How to Get a Certified Copy of a Divorce Decree From Kern County, California
When applying for a marriage license in the state of California, proof is required that you are currently single. If you were previously married and had a divorce, you must present an official certified copy of the divorce decree when applying for a new marriage license. The California Department of Public Health can issue you a copy of the divorce papers, but only the superior court in the county where the divorce was handled can issue you a certified copy of the divorce decree. Kern county residents must contact their superior court for the official decree copy
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Things You'll Need
- Divorce case number
- Marriage or Divorce date
- 2 forms of ID
- Cash or check
Instructions
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Visit the Superior Court of California, County of Kern webpage for a list of nearby superior courts. You will need to visit one of them to deal with the matter in person. The main Metropolitan Division Kern County Superior Court is located at 1415 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301.
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Explain at the court that you wish to get a copy of your divorce decree. They will direct you to the correct division within the court to file the request.
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Give the court clerk as much information as you have to expedite the search for the divorce record. The date of the marriage, the date of the finalized divorce and the case number will help them locate your information. They will also need two forms of personal identification such as an official California driver's license, birth certificate or social security card.
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Pay the clerk at the court office to receive your official copy. Depending on how busy the court is and how difficult it is to find your information, the court will usually be able to retrieve the divorce decree on the same day. As of publication, the cost was $13. This includes the request to search for your divorce decree as well as one official copy. Be sure to bring either cash or a check; the court will not take credit cards.
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