Washita County Divorce Decree Search
Washita County divorce decree records are maintained by the Court Clerk in Cordell, Oklahoma, and are accessible online through the Oklahoma State Courts Network free of charge. The Court Clerk holds all FD-type divorce filings, final decrees, and dissolution orders for cases heard in the Washita County District Court. This page covers how to search and request copies of Washita County divorce records.
Washita County Divorce Decree Overview
Washita County Court Clerk Office in Cordell
Tamatha Bales serves as the Washita County Court Clerk. Her office is located in Cordell at PO Box 380, Cordell, OK 73632. The phone number is (580) 832-2163. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Court Clerk maintains all district court records for the county, including every divorce decree filed since Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907.
Washita County is located in western Oklahoma. It is a smaller, rural county, and the Court Clerk's office in Cordell handles the full range of record request types from a single location. There is no satellite courthouse. For any divorce record request, whether in person or by mail, the Cordell courthouse is the only place to go. Staff can look up cases by name and provide copies once you confirm what you need.
For mail requests, send a written request with the names of both parties and the approximate year of the divorce, along with payment by check or money order. Make the payment out to the Washita County Court Clerk. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Staff will pull the file, prepare the copies, and return them by mail. Processing time is typically one to two weeks but may vary depending on workload.
| Court Clerk | Tamatha Bales |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 380, Cordell, OK 73632 |
| Phone | (580) 832-2163 |
| Hours | Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Online Search | OSCN Docket Search |
| OSCN Court Page | Washita County District Court |
No cities in Washita County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Cordell is the county seat where all divorce records are filed. Residents of smaller towns in the county should direct record requests to the Cordell courthouse.
How to Find Washita County Divorce Decree Records
The Oklahoma State Courts Network is the primary free tool for searching Washita County divorce records online. From the OSCN docket search, select Washita County from the county list and type in the name of one or both parties. Narrow your results by choosing FD as the case type, which covers all divorce and dissolution filings. The system shows docket entries, party names, case status, and hearing dates. It does not show the full text of the final decree, but you get the case number you need to contact the Court Clerk.
OSCN coverage varies by time period. Recent cases from the past 20 to 30 years are well indexed. Older records may not appear in the online system at all. For cases from the mid-20th century or earlier, a direct call to (580) 832-2163 is your best option. Staff at the Cordell office can check physical archives for cases that predate digital filing systems.
If you are unsure whether a divorce was filed in Washita County or a neighboring county, check OSCN for each adjacent county separately. Washita County borders Custer, Beckham, Kiowa, Caddo, Blaine, and Roger Mills counties. Cases near those boundaries may have been filed in a neighboring courthouse depending on where the parties lived at the time.
Divorce Decree Copy Fees in Washita County
Oklahoma sets copy fees for district court records under state statute, and Washita County follows the same schedule as other counties. Plain copies are typically $1 per page. Certified copies carry an additional certification fee that adds to the total. If staff must search for a case by name without a case number, a search fee may apply. Confirm the current fee amounts by calling the Court Clerk before submitting a mail request. Fees do change periodically when the state updates the fee schedule.
Payment for mail requests must be by check or money order. Cash is not accepted by mail. Make the check out to the Washita County Court Clerk. In-person visits are faster, and you can pay and pick up copies the same day if the file is available and no special preparation is needed. Certified copies take more time to prepare than plain ones since they require the official court seal.
Oklahoma Divorce Laws and Washita County Records
All Washita County divorce cases operate under Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which is the statewide law covering marriage, divorce, and family matters. There is no separate county-level divorce law in Oklahoma. The same statutes that apply in Oklahoma City apply in Cordell. Title 43 covers residency requirements, grounds for divorce, how property and debts get divided, and rules for custody and child support when minor children are involved.
To file in Washita County, at least one spouse must have lived in Oklahoma for six months and in Washita County for at least 30 days. This is set under Title 43 Section 102. Most filings use the incompatibility ground, which is no-fault and does not require either party to prove the other did anything wrong. Fault grounds are also available under Title 43 Section 101 and include abandonment, adultery, extreme cruelty, and habitual drunkenness.
Oklahoma follows equitable distribution, not community property rules. The court divides marital property in a way it considers fair, which may or may not be equal. Separate property that was owned before the marriage or received as a gift or inheritance is generally kept out of the division. The final Washita County divorce decree is the court order that determines how everything is split and sets any terms for support or custody.
The waiting period before a final decree can be entered is at least ten days after the petition is filed under Title 43 Section 107. This applies to uncontested cases with no children. Cases with minor children involved have a longer waiting period. Contested cases, where the parties disagree on property, custody, or other matters, can take months or longer to resolve before a final decree is issued.
The Oklahoma Historical Society can be a useful resource for historical Washita County records that predate OSCN's digital coverage. The Society holds archival materials from across the state, including early court records from rural western Oklahoma counties.
The Washita County District Court on OSCN is the official state entry point for searching divorce decree filings in the county.
The OSCN court page above covers all Washita County district court activity and connects to the full docket search for FD-type divorce and dissolution cases.
Legal Help in Washita County
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma provides free family law assistance to income-qualifying residents in western Oklahoma, including Washita County. If you need help filing for divorce, modifying an existing decree, or understanding your rights, Legal Aid is a good first call. Their website explains how to apply and what types of cases they take.
The Oklahoma Bar Association lawyer referral service can help Washita County residents find a licensed family law attorney in the region. For contested divorces, cases involving significant property, or matters where one party has an attorney and the other does not, having legal representation matters. The OBA site also publishes guides on Oklahoma divorce law for general reference.
Nearby County Divorce Decree Records
If a divorce was filed in a county adjacent to Washita County, the Court Clerk for that county holds those records. Each county below has its own OSCN page and courthouse contact.