Garfield County Divorce Decree Records
Garfield County divorce decree records are kept by the Sixth District Court Clerk at the Garfield County Courthouse in Panguitch. One of Utah's most rural and scenic counties, Garfield County encompasses Bryce Canyon National Park and a vast stretch of southern Utah plateau country. All dissolution of marriage cases in this county are handled by the Sixth District Court. You can search for a divorce filing, request a certified copy of a divorce decree, or inquire about case history through the court clerk's office or the Utah courts online portal.
Garfield County Quick Facts
Sixth District Court in Garfield County
The Sixth Judicial District serves Garfield County along with Kane, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, and Wayne counties. The District Court Clerk in Panguitch handles all divorce filings and maintains the official divorce decrees for Garfield County. This court has been operating since 1896 when state district courts were established following Utah's admission to the Union.
Garfield County was created on March 9, 1882, from Iron County. It was named after President James A. Garfield of the United States. The county covers a large area of southern Utah, including much of the Colorado Plateau. Because of the county's rural and spread-out character, the Sixth District Court in Panguitch is the central point for all legal matters including divorce proceedings.
The Utah State Courts website is the best starting point for accessing Garfield County court information. The state court system provides case search tools, forms, and contact information for all district courts, including the Sixth District in Panguitch.
Through the Utah Courts portal, you can find courthouse addresses, phone numbers, and online services for searching and requesting divorce records from Garfield County and across Utah.
| Court |
Sixth District Court Garfield County Courthouse 55 South Main Street Panguitch, UT 84759 Phone: (435) 676-1104 Fax: (435) 676-8239 |
|---|---|
| County Clerk |
55 South Main Street P.O. Box 77 Panguitch, UT 84759 Phone: (435) 676-8826 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, standard business hours |
| Website | utcourts.gov |
How to Search Garfield County Divorce Records
Searching for a divorce case in Garfield County can be done online or in person. Online tools work well for finding basic case details and locating a case number. An in-person visit lets you review the full court file and get certified copies directly from the clerk.
Start your search at xchange.utcourts.gov. The Utah XChange system covers divorce cases in Garfield County going back to 1997. You can search by party name or case number. A subscription is required for home access, but free terminals are available at the Garfield County Courthouse. Documents filed electronically since July 2010 can be viewed through this system.
The XChange case search provides additional online tools for locating court records across Utah, including Garfield County divorce cases. For parties to an existing case, the MyCourtCase service at mycase.utcourts.gov allows direct online access to your own case information and filings without a trip to Panguitch.
For in-person requests, go to the Sixth District Court at 55 South Main Street in Panguitch. The court phone is (435) 676-1104. Bring a photo ID and as much case information as you have, including names and an approximate filing year. Staff can search records and advise you on copy fees and turnaround times.
Note: Because Garfield County is very rural and has one of the smaller court staffs in Utah, calling ahead before a visit is strongly recommended to confirm hours and document availability.
Filing a Divorce in Garfield County
Filing for divorce in Garfield County begins at the Sixth District Court Clerk's office in Panguitch. You submit a petition for dissolution of marriage and pay the filing fee of approximately $330. The clerk opens the case and assigns a number. Every paper filed from that point is part of the permanent court record.
Under Utah Code § 30-3-1, at least one spouse must have lived in Utah and in Garfield County for a minimum of three months before the petition is filed. This residency requirement establishes the court's jurisdiction over the case. No-fault divorce on grounds of irreconcilable differences is available. Fault-based grounds include adultery, willful desertion for more than one year, habitual drunkenness, a felony conviction, willful neglect, and cruel treatment resulting in bodily injury or great mental distress.
Under Utah Code § 30-3-18, Utah law imposes a waiting period before a final divorce decree can be issued. Cases without minor children require a 30-day wait from the filing date. Cases with minor children require 90 days. The court can issue temporary orders on property use, support, and custody during the waiting period. If children are involved, both parties must attend the mandatory divorce orientation education course under Utah Code § 30-3-11.2 before the final decree is entered. This is a Utah-specific requirement not found in most other states.
Property in a Garfield County divorce is divided under Utah Code § 30-3-5, which provides for equitable distribution. The court has broad authority to divide marital assets and debts, assign spousal support, and address all related financial matters within the same divorce case. The final decree contains all of these orders and is kept permanently in the Garfield County court file.
What Garfield County Divorce Decrees Contain
The divorce decree is the central document in any dissolution of marriage case. It is the judge's final order dissolving the marriage. Every Garfield County divorce that has been finalized has a decree in the Sixth District Court file.
Under Utah Code § 30-3-4, the decree sets out the court's orders. It includes both parties' names, the date the marriage is dissolved, and orders on property, debts, custody, support, medical coverage for children, and name restoration if requested. The full case file typically also holds the original petition, any answer filed, financial disclosures, settlement agreements, and interim orders.
Garfield County court records, including divorce case files, are public under Utah Code § 63G-2-201 (GRAMA). Any person may request to view or copy these records. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and information about minor children are typically redacted in public copies. A court order is required to access any portion of the file that has been sealed. The divorce decree itself is always open to public inspection even when other parts of the file are sealed.
Historical Garfield County Divorce Records
Garfield County has court records going back to 1896. County Recorder records for land date to 1882, and some divorce records from 1896 to 1905 were maintained by the County Recorder before the state district courts took full jurisdiction. Marriage records begin from 1890. Birth and death records start from 1898.
The Utah State Archives at archives.utah.gov holds historical records from Garfield County as part of its statewide collection. Garfield County is specifically listed among the counties in the Archives' collection, which covers years 1848 to 2001. Research room access at 300 S. Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, is free and open to the public.
The Utah State Archives maintains civil and criminal case files, divorce records, probate records, and other historical legal documents that can help researchers trace dissolution of marriage cases in Garfield County going back more than a century.
The Archives' research guides for District Court Records include comprehensive lists organized by district and county, making it straightforward to identify which records exist and what time periods they cover for Garfield County.
FamilySearch at familysearch.org also lists Garfield County records including court records from 1896 and land records from 1882. For genealogical research into older divorce records, FamilySearch provides a useful index of historical collections held at the Archives and the Family History Library.
Note: The earliest Utah divorces were granted by Church leaders from 1847 to 1877. During the territorial period from 1852 to 1895, federal district courts had jurisdiction. After Utah's statehood in 1896, the state district courts took over all divorce proceedings, including those in Garfield County.
Garfield County Divorce Certificates from the State
For divorces finalized in Garfield County between 1978 and 2010, the Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics has divorce certificates on file. A certificate is a shorter document than the full court decree. It confirms that a divorce occurred and includes the parties' names, the date, and the county, but does not contain settlement terms or custody orders.
You can request a certificate online at vitalrecords.utah.gov. Mail requests go to Office of Vital Records, P.O. Box 141012, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012. In-person service is at the Cannon Health Building, 288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The phone is (801) 538-6105. The first certified copy is $18, and additional copies ordered at the same time cost $10 each.
Access to divorce certificates is governed by Utah Code § 26-2-22. The record is available to the person named in it, immediate family members, a legal guardian, or a person with a direct and tangible interest. Marriage and divorce records become fully public after 75 years under Utah law.
For Garfield County divorces finalized before 1978 or after 2010, the Sixth District Court Clerk in Panguitch is the right contact. The court's phone is (435) 676-1104. Most legal purposes require the full divorce decree rather than a certificate, so check which document your situation requires before placing a request.
Nearby Counties
Garfield County borders several other Utah counties across southern Utah. If you are trying to determine which court has jurisdiction over a divorce case, look at where the filing party lived when the petition was filed. You file in the county where you or your spouse has lived for at least three months.