Graves County Divorce Decree Records

Graves County sits in the Purchase region of western Kentucky. The county seat is Mayfield. Divorce decree records here are kept at the Circuit Court Clerk office. The current clerk is Emily Ward Buzanis. She oversees all court filings for the 56th Judicial Circuit. Due to tornado damage, the office is at a temporary location. You can still request Graves County Divorce Decree records in person or by phone. The office serves the towns of Mayfield, Fancy Farm, and surrounding areas.

Graves County Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk keeps all Graves County Divorce Decree documents. This office holds every divorce case filed in the 56th Judicial Circuit. You can visit to view records. You can also call to ask about copies. The clerk staff can help you find the case you need. They will need names and dates to search.

The office is temporarily at 1102 Paris Road, Suite 21 in Mayfield. This is due to damage from the 2021 tornado. The clerk plans to return to the courthouse in the future. For now, all services are at this site. You can reach them by phone at 270-247-1733. Hours are Monday through Friday.

You can find more details on the Kentucky Court of Justice website for Graves County. This page has updates on the office location. It also lists hours and contact info. The site is helpful for planning your visit.

The Graves County Clerk website is at gravescountyclerk.ky.gov. This site offers forms and basic info. It may have online search tools. Check the site before you visit. It can save you time.

How to Obtain a Graves County Divorce Decree

You have options to get your Graves County Divorce Decree. You can visit the clerk office in person. You can also send a request by mail. Some clerks accept fax or email. Call first to ask what methods they allow. Each has its own steps to follow.

For an in-person visit, go to the temp office at 1102 Paris Road. Bring a valid photo ID. Know the case number if you have it. If not, bring the full names of both spouses. Give the clerk the approximate year of the divorce. They can search the files for you. Copies cost a fee per page. Certified copies cost more.

Mail requests work well if you live far away. Write a letter with the names and date. Include your contact info. Enclose a check for the fees. Call 270-247-1733 to get the current fee amount. Send your request to the address above. Allow time for processing and return mail.

Note: Graves County Divorce Decree requests by mail may take two to three weeks to process and return.

What Graves County Divorce Decree Documents Include

A Graves County Divorce Decree is the final court order. It ends the marriage by law. The document lists all terms of the split. This includes who gets what property. It states child custody rules. It lists support amounts. The judge signs it to make it binding.

Each decree has key facts. You will see both spouse names. The date of marriage appears. The date of divorce is shown. The case number is listed. These facts prove the event took place. You need them for many legal tasks.

Property division is spelled out in detail. The court splits marital assets. This includes homes, cars, and bank accounts. Debts are divided too. Each party knows what they must pay. The decree is the legal proof of this split.

Child custody terms are vital. The decree states who has custody. It lists visit times. Child support amounts are set. These orders protect the children. They must be followed by both parents.

Search Graves County Divorce Decree Records Online

You can search for cases before you visit. Kentucky offers online tools. CourtNet 2.0 lets you search case info. Basic searches are free. You can find case numbers this way. It helps you when you call or visit the clerk.

CourtNet shows public case data. It lists party names. It shows filing dates. It gives case status. It does not show the full document text. You still need to get the actual decree from the clerk. But the search tells you if a case exists.

To search, go to the CourtNet site. Enter a last name. Add a first name if you know it. Select Graves County from the list. Click search to see results. You may see many names. Look for the right match by date or other party name.

Some counties offer direct online access. Check the Graves County Clerk site. They may have case lookup tools. Not all counties have full online records. Graves may have basic info only. Call to ask what they offer online.

Graves County Divorce Certificates vs Decrees

Know the difference between these two documents. A certificate is a short form. It proves a divorce took place. It comes from Vital Statistics. A decree is the full court order. It comes from the Circuit Clerk. Most legal tasks need the decree.

The Office of Vital Statistics keeps certificates from June 1958 to now. They have a $6 fee per copy. You can order by mail or online. Use this for simple proof of divorce. It works for name changes or benefits updates.

But for court cases, you need the full Graves County Divorce Decree. Banks may want to see it. Real estate sales need it. Remarriage licenses often require it. The decree has all the legal terms. Get it from the clerk in Mayfield.

Graves County Cities and Divorce Records

Graves County has several small towns. Mayfield is the largest. It is the county seat. Fancy Farm is another known town. Wingo and Water Valley are also here. All residents file divorce in Mayfield. The 56th Judicial Circuit serves the whole county.

It does not matter which town you live in. The same court handles all cases. You file at the clerk office. You pick up records there too. The temp location serves all of Graves County equally.

Nearby Counties for Divorce Decree Records

If you cannot find your record in Graves County, check nearby counties. People sometimes file in the next county. This happens if you lived there at the time. Western Kentucky has several nearby options.