Acquire Free Franklin County Divorce Records

Run a free Franklin County divorce records search today with guidance from this brief resource.

A dissolution or divorce lookup can be performed by anyone interested in uncovering facts about an individual’s marital status; these records can be searched for any reason. As public records, divorce certificates and decrees are accessible — as well as information contained in them — so that people can be aware if someone is legally married or separated.

The Ohio Public Records Act demands that agencies make records available to concerned citizens. Anyone can inspect those records at no cost, and copies of them can be requested at the convenience of the person running the search.

This resource outlines every step of quickly and conveniently obtaining divorce records in Franklin County, Ohio.

How Do I Perform a Franklin County Divorce Records Search for Free?

When trying to search for information about someone’s divorce history, Franklin County citizens can utilize the Clerk of Courts Case Information Online system.¹ This free tool shows information about every court case handled in the county, which will also show divorce cases if properly searched.

The Case Information Online tool allows concerned individuals to run searches by name. Although having a full name is advisable, in order to obtain more accurate results, it’s possible to search by last name only or to add a first initial when that’s available to start a search. Users should feel encouraged to try different name combinations when the full information isn’t known.

Considering the system will show results relating to all sorts of cases being handled by the court, it’s important to be smart when searching. The goal should be to limit the results to what interests the searcher as much as possible. All search criteria are added to a bar on the upper side of the page.

In order to effectively search this divorce index, it’s helpful to select “Domestic” among the court options, for example. This tip won’t limit the results to divorces only (domestic is a broader concept, as everyone knows), but it avoids showing civil or criminal cases that definitely aren’t the target of the search.

Another way to narrow the search is to select the type of case on the case type bar. The initial “DR” relates to divorces, while “DM” refers to domestic dissolution.

Both are equivalent to divorces, in a way. The difference is that a DM (dissolution) is uncontested by the parties and doesn’t involve showing grounds for a divorce, while a DR (divorce) is usually contested at some level and indicates a more complex court case.

The results of the search will appear in the form of a list. Users can click on the case number located on the left side to be taken to the details page of the case.

This way, they can uncover valuable information, including names of former spouses, when and where they got married, if they had children and much more. Results will also include all the proceedings of the case, with some level of detail.

The Franklin County Clerk’s Office seems to have different contact information depending on the kind of support a citizen may need.² When a simple online search isn’t sufficient, and more help is needed, this is how people can contact the Domestic Relations department of the Clerk’s Office:

Franklin County Courthouse
Clerk’s Office – Domestic Relations
373 South High St. 4th fl.
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614)525-4410

Online requests can be placed with the Franklin County Clerk’s Office using the Public Records Request Form.³ Searchers must fill it out completely, including as much detail as possible, to make sure that their request can be fulfilled.

For example, they should include the case number (which can be found for free with the help of the Case Information Online system). They should also double-check check the personal information they’re sharing is accurate – otherwise, the Clerk’s Office may not be able to honor the request and deliver the desired copies. Copies (simple and certified) may have a cost, and a payment method must be provided at the time of the request.

Searchers should know that the state of Ohio (and, consequently, Franklin County) has laws about common-law marriages and, therefore, common law divorces. Common law marriages stopped being recognized in Ohio in 1991. It means that relationships established after that day don’t qualify as a marriage at all unless the couple had a ceremony officiated after obtaining a legal license.

However, for relationships established in 1991 or before, when there’s a common law marriage, there must also be a divorce if the couple chooses to separate. That common law divorce is handled by the courts like any other and will show on online searches – just like a regular dissolution would.

Sometimes, more resources are needed in order to uncover all the needed information about someone’s divorce records. Below, it’ll be addressed if it’s possible to look for information in the cities and how to search the whole state of Ohio.

Find Franklin County Divorce or Dissolution Information Through County Mayors’ Courts

Municipal courts in Ohio usually handle misdemeanors committed within city limits (that carry small sentences or fines) and traffic tickets. According to the state’s statutes, divorce cases are handled by the county’s Superior Court. They’re also responsible for keeping the records for those cases and providing interested individuals with them requested to do so.

However, although they don’t participate in divorce cases, some concerned citizens may still feel the need to contact them for whatever reason. It’s important to know they can do so at their convenience.

Each local court serves the people in different ways and has singular contact forms. Below, searchers will find the contact information for the three largest municipal courts in Franklin County: Grove City, Hilliard, and Upper Arlington. This is how people interested in public records can reach out to them:

Grove City Mayor’s Court
3360 Park St.
Grove City, OH 43123

Phone: (614)277.1715
Fax: (614)277.1793

Hilliard’s Mayor’s Court
5171 Northwest Parkway
Hilliard, OH 43026

Phone: (614)334.2348
Fax: (614)529.6036
Email: [email protected]

Upper Arlington Mayor’s Court
3600 Tremont Rd
Upper Arlington, OH 43221

Phone: (614)583.5060
Fax: (614)442.4044

In some cases, instead of looking at cities in the area, searchers have to broaden their scope and look at the whole state. In other words, when a Franklin County search leads to no results, it’s important to consider that perhaps that divorce happened in a different county within the state.

Let’s take a look at how records can be searched throughout the state of Ohio.

How To Search Divorce Records for the Entire State of Ohio

The Vital Records Office, managed by the Ohio Department of Health, assists people in obtaining birth and death certificates.⁴ However, marriage and divorce records are a responsibility carried by each individual county.

In fact, according to the Vital Records website, counties are responsible for keeping divorce decrees. Therefore, they’re also mandated to provide citizens with copies when they’re required.

To help searchers, the Vital Records Office makes a full list of Clerk’s Offices available for interested citizens.⁵ Users can click on the name of the county they wish to search and find detailed information about how to contact them.

If more information is needed, the Vital Records Office can be contacted using the following information:

Ohio Bureau of Vital Statistics
4200 Surface Rd
Columbus, OH 43228

Phone: (614)466.2531

The Archives & Library at the Ohio History Connection, can be a useful resource when the search is for historical divorce records.⁶ They have some genealogical and family information that can be accessed and searched. They also have newspapers, ancient clerk’s records and more that can help bring to light valuable information about anyone’s ancestors in Ohio.

Searchers interested in contacting them can do so through their website or using the information below:

Archives & History
Ohio History Connection
800 East 17th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211

Phone: (614)297.2510
Fax: (614)297.2546
Email: [email protected]

Let’s take some time and focus, though, on how to obtain divorce records in Franklin County specifically.

Are Divorce Records Open to the Public in Franklin County?

In many cases, searching online for divorce records in Franklin County isn’t enough because a proper paper copy of the decree or a certificate is needed. As useful as the Case Information Online tool may often be, there are instances when merely visualizing the information won’t do.⁷

For people who need physical copies of records, the Franklin County Clerk’s Office accepts requests online. They also support people in person at their office. It’s important to differentiate, however, divorce papers from official dissolution records.

When someone is married and decides to dissolve that marriage, they serve their former spouses with papers. Those only indicate that a court proceeding has begun, which will eventually lead to the formal end of the marriage.

Having received (or being served) papers for a divorce doesn’t mean someone is divorced. They’ll still have to go through all of the steps.

Public divorce records (including decrees and certificates) become available when a divorce is closed by the courts or, as someone may say, finalized. That’s when records can be requested at the Clerk’s Office.

Franklin County divorce records searches can be conducted by any interested individual; therefore, no one should hesitate to seek and uncover information about anyone, as long as they do so carefully and respectfully, taking into consideration this person’s privacy.