How to Look Up Old Divorce Records from the 1960s

1. Contact the State Department of Vital Records

While divorces are handled locally, most U.S. states began centrally indexing them at the state level by the mid-20th century.

•  The Strategy: Check the state's Department of Health or Vital Records office website. Many states maintain a "Divorce Index" covering the 1960s.

• The Pro-Tip: A state index will usually only provide a "short-form" certificate—basically a receipt confirming the divorce happened, the exact date, and the specific county. This is the perfect breadcrumb to lead you directly to the full legal file.

2. Request the Civil Case File from the County Courthouse

The true goldmine of family history is the actual divorce decree and the accompanying civil court case file.

• The Strategy: Once you know the county where the divorce was finalized, contact the County Clerk of Court or the Prothonotary's Office.

• The Proof: Request the complete civil case file. Unlike a simple short-form certificate, a full 1960s court file will contain sworn affidavits, child custody arrangements, property division, and sometimes the original marriage certificate. Search our Land, Court & Legal Archives to understand how to navigate county-level legal documents.

3. Scan Local Newspaper "Legal Notices"

Even as divorces became more common in the 1960s, courts still required public notification when a lawsuit was filed, especially if one spouse had moved away or could not be located.

• The Strategy: Search historical newspaper archives for the city where the couple lived.

• The Proof: Do not look for front-page articles. Instead, search the fine print of the "Classifieds" or "Legal Notices" sections for the phrase "Action for Divorce" or "Suit for Separation" containing your ancestors' names.

4. Track Address Changes in City Directories

If you do not know the exact year your ancestors split up, it can be expensive to pay a court to search a whole decade of files. You need to narrow down the timeline first.

• The Strategy: Look up the husband and wife in annual city directories throughout the 1960s.

• The Proof: You can pinpoint the exact year of the separation by noticing when they stop being listed at the same address, or when the wife suddenly appears listed under her maiden name or as "(div) John."

5. Check Subsequent Remarriage Applications

If you know one of the spouses got married to someone else in the late 1960s or 1970s, that new marriage record is the ultimate key to finding the old divorce.

• The Strategy: Track down the application for the second marriage.

• The Proof: To get a new marriage license, applicants were legally required to state how their previous marriage ended. The marriage application will explicitly ask for the date and the specific court or county where the prior divorce was finalized.