According to Oklahoma State Courts Network (oscn.net), a Divorce Decree is a legal document issued by the court at the end of a divorce case. It outlines the final judgment and terms of the divorce settlement, including matters such as child custody, child support, spousal support, division of property, and debts.
A divorce process in Oklahoma is finalized when a judge signs the divorce decree, and it is submitted to the clerk’s office. In the case of an uncontested divorce, spouses themselves or lawyers representing the parties fill out the decree form and then give it to the judge for signature. If a divorce is contested, the judge makes a decision on all divorce-related issues, which is then incorporated into a decree.
What Information Is Contained in a Divorce Decree?
A divorce decree is an official document that specifies all the terms of marriage dissolution. In Oklahoma, a final divorce decree, depending on whether spouses have minor children together or not, usually focuses on:
- Alimony payments if required.
- Division of property and debts.
- Protection order.
- Restoration of the former surname.
- Child support payments.
- Health insurance issues.
- Visitation rights.
- Granting custody of children.
A signed divorce decree is a court order that both spouses must follow. A party who violates the divorce terms may face a fine or imprisonment.
Where Do You Get a Copy of Your Divorce Decree?
You can obtain a copy of a divorce decree by requesting it online on the court website, if this option is available in your county, or in person from the court clerk’s office. Also, you can contact the clerk and ask them to send a copy by mail. Some courts have public access terminals where soft copies of this document can be viewed. If you require a certified copy with a seal, you will need to pay a set fee for the first page and additional fees for extra copies.
Only the parties involved in the divorce process, their close relatives, or lawyers representing spouses may request the decree from the court, specifying the reason for such request.
What Does a Final Divorce Decree Look Like?
A divorce decree is an official paper that finalizes the divorce. It confirms the fact of marriage dissolution and includes decisions concerning property division, spousal support, child custody, alimony, etc.
It typically specifies the date of the divorce, the names of the parties, their place of residence, the reasons and conditions for the divorce, etc. Also, according to Oklahoma state law, spouses cannot remarry another person within 6 months after divorce, and this information can also be indicated in the divorce decree. You can see the divorce decree example below.
Obtaining Oklahoma Divorce Decree Online
To get a copy of the divorce decree online, visit https://www.oscn.net/, go to the court records tab, and open the OSCN Dockets section. You can search by case number or by the last name of spouses. After entering the data, you will see all court cases related to the person. Open the section on marriage dissolution and find the divorce decree among the documents provided. You can download it in a convenient format.
In Oklahoma, divorce decrees of the past few years are typically available online. However, a divorced couple may request the court to get their record sealed so it becomes unavailable to the public.
If the required document cannot be found online, or if you need a certified copy, you can visit the court clerk’s office in person or call the clerk and ask them to mail you a decree copy. This service usually comes at an additional fee.
Sophia Garcia is a marriage counselor and a professional writer. Over the past 10 years, she has helped numerous couples save their marriages and, when it wasn’t possible, divorce in a more peaceful way. Using her professional experience, Sophia has written hundreds of articles on relationships and divorce for blogs and magazines covering marital issues. In her free time, Sophia enjoys kayaking and mountain hiking.