Possible Bigamist

[airforcechick95]

What is the name of your state? Texas

I'm an active duty airman stationed in Texas. My husband and I have been married 4 years and have 2 children. I recently discovered that he may not be divorced from his first wife. I've been unable to find any divorce records online for the state of Florida where they were supposedly divorced. Any suggestions on my next step? I want out and am meeting an attorney next week. He has threatened violence but has never actually done anything...yet.

 

[Just Blue]

What is the name of your state? Texas

I'm an active duty airman stationed in Texas. My husband and I have been married 4 years and have 2 children. I recently discovered that he may not be divorced from his first wife. I've been unable to find any divorce records online for the state of Florida where they were supposedly divorced. Any suggestions on my next step? I want out and am meeting an attorney next week. He has threatened violence but has never actually done anything...yet.

Is your almost ex also military?

 

[airforcechick95]

Is your almost ex also military?

No, he has not worked since we got married.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

You are meeting a lawyer next week. Commercial online record search systems that you would have access to are notoriously spotty at best.

 

[Zigner]

What do you hope to accomplish if you prove that, by some administrative error, his divorce was not properly completed?

 

[airforcechick95]

I want out of the marriage, be it by divorce or annulment dependent upon whether or not he is divorced from his first wife.

 

[Just Blue]

I want out of the marriage, be it by divorce or annulment dependent upon whether or not he is divorced from his first wife.

Who is the primary care giver for the children? Dad? Please understand that he will remain PC.

 

[FlyingRon]

To my knowledge, there is no "online" divorce record source in Florida that is official. In fact, proving someone WASN'T divorced is very difficult, period. Finding a divorce record that IS known to exist can be done, but even that isn't available online.

Chances are you're going to have to file for divorce on this one. Where were you married?

 

[Ohiogal]

To my knowledge, there is no "online" divorce record source in Florida that is official. In fact, proving someone WASN'T divorced is very difficult, period. Finding a divorce record that IS known to exist can be done, but even that isn't available online.

Chances are you're going to have to file for divorce on this one. Where were you married?

Are you sure about that?

 

[Ohiogal]

https://www.flclerks.com/general/custom.asp?page=FindaClerk

Go here and look up the county where the divorce may have happened. That county may have online records...

 

[FlyingRon]

Are you sure about that?

Sure about what part of it? The official state registry isn't searchable. While some counties clerks have online presences, you won't find a record that doesn't exist and the first link I clicked in your post goes to a county that only has online filing and no way to check for such records.

The proper way would be to file a written request with the health department. But that request requires you to know when the decree was granted.

Of course, they may get lucky (or unlucky in the case of the posters point of view) and find it in some counties records, but frankly clicking on the first few links there (including Brevard and Broward, two of the largest counties) finds no way to search for divorce records.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

It is available on the Broward County site.

 

[HRZ]

DIg harder for facts as to divorce...and if " ex " is alive or not. In case of true bigamy and living spouse...your marriage is void , never existed and he is looking a possible 2-10 year guest of state status .

 

[Zigner]

DIg harder for facts as to divorce...and if " ex " is alive or not. In case of true bigamy and living spouse...your marriage is void , never existed and he is looking a possible 2-10 year guest of state status .

After 4 years and 2 kids, there are other things for the OP to consider...the phrase is putative spouse.

https://texaslawhelp.org/faq/how-does-court-figure-out-if-spouse-putative-spouse

 

[HRZ]

Putative spouse , if it applies, only makes sense for OP to raise IF it's to her advantage to do so ...and that's best discussed with her attorney. IF " Hubby" has no assets or income stream available for division it might not make sense to raise it and child support may be moot if "Hubby" has no income .

Then there is problem of rather strict TX rules about parental relocation with children and being a military parent subject to change of station .

OP ..you really need a much better handle on if prior marriage was in fact dissloved ...and a discussion of your options with counsel of your choice.