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Is My Divorce Public?

This entry was posted in Divorce General Information on by

Publicity can be good or bad. It just depends on the situation. If you achieve something incredible, for example, a little publicity about that achievement of yours won’t hurt. But when it comes to more personal matters such as your divorce, it’s different. Your divorce is part of your private life, after all. But since your divorce is technically a public document, will everyone be able to see it?

Accessing Public Documents

State laws differ. Most states keep almost all filed legal documents online. Anyone with an internet connection can access these digital documents; Save for details that are restricted from the general public. On the other hand, some states may not have gone completely digital. They may still keep legal records filed and accessible to the public via something like an order or request.

The public can access your divorce documents. But that doesn’t mean that all details regarding your divorce can be seen by everyone.

What can be Kept from the Public

Technically, what is made accessible to the public would be the judgment for dissolution of your marriage. There are obviously some documents you need to submit in filing such as those related to finances and custody. Luckily, you don’t exactly need to have those documents. You and your ex can also agree to your complete settlement without all the details accessible by the public.

What Else can be Done

Aside from having important documents excluded, you can also file a motion to have your file sealed. By having the divorce file sealed, you prevent people from accessing your file without a court order. You can also keep the details of your arbitration private. File for the dissolution of the details and documents referenced to prevent the public from seeing anything you wouldn’t want them to.

Though your divorce is a public document, not everything has to be seen by the public. So, don’t worry. There are still some extra steps you can take to also help protect yourself from anyone seeing any details or documents that you think might compromise your private life or safety.

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Hutton Law

Mr. Hutton is a Divorce and Custody Lawyer based out of Round Rock, TX. His background is with child psychology at Arizona State University where he received a B.S. in 2006, and he continued this by working with the Children’s Right’s Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law where he received his J.D. in 2009. Throughout his practice, he has been a strong proponent of utilizing modern technology to improve his practice and the representation of his clients. He currently is the technology chair of CAFA of Travis County and is committed to improving and modernizing the practice of law in Texas. If you have any questions you can contact him at timothy.hutton@austintexaslegal.com

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