A divorce is not legally complete until you get the divorce decree in your hand. Divorce decree (also known as final decree) is the formal order of the court that sets forth the terms and conditions that apply in the termination of a marriage. Here the court’s instructions on disposition of all matters concerning property division, child support, alimony, visitation and custody are mentioned in a systematic and proper manner.

How to get the decree?

The divorce decree of any divorce case is permanently stored in the county courthouse records office of the county where the whole legal process took place. After the decree is signed, dated and filed at the courthouse you must have a copy of that for your own records. You can obtain a copy of your final decree from the Office of Vital Records in the state and county where you filed the petition for divorce. To obtain a copy of this legal document in the United States, your request should contain the following information:

• The date of request
• The full names of both husband and wife
• The date of the divorce
• The type of divorce it was
• The place where it occurred
• The reason you need the copy
• The requesting party’s name and address
• The requesting party’s driver’s license number and state
• The signature of the requesting party

Note: Always provide an S.A.S.E., (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope).

A Sample of Divorce Decree that took place in the state of OHIO, click here.

Here is a video on how to get a divorce decree that can help you to understand the process in much better manner.

Importance of this legal document:

Divorce decrees are the most important document to have whenever there is a need to show proof that you are actually legally divorced. Once your marriage is legally terminated, there are some necessary changes that needs to be done. Some of such changes include:

• Legally changing your name after divorce
• For changing the name in your driving license
• For changing the name in your passport
• For changing your name in the Social Security Number
• You cannot legally marry again unless you show a copy of your divorce decree

To conclude, once your divorce is finalized, get a copy of your decree from the Office of Vital Records in the state and county where you have filed the petition as soon as possible. This will help you in a lot many ways and will make things easier for you.