee of $2.50 per records request, plus $1 per page for normal copies of court records and $10 for certified copies.⁴

Track Down Divorce or Dissolution of Marriage Details Through Cities in Oakland County Michigan

In Michigan, divorces are handled by the family division of the circuit court. The Sixth Circuit Court covers the towns and cities in Oakland County, including divorces in cities such as:

• Pontiac
• Troy
• Royal Oak
• Southfield
• Rochester

District courts do not handle divorce cases, so they will not be able to provide copies of a divorce certificate or other similar records. They also do not maintain a divorce index for their area. To access records, contact the Oakland County Clerk’s Office using the details listed below.

Oakland County Clerk’s Office
1200 North Telegraph, Department 413
Pontiac, MI 48341

Phone: 248-858-0582
Email: [email protected]

The clerk can provide both ordinary and certified court records. Only authorized individuals can request certified copies, and there is a certification fee of $10 per page for these records.⁴

In some cases, it may be possible to find historic divorce records at city or town libraries. However, for recent divorces, the circuit court would be the main custodian.

One example of a library holding some divorce records is the Library of Michigan.⁵ This hosts a limited number of historical divorce records. These records are not fully digitized, but the collection includes a searchable index of records from 1897 to 1969.

Turnaround times for accessing divorce records from state or county court services can be slow, especially for certified copies. Those who are searching for someone with a common name may also run into issues narrowing down the results.

Where possible, using a local agency could be a better experience, with faster, more personalized service, making it easier to find the desired results. Having the option to visit in person can be particularly useful for those who are in a rush for their records, as it eliminates postage-related delays.

How To Run a Divorce Record Search via the State of Michigan Vital Records Department

While searching for divorce information, individuals may discover that a divorce took place in a neighboring county or elsewhere in the state. Oakland County records custodians may not be able to assist with records searches in these cases.

However, there are statewide record custodians that may be able to provide access to the required information. Public records for divorces that took place in Michigan are available from the state’s Vital Records Department.⁶ The Vital Record Department holds divorce records dating back to 1897.

Those who would prefer to make a record request in person can visit the records office. This service is available by appointment only.⁷ Those who do not have an appointment can drop off a completed application with the fee and required documentation at the drop box in the main lobby of the building at:

Vital Records Department
333 S. Grand Avenue,
Lansing, MI 48933

The drop box is open from Monday-Friday between the hours of 7 am and 5:30 pm. There is a fee of $34 for any vital records request.

Alternatively, searchers can use the MiCourt Case Search tool to find information about recent court cases.⁸ The tool is free to use, and no registration is required.

To search for divorce records:

• Visit the Case Search tool and agree to the terms of service.
• The chosen court will be shown above the search table.
  • Click Select Another Court
  • Search for the correct court by name or county
  • Click on the desired court from the results page to select it
  • Enter the name of one of the parties involved in the divorce
  • Click Search

The search tool will return a list of matching records and will produce a table of results with details, including:

• Name
• Case ID
• Filing Date
• Court
• Year of Birth
• Case Status

Clicking on the Case ID will show more detailed information, including details of other parties and more information about the case status.

Searchers can also visit VitalChek’s website to order records online. VitalChek is a third-party public records service that is endorsed by the government. There is a $34 fee for the search and a $14 processing fee for the standard service.

Records may also be requested by mail. Simply download, complete and print out a copy of the divorce record request form and send it to the following address:¹⁰

Vital Records Requests
P.O. Box 30721
Lansing, MI 48909

Telephone: 866-443-9897

Are Divorce Records Open to the Public in Oakland County?

Divorce records are a matter of public record, in accordance with the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) MCL 15.231 et seq, and anyone can look up information about a divorce in Oakland County.¹¹

Michigan abolished common-law marriages in 1957. A couple that was considered in a common-law marriage prior to 1957 is still viewed as such in the eyes of the law and would go through a common-law divorce.

However, any relationships formed after that date are not considered common-law marriages and would not have the legal rights associated with marriage, such as fair distribution of the couple’s property in the event of a break-up.

It’s relatively easy to find divorce records in Oakland County. These records or divorce papers confirm that a couple’s marriage was terminated but otherwise have limited information about the details of the divorce.

In contrast, divorce decrees offer much more information, such as:

• The full name of each party
• The age of each party in years
• The full date of marriage
• Place of marriage
• Number of children in the family
• Complainant (husband or wife)
• Date the application was filed
• Date the divorce took place
• Alleged cause of the divorce
• Whether the divorce was contested
• Whether the divorce was granted or refused
• Whether the divorce request was withdrawn, disposed of or pending at year’s end
• If the divorce was granted and whether it was absolute or with conditions

To access the more detailed records, searchers may need to use a government-approved third-party records provider such as VitalChek.

Non-certified copies of divorce records are freely available and authorization isn’t needed; however, searchers will be required to pay a fee for certified copies. The cost is usually $10 per document requested. While anyone can view divorce records, only authorized individuals can access or acquire certified copies of court documents.

Using the above resources, it’s possible to find Oakland County divorce records for free. In most cases, they’re available without having to provide proof of ID or a stated reason for the search.