Duchesne County Divorce Decree Records
Duchesne County divorce decree records are maintained by the Eighth District Court Clerk at the Duchesne County Courthouse. Located in the heart of the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah, Duchesne County handles all dissolution of marriage cases through its district court. Whether you need a copy of a past divorce decree or want to locate a specific divorce filing, the Eighth District Court in Duchesne is your primary source. You can also search case details online or request records by mail from the court clerk's office.
Duchesne County Quick Facts
Eighth District Court in Duchesne County
The Eighth Judicial District serves Duchesne, Daggett, and Uintah counties. The District Court Clerk in Duchesne maintains all official divorce decrees filed in the county. This includes cases from the present day back to when the county was formed in 1915. Staff at the clerk's office can search by party name or case number, provide certified copies of divorce decrees, and guide you through the records request process.
The Duchesne County courthouse has court records dating to January 4, 1915, when the county was created from Wasatch County. The county was named for the Duchesne River, which flows through this rural northeastern Utah region. Records are kept in good order and can be accessed in person during business hours. The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The Duchesne County official website provides guidance on contacting county offices, including information on how to reach the District Court Clerk for divorce decree requests.
Visitors to the official site can find contact information for the clerk's office and links to county government departments that assist with vital records and court filings.
| Court |
Eighth District Court P.O. Box 990 Duchesne, UT 84021 Phone: (435) 738-2753 Fax: (435) 738-2754 |
|---|---|
| County Clerk |
135 W. Main Street Duchesne, UT 84021 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | utcourts.gov |
How to Find a Duchesne County Divorce Record
You have several ways to search for a divorce record in Duchesne County. Online tools let you look up basic case details without leaving home. In-person visits to the courthouse give you access to the full case file. Both paths lead to the same records, so the choice depends on what you need.
The Utah Courts XChange system at xchange.utcourts.gov is a good starting point. XChange lets you search Duchesne County divorce cases by party name or case number. Cases filed after 1997 are included in the system. Documents filed since July 2010 are available electronically. There is a subscription fee for XChange access, but free public terminals are available at the courthouse if you prefer not to subscribe from home.
The Utah XChange court case search system provides real-time access to Duchesne County District Court case information, including divorce case index data and filing dates.
Once you locate a case in XChange, you can use the case number to request full documents from the District Court Clerk in Duchesne.
To search or request a divorce decree in person, go to the Eighth District Court at P.O. Box 990 in Duchesne. Bring your photo ID. Provide the full name of at least one spouse and the approximate year the divorce was filed. The clerk's staff will search the records and let you know what is available. Older records may take additional time to retrieve.
Note: The Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP) at utcourts.gov also helps self-represented individuals prepare divorce forms and understand the filing process in Duchesne County.
Filing for Divorce in Duchesne County
Filing a dissolution of marriage case in Duchesne County begins at the Eighth District Court. You submit a petition and pay the filing fee, which is approximately $330. The clerk assigns a case number and the file is opened. From that point, every document filed in the case becomes a court record.
Under Utah Code § 30-3-1, at least one spouse must have lived in Utah and in Duchesne County for a minimum of three months before filing. The law allows no-fault divorce based on irreconcilable differences. Fault grounds are also available and include adultery, willful desertion for more than one year, habitual drunkenness, felony conviction, and cruel treatment causing bodily injury or great mental distress.
Utah law sets a waiting period before a divorce decree can be issued. Under Utah Code § 30-3-18, the court cannot hold a final hearing until at least 30 days have passed since filing. If minor children are involved, that wait extends to 90 days. The court may make temporary orders during this time. When children are part of the case, both parents must complete a mandatory divorce orientation education course under Utah Code § 30-3-11.2 before the decree is entered.
Property and support terms are handled within the same case. Utah follows equitable distribution of marital assets under Utah Code § 30-3-5. The court has broad authority to divide property, assign debts, and set support amounts in a way that is fair to both parties. The final divorce decree contains all of these orders and is signed by the judge.
Note: Parties in Duchesne County who qualify based on income may apply for a fee waiver by filing a Petition to Proceed In Forma Pauperis with the Eighth District Court.
What a Duchesne County Divorce Decree Contains
The divorce decree is the key document in any divorce case. It is the court order that ends the marriage. Every person who has gone through a dissolution of marriage in Duchesne County has a decree on file with the Eighth District Court.
Under Utah Code § 30-3-4, the decree of divorce sets out the court's findings and orders. It includes the names of both parties, the date the marriage is dissolved, and any orders about children, property, debts, and support. Courts may include provisions for health insurance for dependent children and name restoration if a party requests it. This document is what most people need when they have to prove their marital status for legal or administrative purposes.
Divorce case files in Duchesne County are generally public records under Utah Code § 63G-2-201 (GRAMA). Anyone can request to view or copy these records. Certain items may be sealed or redacted, such as Social Security numbers, financial account details, or information about minor children.
Note: The divorce decree itself is always open to public inspection even if the rest of the case file has been sealed by court order, per Utah Code § 30-3-4(2).
Duchesne County Divorce Certificates from Vital Records
The Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics offers divorce certificates as a shorter alternative to the full court record. These certificates cover divorces finalized between 1978 and 2010. A certificate confirms the divorce took place and shows the names, date, and county, but does not include the full terms of any settlement.
For Duchesne County divorces finalized before 1978 or after 2010, you must contact the Eighth District Court directly. The Duchesne County Clerk's office at 135 W. Main Street can also direct you to the right resource if you are not sure where to start.
To order a divorce certificate from the state office, you can apply online through the Utah vital records portal at vitalrecords.utah.gov. Mail requests go to the Office of Vital Records, P.O. Box 141012, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012. In-person service is available at the Cannon Health Building, 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City. The phone number is (801) 538-6105. The first certified copy costs $18, and each additional copy ordered at the same time is $10. Access to these records is governed by Utah Code § 26-2-22, which limits access to individuals named in the record, immediate family, or authorized legal representatives.
Historical Divorce Records in Duchesne County
Duchesne County was created on January 4, 1915, from Wasatch County. Court records have been kept since that founding year. The county name comes from the Duchesne River, which runs through the Uinta Basin. Because the county is relatively young, its records are well organized and accessible going back to 1915.
Historical divorce records for Duchesne County may also be accessible through the Utah State Archives at archives.utah.gov. The Archives maintain civil and criminal case files from across Utah, including records from the territorial period and early statehood. For very old records, the Archives at 300 S. Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, provide free public access during research room hours.
FamilySearch lists the Duchesne County Courthouse at 255 S. State Street, Roosevelt, UT 84066, with a phone of (435) 738-5214, as a secondary location that has served county records functions. Roosevelt is the larger city in Duchesne County and has long been a commercial and government hub for the Uinta Basin. The dual presence in both Duchesne and Roosevelt is a practical feature of this spread-out rural county.
Nearby Counties
Duchesne County is bordered by several other Utah counties. If you are unsure which county court handled a particular divorce filing, check the address of residence at the time of the case. Divorce cases must be filed in the county where at least one spouse lived.