Civil Registration
The recording of births, marriages, deaths and divorces by government agencies; a term frequently used outside the United States in lieu of "vital records"

Divorce Decree. Also called a Judgement of Divorce or even a Decree of Dissolution this is the document that is the courts final ruling or judgment that gives the exact terms of the divorce including property division, custody, support, child support, name changes and any other issues raised during the divorce.

Divorce Records
Documents generally found in civil courts (but frequently also registered at the state level) recording the dissolution of a marriage. In some cases, access to these records may be limited to the parties in the divorce.

Marriage Bond A document obtained by an engaged couple prior to their marriage. It provided a guarantee that there was no moral or legal impediment to a marriage. In addition, the man affirmed that he would be able to support himself and his new bride.

Marriage License A document issued to a prospective bride and groom upon application at a local court house. They present this document to the person performing the marriage ceremony who, in turn, fills out the necessary information and returns it to the city or county office that issued it. This information is then transferred to the couple's marriage certificate.

Marriage Records
Marriage records in the United States are usually found at the county and town clerks' offices, but in some cases they are found in the records of churches, the military and in the state offices of vital records and boards of health. Find out which office holds the marriage records in the locality where the couple was living at the time of their marriage or, if they resided in different localities, in the bride's county or town of residence. Look for all records of a marriage including marriage certificates, applications, licenses, and bonds. In some areas all documents generated by a marriage will be found combined into the same record, in others they will be listed in separate books with separate indexes. If you're researching African-American ancestors, some counties maintained separate marriage books for blacks and whites in the years following the Civil War.

Marriage Certificate. This is an official certificate, which is issued by your local government. This must be signed and properly filled out in accordance with your local marriage laws.

Petition for Naturalization The second document generated in the naturalization process whereby the immigrant formally requests a court decision on their request to become a citizen of a new country.

Residency Requirement. This is the amount of time, which varies from state to state that you must live in a state before you are able to file for a divorce there. Most states say somewhere between 6 months and 12 months is the minimum.

Single Status Affidavit
A single status affidavit is a sworn statement that you are eligible to marry. Americans needing to have this document should consult an attorney or the services of a notary.

Vital Records Documents that record the major events of a person's life: birth, marriage, divorce, death.

Vital Records Index An index of all the births, marriages, deaths or divorces within a state or local jurisdiction, making it easier to locate a specific document. An index may be alphabetical, chronological or a combination of both.