Where can I get a free copy of my decree absolute...

[Vicki Y]

I've lost my decree absolute and I need to get a copy of it. The cheapest way I've found of getting a copy is using HM Courts Service who will charge £40.

Does anyone know of a cheaper or free way of obtaining a copy of this document?

Thanks in advance

Vicki Y

[yorksbabe]

hi, when i was getting married to my hubby he had to get a copy of his absolute from his 1st marriage. We just went to the courts paid £1 and waited an hour

[floss2]

Ask your ex for a photocopy....but if you need it for anything official it will probably have to be the original or a certified copy...from the Courts Service.

Have you contacted the court where it was granted? They may be able to give you a copy for less than £40 (which I assume is by phone/mail order?)

[poppyscorner]

Originally Posted by yorksbabe

hi, when i was getting married to my hubby he had to get a copy of his absolute from his 1st marriage. We just went to the courts paid £1 and waited an hour

Exactly what I was going to say I just rang the court where divorce was granted they confirmed the info and told me what to write in the letter and enclose a cheque for £1 had the absolute within 10 days

[shaznstubs]

thats great to hear,im such a dumbo i cant even remember if i applied for the absolute, (young and dumb eh),ive got my nisi here so ive contacted my cout via email today to see if they can help.fingers crossed,thanks for the advice x

[frames1_uk]

The £40 is the cost for having the nisi made absolute, so it sounds as if you didn't do that. Further copies will only be a nominal cost from the Courts, remember to write down your Court case number, as it is easier and cheaper to get copies then.

[MacyG]

As at March 2010, replacement Decree Absolutes are available from the court, while you wait, for a fee of £5.00, providing you know your case number. Your case number will have been on the original Decree Absolute and on the top right corner of any other paperwork you received from the court at that time. It will also have been on any solicitor's paperwork relating to your divorce.

If you don't have a case number, the court will need to know the full names of you and your ex-spouse and the dates or approximate dates. They will then do a search and provide a replacement Decree Absolute at a cost of £40.00.

Hope this helps

[mackemdave]

Originally Posted by shaznstubs

thats great to hear,im such a dumbo i cant even remember if i applied for the absolute, (young and dumb eh),ive got my nisi here so ive contacted my cout via email today to see if they can help.fingers crossed,thanks for the advice x

Id be very worried if you didnt apply for your absolute......especially if you have more assets now than you did at the time...Your ex could still make a claim...did you get a consent order?

[barrowfordred]

What if you don't know the court that granted you the divorce?
I have a letter from a court that has the terms of the maintenance to be paid, is it likely this is the same court?

[mackemdave]

Yes it should be

[mikewalker]

I lost my decree too. I wrote a letter to the county court and they posted it out to me within 2weeks only cost £5 (by cheque) and the cost of postage for both.

Originally Posted by Vicki Y

I've lost my decree absolute and I need to get a copy of it. The cheapest way I've found of getting a copy is using HM Courts Service who will charge £40.

Does anyone know of a cheaper or free way of obtaining a copy of this document?

Thanks in advance

Vicki Y

[kitty_cat]

I had to pay £40 for a replacement copy of my absolute, that was 3 years ago. However, I was in a bit of a panic because I was getting re-married a week later. Oh, and i eventually found the original about a year later when I was looking for something else! Not very money saving!

[firefly1971]

I was burgled a couple of years ago and after searching for mine (because an insurance company never changed to my married details) over the weekend, I decided to phone the solicitors and ask how I get a copy quickly.

My absolute came through in 2007 and they still have it on file and can have it ready for me in 24 hours for a £10 fee. Much better than £40.

[ding1981]

Only use the General Registry Office or the registry office where you were born. You can apply over the internet via the GRO.

Having had the misfortune of working for one of the certificate replacement services for a couple of months, I can wholeheartedly say they are an absolute scam.

[smiley1967]

I need a copy of my DA too, just been looking on GRO site and can't see it listed as an option - marriage/birth/adoption and death certificates yes, but decree absolutes I can't find on there...am I missing something?

[ljbnotts]

GRO don't issue decree absolutes, only Birth, death and Marriage certs. As stated above you need to apply directly to the county court in which the divorce was heard.

[booma_mitch]

My old clients used to ring me all the time for copies of the decree absolute off of the file. Solicitors have to keep files for a minimum of 6 years for divorce cases, more if there are children. So first port of call should be your solicitor, who can do you a copy which you can then take to court to be sealed. There didn't used to be a charge for this from the court, and I never charged my clients for sending a copy out.

Failing that, contact the court with the case number and they should be able to arrange to send one out, for a small fee (£5 sounds about right). I think the £40 is for when you don't know the case number so they have to search for the names etc.

Good luck

[rentawitch]

I want to revert to my maiden name and have neither, birth or marriage certificates nor any divorce documents. I left my husband in 1981 and he divorced me sometime in the next 10 years. Don't know the court or anything.

How can I find documents? Is there a central archive of dissolved marriages?

Thanks.

[LandyAndy]

Originally Posted by rentawitch

I want to revert to my maiden name and have neither, birth or marriage certificates nor any divorce documents. I left my husband in 1981 and he divorced me sometime in the next 10 years. Don't know the court or anything.

How can I find documents? Is there a central archive of dissolved marriages?

Thanks.

I don't think you need anything like that to change your name

[pigpen]

Your maiden name is always your name.. just start using it, you don't need anything.