By Claire Dowell
Having a practical and convenient access to public information is one of the key aspects in running a thorough research. For many genealogists, a comprehensive database of vital documents like birth certificates, death reports, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees is an invaluable tool. If you are running a divorce records search, or whatever type of vital document it may be, a proven method and a reliable source of information is all that you will need.
In today's day and age, obtaining such information is a relatively easy task, especially with the Internet at your disposal. But if you were to acquire a certified copy of a divorce decree, you would have to apply at the vital statistics office since only authorized agencies can provide certified copies of any vital document. And as far as procedures, requirements, and expenses go, it would depend on the state where the event took place. Every state office has its own policies regarding such matters.
In comparison, if you are trying to access vital documents, like free public divorce records or marriage certificates, for genealogy purposes, recently certified copies are not really necessary. What is important, though, is the accuracy and integrity of the data being provided. To ensure this, one cannot simply rely on an unproven online data provider. You need to be able to trust that the vital documents, including the information listed within them, is complete, precise, and up-to-date. A commercial record provider should also have a high retrieval rate for it to provide better service to its patrons.
These days though, the Internet is teeming with commercial information providers all claiming to maintain extensive databases of all sorts of vital documents. This is, however, not true for all data retrieval websites you find. Although you will find that some of them offer free divorce records search and other free data access, there is no guarantee that you will get the information you need. What you want is a service that has reliability, consistency, and practicality. It's a given that good quality information is not always free, but spending too much for it is not reasonable either, don't you agree?
If you are in the process of tracing a family tree, you could do much more with a good data retrieval website, one that has an extensive collection of vital information, from old birth certificates to the more recent death reports. For the less experienced researcher, a user-friendly search interface can also be of great help, especially one that has a complete preference and search options. A working customer support service can be quite useful as well, particularly for novice users.
For those who have budget concerns, you only have to look for a data retrieval service that offers a one-time payment option in exchange for unlimited access to free public divorce records and other relevant public information. So when you are looking for a good information provider, do not settle for anything mediocre. Always go for the proven and most trusted data provider you find.