Bronx County, New York, U.S., Divorce and Civil Case Records, 1914-1995

Originally part of Westchester County, the Bronx was annexed to New York City prior to consolidation in 1898. Although it was a borough of the city, it wasn’t until 1 January 1914 that it was established as a county. This collection includes an index to the county clerks’ minutes referencing divorce and civil records held by the Bronx County Clerk, beginning in 1914.

The clerk minutes are organized in a ledger format by year and then semi-alphabetically by the plaintiff’s surname. The records typically include:

• the date of the complaint
• name of the plaintiff
• name of the defendant
• volume, page, and file number

Divorce records are not public records in New York, and therefore only the parties involved can request copies of the records for records less than 100 years old. Records relating to mentally ill persons are also restricted. Copies of records beyond the 100-year mark are not subject to restriction can be requested from:

Office of the Bronx County Clerk
851 Grand Concourse, Room 118
Bronx, NY 10451
[email protected]

Check historical newspapers for more information on court cases, particularly civil court cases.