How public is all the information in divorce court cases?

[Anonymous]

When a divorce goes to court, does all the information (financial and tax records with account numbers and SSNs, email exchanges, statements about emotional abuse, children's names, and so on) become accessible to anyone in the future? Or can lawyers generally succeed in asking for the more sensitive information to be sealed and therefore be made off limits?

[Anonymous]

IANAL. I was divorced in Virginia and while it was no-fault (irreconilable differences) and there wasn't much dirty laundry about "emotional abuse" etc, etc, involved, there was *nothing* in the way of personal information beyond our names in the decree. I don't think the property settlement agreement was even in there. Ask your lawyer. Are you actually having a for-cause divorce (adultery, criminal conviction, etc.)?

[Anonymous]

What state are you in? I have a friend in MD (MoCo) who had a messy divorce. No SSNs, emails, or financial records are online, but there is a lot about his minor children. Their names and counseling are online. You also can see how many times his wife dragged him back into court as well.

So googled someone who you know was divorced in your county and see what pops up.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The jurisdiction is DC, and it is not a for-cause divorce.

That's awful about children's names and counseling info being online!

By the way, I am wondering not just what people can look up for free online, but what they can pay a fee to get either online or from the court.

[ThatBetch]

If it's a no-fault divorce, keep your dirty laundry to yourself. No need to make accusations about "emotional abuse" and dredge up old emails. Just file your paperwork, crunch the numbers, and be done with it.

[Anonymous]

ThatBetch wrote:If it's a no-fault divorce, keep your dirty laundry to yourself. No need to make accusations about "emotional abuse" and dredge up old emails. Just file your paperwork, crunch the numbers, and be done with it.

If the parties don't agree on the division of assets though, all the financial information will have to be put on the table in court.

[Anonymous]

I divorced in Virginia. SSNs and DOB go in a private addendum to the decree that is not public.