Are divorce decrees public knowledge?

Are divorce decrees public knowledge?

Generally, court proceedings are public matters. In the vast majority of jurisdictions, this includes divorce proceedings. This means that unless the court agrees to file divorce records under seal, filings in divorce proceedings become matters of public record.

Why are divorce records public?

Unfortunately, under California law, most court records, even family law records, are a matter of public record. In the tradition of population monitoring, marriage and divorce records are public. Keeping these kinds of record public also ensures transparency of the court system.

Are marital settlement agreements public record?

Court procedure allows for two marital settlement agreements: a filed msa and an unfiled msa. The filed msa is attached to the judg- ment that is filed with the court. The filed msa is a public record.

Can a divorce be granted without a settlement agreement?

Separated parties can have a property settlement without getting divorced and parties seeking to divorce do not necessarily have to have a property settlement. However, once the divorce is granted a party has 12 months to commence proceedings in the Court for property settlement.

How do you enforce a marital settlement agreement?

If your ex isn’t complying with court-ordered child support or spousal support you will need to hire a divorce attorney to file a petition for contempt. Once this is done a judge can “compel” your ex to pay by garnishing their wages or sending them to jail until they agree to make regular payments.