Access Free El Paso County Divorce Records: Lookup Resource

Find free El Paso County divorce records to view details of past and recent marriage dissolutions in the region.

These records can contain a wide range of information, such as details of the individuals involved in the divorce (divorcees), circumstances of the separation, as well as information on asset division, child custody, alimony, and child support. These divorce documents are publicly available under the Texas Public Information Act.

This resource provides steps for citizens to follow to look up divorce records in El Paso County, Texas, through various official offices and search tools.

How To Look Up El Paso County Divorce Records (Free Search Options)

Interested citizens can look up divorce records in El Paso County, Texas, through the government’s online search tool.

El Paso County’s local government maintains a database of all cases that are filed in the district, and it is available to the general public. The online case search tool can be used to search civil, family, and probate case records, including public divorce records.¹

Residents can search divorce records through this tool using the case number. If the case number is unknown, researchers can also search records by entering the party name (full name of either one of the divorcees) or the attorney’s name. In addition to that, citizens can also filter their search by selecting “Case Status” (if known) as open or closed.

Furthermore, a time frame can also be added to further narrow down the records search. For this, a search starting and ending date will have to be added.

The database is updated regularly so that citizens can access the most up-to-date information. The search results obtained from the tool provide primary details about the divorce case, such as status, filing date, judge assigned, and the name of the divorcees.

For more detailed records, interested individuals will have to reach out to the District Clerk of El Paso County.²

The District Clerk of El Paso County maintains records of all cases heard in the district, including divorce cases. The Department of the District Clerk can provide residents with non-certified as well as certified divorce records, including the case decrees as well as, in some cases, the case files.

The clerk can be contacted at:

El Paso District Clerk’s Office
500 East San Antonio Suite Number 103
El Paso, Texas 79901

Phone Number: 915-546-2021
Fax Number: 915-546-8139
Email: [email protected]

Citizens can file a formal divorce records search request to the Department of the District Clerk by visiting the office in person during regular business hours, 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday (the office is closed during holidays and weekends).

A records request can also be lodged through mail. In addition to that, interested parties can opt to call the department at the aforementioned number and request the divorce records.

An email can also be sent to the Customer Services Division of the El Paso County District Clerk to order copies of divorce records. No matter which method citizens choose, their request must contain primary details about the case to help the department search the records from their archives.

Case numbers can be given to the department so that the staff can find precise records. However, if that is unknown, other details such as names of the divorcees, the location where the divorce took place, names of attorneys, name of the judge who heard the case, or a time frame can be provided so that the department can conduct a comprehensive and precise records search.

Before requesting divorce records, citizens must keep in mind that the Department of El Paso District Clerk can restrict some information in the records that it deems sensitive. This is done to ensure the safety and privacy of the people involved in the divorce case. Sensitive information can include the exact addresses of the divorcees, social security numbers, and details of minor children.

How To Search Divorce Records at the State Level via the Texas Department of State Health Services

While searching for divorce records in El Paso County, there could be instances where the searcher discovers that the marriage dissolution actually took place in a different county or that the desired records are available through a different state-level agency. In such a case, the researcher must know the relevant state agency to contact to search for divorce records.

In the state of Texas, divorce records are managed at the state level by the Department of State Health Services.³ The department maintains an online searchable index that can be used to search divorce records of separations that took place in the state of Texas since 1968.⁴

For convenience of researchers, the index is divided by years and searchers can view each year separately. The index contains information such as case number, name of the divorcees, separation date, age of the divorcees, names of children below the age of 18, and both the name and code of the county where the decree is filed.

In case the citizen is facing difficulty in accessing the index or has questions, the department can be reached by phone at (512)-776-7111 – or toll-free number (888)-0963-7111 – or through email at [email protected].

A resident can also choose to order divorce records from the Texas Department of State Health Services.⁵

Orders of records usually take around 20 to 25 days to process.

Researchers can also search divorce records for ancestral information or for lineage and genealogy purposes. For records of divorces that took place after 1968, the divorce index can be searched.

However, for records of marriage dissolutions that took place before the year 1968, citizens can reach out to the District Clerk or the County Clerk of the county where the divorce originally took place.⁶

Are Details of Divorce Accessible to Everyone in El Paso County?

In Texas, divorce records (including records of common law marriage dissolutions) are generally available to the public in accordance with the state’s Public Information Act (formerly known as the Open Records Act).⁷

However, researchers must keep in mind that certain files, as well as specific sensitive details about the people involved in the case, are not entirely available to everyone.

Divorce certificates, which are single-sheet documents announcing the dissolution of a marriage, are available to the public. However, court-issued divorce decrees – which are detailed verdicts on the cases and contain information pertaining to asset division, alimony, child custody, and child support – are not entirely available to unrelated parties.

Complete decrees are only available to those who are a party to the marriage dissolution case or their blood relatives.

Furthermore, the agencies providing the divorce papers can omit certain specific details to ensure the safety and privacy of the people (divorcees) involved in the case. These sensitive details can include financial insights, social security numbers, exact addresses and information about minor children.

Third-party websites that utilize government-managed public resources can also help citizens in looking up divorce records. However, unless properly endorsed by the state or county government, the information or records obtained from these third-party sources should not be utilized for official purposes.

This resource contains complete instructions on how to conduct an El Paso County divorce records lookup free of charge via several methods; use it any time you’re seeking details of separations here.