Verify Marital Status: Methods & Resources - A Comprehensive Guide

Some people aren't honest about their past. They might withhold information such as children from a previous relationship, a divorce or recent marriage. Fortunately, there are many ways to find details about a person's past. In fact, it is easy to discover whether or not a person has been married in the past. Read more to find out how.

Step 1

Visit the local courthouse. If the person has been married and divorced, you will learn the spouse's name, as well as, the marriage and divorce date.

Step 2

Be prepared to pay a small fee. If the local courthouses doesn't produce concrete evidence, you may have to utilize other methods, such as a background check. Free background searches are less effective. The average cost for a thorough background check is between $50 and $500.

Step 3

Locate their personal information. Some background checks require specific information about a person. This may include a Social Security Number, full name and home address.

Step 4

Search online. Use the Internet to locate a person's birth certificate, death record, marriage license and divorce decree. The Internet can provide instant search results for a fee. Websites such as Search Systems and Government Registry feature a comprehensive public records database.

Step 5

Hire a private investigator. If local public records and Internet searches don't provide results, consider hiring a private investigator. This service is expensive. However, investigators are normally able to uncover specific details about a person's past.

Things You'll Need

• Public records

• Background search

• Private investigator