Once you are divorced you will want to get a certified copy of your divorce Decree. Your Attorney may do that for you or help you understand how to do that. But even so, you may be anxious to get one quickly or you may need additional copies later on. It can be very helpful to know how to get the Decree for yourself.
You will have a choice between a certified or non-certified copy of the Decree. A certified copy is one that is stamped and legally certified by the District Clerk’s office. You will need a certified copy if you are changing your name, changing benefits on insurance, putting the Decree on file with your child’s school, using it at your bank, or for any other “official” reason. Therefore it’s good to have at least one certified copy.
If you are able, have the case number and date or approximate date of your divorce available. (If you don’t know, the district clerk will be able to help you find this information, or it may be available online for your Texas county).
Next, contact the district clerk of the county in which you received your divorce. Look online first – you may be able to order your decree online. If you are in a hurry you may wish to go in person to the district clerk’s office. You also can request your Decree by mail and enclose the proper fee.
Once you have your Decree, make sure that you keep a certified copy in a safe place because you may need it again in the future.
Texas counties have information online on their district clerk websites to guide people who are looking to get copies of official documents.
