Decree Absolute

[gosal]

If i want to re marry in the Uk do i have to have my decree absolute as proof of dissolved previous marriage?

[Sam1960]

believe so ...
https://www.gov.uk/divorce/apply-for-a-decree-absolute

[Buenchico]

Confirmed here:
https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/documents-youll-need-to-give-notice?step-by-step-nav=724aa735-c4cc-4ffc-9136-dcb43668982b

[gosal]

Thank you. Next question.. my partner hasn’t got access to decree absolute and we want to marry. He has paid to have searches through court records of his absolute but no records have been found.. his ex wife re married so a decree absolute was definitely obtained and his ex says she cant find the original. Where can we go from here.. any help appreciated.

[Sam1960]

So if his ex couldn't find the original, did she get a copy ?

[Buenchico]

Who did he pay to have the searches carried out? Was it a private company or was the search request made direct to a court? Did he only ask the court where he thought the decree was issued or did he he ask for a search by the Central Family Court? (That will result in a search of all court records, not just those of a single court).

https://www.gov.uk/copy-decree-absolute-final-order

[Buenchico]

>>> his ex wife re married so a decree absolute was definitely obtained

That's not necessarily true. It's not unknown for people to enter into a second marriage by simply 'forgetting' their first marriage and filling in the paperwork as if they've always been single. It's illegal (and almost certainly invalidates the second marriage) but it certainly does happen.

Who actually applied for the decree absolute? (It's not issued automatically after a decree nisi. If neither person applied for it, it won't exist).

[gosal]

Long story but basically.. my partner divorced his ex.. he is sure he had the absolute.. his ex who is bitter asked him for the absolute which he gave her. When he asked for it back she wouldn’t give it to him. She remarried and divorced again. In the meantime he has applied to the central courts for the absolute and already paid a lot of money to be told nothing was found in the searches. It’s a mystery!