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Can't find divorce decree , want to remarry - HELP?

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rick99gtp

Guest
What is the name of your state? TEXAS

10 years ago, my wife and I walked into a Form preparation company in California, and filled out the paperwork together to get divorced. We signed everything, paid for it, then walked out. We did it "No contest". We had nothing to divide, etc. A little more than 6 months passed and I received documents with a stamped "filed" date at the top.

Now, 10 years later, I want to remarry. I can't find my divorce decree anywhere. I've called the Riverside courts, went online, even sent an abstractor out to find it. They can't find it. I've been told that where the documents could be stored at have moved several times in the 90's.

Am I in danger of bigamy laws if I get married without having a copy of the divorce decree? I have tried to get a copy of it without contacting the ex. In fact, I haven't spoken to my ex in 10 years. I have no idea where she may be, or if she's even alive. Is it true that if I have had no contact with her and do not know of her whereabouts that I am exempt from the bigamy laws?

I'm pretty sure that I'm divorced, but, if I am legally still married....How does someone prove bigamy? Does someone have to provide information to the State of Texas that shows that I've remarried or is there a way that the State can find out?

Someone please help me. I'm getting married August 30th.

Thank you, ~Rick
 


nextwife

Senior Member
My husband had the same problem in NY. The burroughs records of his divorce could not be found. WE wrote to the state repository in Albany anf they DID find a record of his divorce, even though the local court was unable to locate their own record. Perhaps TEXAS, too, has records maintained of divorces on a state level?

And have you tried www.vitalrecords.com?
 
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rick99gtp

Guest
Yes, I called vitalrecords, but they only have records up to 1984 and in California, it would be 2 years on backorder.....HA!

I was married in South Dakota, divorced in California. I live in Texas now.

What would it take to accuse me of bigamy? My ex-wife?
 

mac105

Member
I live in PA. now. I married ('75) and divorced ('83) in CA. My ex had done all of the "do-it-yourself" paperwork, just as it sounds like you did. Several years ago I needed a copy of my divorce papers.

A little more than 6 months passed and I received documents with a stamped "filed" date at the top.
Contact the courthouse in the county where you turned in (for filing) your divorce papers. You should be able to find the numbers, email, fax and address of this county courthouse by using any search engine and typing in something like (for me) Riverside, CA or Riverside county, CA.

It only took about 2 weeks from my contact with them to have my copy.
 
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rick99gtp

Guest
I never took my papers to get them recorded. The form preparation company told me that they used a "runner" to do that for me. I called them a couple of weeks ago. Sounds to me like the copy that I got was from the Courts and never recorded.

Does this sound like a possibility to you?
 

mac105

Member
What county is the "preparation" company in? If you do not know, call them and ask. If you got a paper that had "filed" stamped on it, then it had to have been FILED. What city did you use a "preparation" company in and what city were you living in? In CA, that is. My ex and I did our own "running".
 
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rick99gtp

Guest
I lived in Moreno Valley. The Form preparation company was no more than 1/2 mile from my apartment. So, it could've been Riverside or Moreno Valley, CA. I called them a few weeks ago and they said they file in Riverside County.

I remember getting the documents back with the filed date stamped across the top, I just want to have them for my records.
 

mac105

Member
Sorry it took so long. Been working. I emailed and faxed several places, and this is the response I received. Of my 4 queries, I was in the right place with only one. So here it is:

You can fax your request to (909) 955-6959 or mail to Superior Court of California, County of Riverside, Family Law Court, 4175 Main Street, Riverside, CA 92501. The telephone number at the Court Clerk's Office is (909) 955-1940.
The fee is 50 cents per page, or $ 10.00 for each certified copy. If you need these documents for an agency, such as the Social Security Administration, etc, they usually require a certified copy. We accept checks made payable to Riverside Superior Court, or VISA, MasterCard and Discover.
Ensure that your request includes your full name, the other party's full name, the date of the divorce (case number if you have it), the city you lived in at the time of the divorce, and a telephone number where you can be reached in case we need additional information.
Sandi Lomax, Executive Assistant Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
 

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