Public Record Office Victoria
 
Series VPRS 5334
Divorce Cause Books
About this Series Related Series Accessing the records in this Series
Date Range: Series 1861 - 1975
  Series in Custody 1861 - 1976
  Contents 1861 - 1976
Public Access: Part Open
Location: North Melbourne
Format of Records: Physical
 
Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1861 - 1975 Supreme Court of Victoria VA 2549
Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1861 - cont Supreme Court of Victoria VA 2549
Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series
  • How to use the Records
    1. Consult VPRS 5335 Index to Divorce Cause Books to find the year and the case number.

    2. Consult the consignment details for the unit containing the date range for which information is required.

  • Function / Content
    Until 1861 in Victoria, divorce was a matter for the ecclesiastical courts as it was in England until 1857 1858. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act 1861 conferred upon the Supreme Court of Victoria the jurisdiction in matters matrimonial and authority in certain cases to decree the dissolution of the marriage. This continued to be the case until the passing of the Commonwealth Family Law Act 1975.

    This series consists of the registers recording petitions for hearings in the Supreme Court in the divorce and matrimonial causes jurisdiction and the summary information with respect to the petition. Details given are when the case was set down (i.e. when the petition was received and registered by the Court), the names of the petitioner and the respondent and any co-respondents, the nature of the application (whether for a divorce, for alimony, for a judicial separation or for nullity of the marriage), date of the hearing, the name of the presiding judge, the delivery of the judgment, the number of the suit and the names of the proctors (or attorneys) for both the petitioner and respondent. Reference may be given to the page in VPRS 5336 Divorce and Matrimonial Court Book upon which the hearing is recorded.

  • Recordkeeping System
    Cases are listed in the order of the date upon which they were set down.
More research resourcesMore research resources
    PROVguide061 Divorce Records
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
1861 - 1924 Index to Divorce Cause Books VPRS 5335
Controlled SeriesControlled Series
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
1861 - 1917 Divorce Case Files, Melbourne VPRS 283
Previous SeriesPrevious Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series
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Consignment Number Contents Date Range Public Access No. of Units
P0000 1861 - 1924 Open 8
P0001 1924 - 1976 Part Open 59
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
Display entries per page
Date Range Series Title Series Number
1861 - 1924 Index to Divorce Cause Books VPRS 5335
More research resourcesMore research resources
    PROVguide061 Divorce Records

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