Records to be Kept by the State Department of Health and the City Clerk of the City of New York

In order to get married, the couple must complete paperwork. All of the paperwork associated with each application for a marriage license and for each marriage must be maintained. The New York State Department of Health has overall responsibility for maintaining these records. While the process of getting married typically involves two steps: completing a marriage license and have a marriage ceremony, there are aspects of the process that can become legally complicated. If you find that there are challenges related to your upcoming marriage or challenges that develop after you get married, it is important you contact an experienced New York family lawyer at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates. We can help with complex family issues including prenuptial agreements, contested divorces, spousal maintenance, and child custody matters.

Pursuant to NY Dom Rel Law § 20, the New York State Department of Health is charged with keeping files of all marriage records including original affidavits, statements, consents and licenses with certificates. It is also responsible for keeping records of all written contracts of marriages outside of New York City.

The Department of Health must records to make sure that they are complete. If there are errors or missing information, records of the errors must be kept showing that a mistake is claimed to have been made and the nature of the mistake.

1. Records to be kept by the state department of health and the city clerk of the city of New York: New York Domestic Relations Law, section 20
2. Certified transcripts of records; state commissioner of health may furnish: New York Domestic Relations Law, section 20-a
3. Certification of marriage; state commissioner of health may furnish: New York Domestic Relations Law, section 20-b

All original affidavits, statements, consents and licenses with certificates attached, and also all written contracts of marriages outside of the city of New York shall be kept on file and properly indexed by the state department of health, and such similar evidences of marriage in the city of New York shall be kept on file and properly indexed by the city clerk of the city of New York. They shall be carefully examined, and if any such are incomplete or unsatisfactory the state commissioner of health and in the city of New York the city clerk shall require such further information to be supplied as may be necessary to make the record complete and satisfactory. Whenever it is claimed that a mistake has been made through inadvertence in any of the statements, affidavits or other papers required by this section to be filed with the state department of health, and in the city of New York with the city clerk's office, the state commissioner of health and in the city of New York the city clerk may file with the same, affidavits upon the part of the person claiming to be aggrieved by such mistake, showing the true facts and the reason for the mistake and may make a note upon such original paper, statement or affidavit showing that a mistake is claimed to have been made and the nature thereof.

With over 20 years of experience, the New York family lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates can help you with your family-related legal issues. Whether the case is a pre-marital matter, divorce, spousal support, child custody, child support, or any other family matter, we will handle it with sensitivity, skill, and professionalism. We will help you achieve your goal. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: Nassau County, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Suffolk County, Brooklyn, Long Island, Staten Island, and Westchester County.