Union County Public Records /Union County Divorce Records

Union County Divorce Records

How To Find a Divorce Record In Union County in 2026

UnionOHRecords.us provides access to publicly available information related to divorce records in Union County, Ohio. Members of the public may find case filings, final decrees, docket entries, and related court documents through official channels. Available record categories include dissolution of marriage filings, final judgments, property division orders, spousal support determinations, parenting plan documents, and post-judgment modification orders. Access and completeness of records may vary depending on the case date and filing method.

Divorce records in Union County may be searched through official court resources, the Clerk of Courts office, public access terminals at the courthouse, and online tools provided by the county. The following methods are available to members of the public seeking these records.

Online Searches

1. Clerk of Court Case Search

The Union County Clerk of Courts maintains an online public records search covering court records from January 1990 to the present. The public records index includes Domestic cases, which encompass divorce and dissolution of marriage proceedings. Basic case information is available at no charge. Obtaining copies of documents, including certified copies, may require payment of applicable fees.

2. Public Records Search and eFiling Portal

The county also provides a dedicated public records search and eFiling portal through which members of the public may search court records and, where applicable, submit filings electronically. This tool covers court records from January 1990 to the present and is the primary recommended method for online searches.

3. Ohio Vital Records — Divorce Certificates

The Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics maintains divorce records filed with the state. Ohio has recorded divorce data since 1949. Certified divorce verification letters may be ordered through the state vital records office. These records confirm that a divorce occurred but contain less detail than the full court case file.

In-Person Searches

Clerk of Court — Family Division:

Union County Clerk of Courts
215 W. Fifth Street
Marysville, OH 43040
Phone: (937) 645-4000
Union County Clerk of Courts

Members of the public may visit the Clerk of Courts office during regular business hours to search case files, view documents, request certified copies, and use public access terminals. Staff are available to assist with locating records by party name or case number.

By Mail

Written Request:

Written requests for divorce records may be mailed to the Union County Clerk of Courts at 215 W. Fifth Street, Marysville, OH 43040. Requests should include the full names of both parties, the approximate date of the divorce, the case number if known, the requestor's contact information, and payment for applicable copy fees. A self-addressed stamped envelope should be included to facilitate return of documents. Processing time is typically one to two weeks, though archived or older records may require additional time.

By Phone

Limited Information:

Clerk of Courts: (937) 645-4000
Staff may confirm whether a case exists, provide the case number, confirm case status, and verify the filing date
Detailed document contents, copies of filings, and confidential information cannot be provided by telephone

Through Attorneys

An attorney licensed in Ohio may access divorce case files on behalf of a client, including requesting documents that may require a formal showing of need. Attorneys may also petition the court for access to sealed records where a legitimate legal purpose exists. The Ohio State Bar Association provides a lawyer referral service for members of the public seeking legal representation in connection with divorce record matters.

Information Needed for Search

Essential Information:

Full legal names of both spouses
Maiden names, if applicable
Approximate date of divorce or filing
Case number, if known

Helpful Information:

Date and location of marriage
Previous addresses in Union County
Names of children, if applicable
Names of attorneys of record, if known

Search in Correct County

Divorce proceedings in Ohio are filed in the county where either spouse resided at the time of filing. Members of the public who are uncertain of the filing county may need to search multiple counties. Under Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03, one party must have been a resident of Ohio for at least six months and a resident of the county in which the action is filed for at least 90 days prior to filing.

Time Considerations

Recent divorce filings may not appear in the online system immediately; members of the public should allow several business days after a final hearing for the record to be processed and indexed
Older records, particularly those predating 1990, may be archived in paper format and may not be available through the online search portal
Archived records may require a special retrieval request and additional processing time

What If You Cannot Find a Record

Verify the correct county of filing
Attempt alternate spellings of party names, including maiden names
Confirm whether the case has been finalized, as pending cases may appear differently in the index
Search both spouses' names independently
Check Ohio vital records for a divorce verification letter
Contact the Clerk of Courts at (937) 645-4000 for assistance

What Are Union County Divorce Records?

Union County divorce records are official court documents generated during and after divorce or dissolution of marriage proceedings filed in the Union County Court of Common Pleas. The Union County Clerk of Courts serves as the official record keeper for the Court of Common Pleas and is the primary custodian of these records.

Types of Divorce Records:

Court Case Files include the petition for dissolution of marriage, the respondent's answer or counterpetition, financial affidavits, parenting plans, settlement agreements, motions, court orders, hearing transcripts, and the final judgment of dissolution.

Final Decree is the official court order terminating the marriage. It establishes the date of dissolution, the division of marital property, any spousal support obligations, child custody and parenting time arrangements, child support orders, and any court-ordered name changes. Certified copies of the final decree are available through the Clerk of Courts.

Supporting Documents may include marriage certificates submitted as exhibits, financial disclosure statements, property inventories, parenting plan attachments, and post-judgment modification orders.

Purpose of Divorce Records:

Legal proof of marital status for remarriage
Documentation for name change proceedings
Property transfer and title documentation
Estate planning and beneficiary designations
Immigration and naturalization proceedings
Social Security benefit determinations
Genealogical and family history research

Legal Framework:

Divorce proceedings in Ohio are governed by Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01, which sets forth the grounds for divorce, and related provisions of the Ohio Revised Code governing dissolution of marriage. Public access to court records is governed by Ohio Revised Code § 149.43, Ohio's Public Records Act, which establishes a presumption of public access to government records, including court filings.

Are Union County Divorce Records Public?

Divorce records filed with the Union County Court of Common Pleas are public court records under Ohio law. As stated in Ohio Revised Code § 149.43, "Upon request, a public office or person responsible for public records shall make copies available at cost." Members of the public may access basic case information, docket entries, court orders, and the final decree without demonstrating a specific need or purpose.

What Is Public:

Case number and filing date
Names of parties and attorneys of record
Court hearing dates and docket entries
Court orders and judgments, including the final divorce decree
Property division orders
General case status

What May Be Restricted:

Financial information such as Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers is redacted from publicly accessible documents pursuant to Ohio court rules. Detailed tax returns and financial statements may be subject to limited access upon court order.

Information concerning minor children, including their residential addresses, schools, and medical or psychological evaluations, may be restricted or sealed. Guardian ad litem reports and custody evaluation reports are subject to restricted access.

Sensitive personal information, including domestic violence allegations, mental health records, substance abuse treatment records, and the personal addresses of domestic violence victims, may be sealed by court order.

Who Can Access Records:

General public: May access most case information, view docket summaries, and obtain copies of public documents upon payment of applicable fees
Parties to the case: Have full access to their own case file, including confidential documents
Attorneys: Have professional access to case files and may petition for access to sealed records upon a showing of legitimate need
Researchers and media: May access public portions of case files; sealed records require a court order

Prohibited Uses:

Members of the public are prohibited from using divorce records for stalking, harassment, identity theft, fraudulent purposes, or in violation of any protective order issued by the court.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Divorce Records in Union County?

The Union County Clerk of Courts charges standard fees for copies of court records. Current fees are as follows:

Service	Fee
Standard copies (per page)	$0.10 per page
Certified copy of document	$1.00 per certification + copy fees
Exemplified copy	$2.00 + copy fees
Online record viewing	Free (basic case information)

Inspection of public records at the courthouse is available at no charge
Copies of documents are assessed at the per-page rate established by the Clerk of Courts
Certified copies, which carry the official court seal and are required for legal purposes such as remarriage or name changes, are subject to a certification fee in addition to per-page copy costs
Payment is accepted in person by cash, check, or money order made payable to the Union County Clerk of Courts; remote requests should confirm accepted payment methods directly with the office
Fee waivers are not routinely available for public records requests, though indigent parties to a case may petition the court for relief from fees in certain circumstances
Electronic copies obtained through the online portal may be available at reduced or no cost for basic document viewing; fees for downloaded certified documents may apply

What's Included in Divorce Records in Union County

A complete divorce case file maintained by the Union County Clerk of Courts contains the following categories of documents.

Basic Case Information:

Case number, court name, and division
Names of petitioner and respondent
Judge assigned and attorneys of record
Filing date, case type, and jurisdictional basis

Initial Pleadings:

Petition for dissolution of marriage, including marriage date and location, grounds for divorce, children's information, property claims, and relief requested
Respondent's answer or counterpetition
Financial affidavits from both parties detailing income, expenses, assets, and liabilities

Discovery Documents:

Financial disclosure statements, including tax returns, pay stubs, bank and investment account statements, and retirement account records
Interrogatories and answers under oath
Requests for production of documents and responses

Property-Related Documents:

Marital asset inventory covering real property, vehicles, bank accounts, investment and retirement accounts, business interests, and personal property
Debt inventory covering mortgages, car loans, credit card debt, and other liabilities
Appraisals and expert valuations of real property, businesses, and personal property

Children-Related Documents (if applicable):

Parenting plan establishing legal and physical custody, timesharing schedules, holiday and vacation provisions, and decision-making responsibilities
Child support calculation worksheets, income information, and support orders
Custody evaluations and home studies, which may be subject to restricted access
Guardian ad litem reports, which are subject to restricted access

Support Documents:

Alimony or spousal support orders specifying type, amount, duration, and termination conditions
Income and standard-of-living analysis worksheets

Settlement Documents:

Marital settlement agreement addressing all issues of property, support, and parenting
Mediation agreements, if the case was mediated

Court Orders and Judgments:

Temporary orders for custody, support, and use of property
Final judgment of dissolution, including findings of fact, conclusions of law, property division, support orders, custody and parenting time, and any name restoration
Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) for division of retirement accounts

Post-Judgment Documents (if applicable):

Petitions to modify custody or support and resulting court orders
Contempt motions and enforcement actions
Income deduction orders and liens

What Is Typically Confidential or Sealed:

Social Security numbers and financial account numbers (redacted)
Children's residential addresses and school information
Domestic violence details and victim addresses
Mental health and substance abuse evaluations
Mediation communications, which are confidential by statute

How to Get Proof of Divorce in Union County

Proof of divorce in Union County is obtained through either the Union County Clerk of Courts or the Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics, depending on the level of detail required.

Certified Copy of Final Decree (Court Record):

A certified copy of the final judgment of dissolution is the most comprehensive form of proof of divorce and is accepted for legal purposes including remarriage, name changes, and property transfers. Members of the public may request a certified copy by:

Visiting the Union County Clerk of Courts in person at 215 W. Fifth Street, Marysville, OH 43040
Submitting a written request by mail to the same address, including party names, approximate divorce date, case number if known, and payment for applicable fees
Using the public records search and eFiling portal to locate the case and request documents

Divorce Verification Letter (State Vital Records):

The Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics issues divorce verification letters for divorces recorded in Ohio. These letters confirm that a divorce occurred and provide basic identifying information. They are available for divorces finalized since 1949 and may be ordered online, by mail, or in person through the Ohio Department of Health.

Ohio Department of Health — Vital Statistics
246 N. High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 466-2531
Ohio Department of Health Vital Statistics

Can a Divorce Be Confidential in Union County?

Divorce proceedings in Union County are presumptively public under Ohio's Public Records Act; however, certain records or portions of records may be sealed or restricted by court order.

A party may file a motion requesting that specific documents or the entire case be sealed, demonstrating a compelling interest that outweighs the public's right of access
Courts may seal records containing domestic violence allegations, victim addresses, or information that could endanger a party or child
Mental health evaluations, substance abuse treatment records, and psychological assessments of children are subject to restricted access under Ohio court rules
Guardian ad litem reports and custody evaluation reports are not routinely available to the general public and require a court order for access
Mediation communications are confidential by statute and are not part of the public court record
Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and similar identifying information are redacted from publicly accessible documents pursuant to Ohio Rules of Superintendence, Rule 45
A sealed case is not accessible to the general public; parties and their attorneys retain access to sealed records in their own cases
The legal standard for sealing a divorce record in Ohio requires the moving party to demonstrate that the presumption of public access is outweighed by a specific, articulable privacy or safety interest

How Long Does Union County Keep Divorce Records?

The Union County Clerk of Courts retains divorce and dissolution of marriage records in accordance with Ohio's records retention schedules established by the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board and applicable court rules.

Final judgments of dissolution and complete case files for divorce proceedings are classified as permanent records under Ohio law and are retained indefinitely
The online public records search portal currently provides access to court records from January 1990 to the present; records predating 1990 are maintained in archived form and may be retrieved upon request
Temporary orders, interlocutory motions, and procedural documents within a case file are retained as part of the permanent case record
Post-judgment modification orders and enforcement actions are added to the original case file and retained as part of the permanent record
Paper records that have been converted to electronic format retain the same legal status as the original paper documents
Members of the public seeking records from archived or older case files should contact the Clerk of Courts directly at (937) 645-4000 to confirm availability and retrieval procedures
Ohio's general records retention law, Ohio Revised Code § 149.38, governs the retention and disposal of public records, including court records maintained by county offices