When you’re wondering if someone is married, looking for a wedding ring is the natural thing to do. After all, isn’t that the most obvious sign? Normally yes, but there are exceptions. Someone who’s divorced but unwilling to let go might still wear theirs. 

Wearing a ring is not mandatory. People who work with machinery or in foodservice typically aren’t allowed to wear jewelry that could get in the way. 

In some cases, people will remove their ring to make others think they’re single. The presence or absence of a ring just isn’t a telltale indicator of marital status anymore. A search of their name on Checkpeople.com is sure to be more informative. 

This background check service is worth using, especially if you’re dating someone who always changes the subject or goes silent when the subject of exes is broached. It might pull up a divorce record. Then, you’ll be certain about their status. 

A Wealth of Information is Available 

Having been through a divorce is no reason in itself to reject someone, but an in-depth search will let you know if your partner’s past marriage was linked to serious issues that might lead to problems in your relationship down the line. 

In most cases, divorce records are free and easy to access. You can find information about the grounds for divorce, the divorce settlement, whether they are paying alimony, and what the custody arrangements are. Public divorce records also include information about any restraining orders against a partner or accusations of domestic abuse. Access to divorce records can benefit you in more ways than one. 

What do all Divorces Share? 

All divorces have a slew of paperwork in common, among which an original divorce petition. Eventually, the data from these papers, reports, and forms gets condensed into one all-encompassing file. This is the divorce decree, which even shows the names and dates of birth of any children the former couple had together. There might also be a divorce certificate or a divorce agreement even though a custody agreement may not disclose the father’s rights and obligations. All these documents have the date and place where the marriage was entered into as well as financial data, such as both parties’ income at the time of the divorce.

Contacting your local court clerk or visiting your state’s website can prove quite helpful. Of course, this is easier said than done. You need to know where the subject of your search would have gotten divorced. It might not have been in your state. You also need to know the court handling divorce proceedings in the respective location. 

Should You Search Social Networks?

The majority of people leave a digital footprint, whether through Flickr, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Many people don’t take the trouble to hide their marital status, so this information might be available on their profile. They might have posted wedding pictures or other pictures of their current or former spouse. However, it may be that you won’t find a trace of this person online. Perhaps their profiles are private or they are trying not to get caught cheating. If you’re seeing someone in the age of social media, however, it’s quite hard to hide. 

Whatever the case may be, don’t be afraid to snoop a bit. Everybody wants to be informed about the person they’re seeing, especially if this person has a history of infidelity or domestic violence. You deserve to know as much as possible about a potential significant other.

Free Directories 

Free directories can help you. Being public information, most divorce records are free of charge. States like Oregon, California, South Dakota, and others charge a minor access fee. To check what pages of the state’s website, you need to see and if divorce records are available, contact the local country clerk by phone or online.

You might find that the person is in the process of getting divorced. This isn’t necessarily something that puts people’s minds at ease. It’s often the case that divorce ultimately isn’t finalized. Someone might say they are divorced, but they’re not legally so. They may just be separated from their ex. The only thing that can really put your doubts to rest is a black and white divorce record. 

You need to know for sure. A person who lies about their marital status might be deceptive about something even more serious, like a criminal past or present.