GEN-NYS-L Archives

From: "Paul F. Kelly" <>
Subject: NY divorce records law
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 17:43:03 -0700

I have a good question for all. I hope someone has had the same =
experience and can guide me.

My grandparents were divorced July 17, 1942, Jefferson County, New York.
Both of them are now deceased.
I wrote to the Jefferson County Clerk (Jefferson County Records =
Management, 175 Arsenal Street, Watertown, New York 13601) and asked =
about getting copies of the records. Mr. Benjamin Cobb of that office =
(Records Management Coordinator) wrote back saying that the case was =
sealed and that the only people who could unseal the case were the =
parties involved in the divorce. When I wrote him back, explaining that =
both parties involved were deceased, he told me in a reply letter :
"If both your grandparents are deceased, there would be no way to unseal =
this case. The New York State court system would not unseal this court =
case for anyone but the two people involved in the divorce."

If you ask me, that is total nonsense!

If both parties involved in the divorce are deceased, what difference =
would it make to them now if someone were to unseal the case? They are =
DEAD!

Does the State of New York have a law that specifically states the =
above?

--=20
Paul F. Kelly

Concord, California
http://www.netvista.net/~pkelly/index.html

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This thread:

• NY divorce records law by "Paul F. Kelly" <>