US Court Documents and Divorce Decrees for Türkiye

Court documents from the United States, most often a divorce decree for remarriage or recognition in Türkiye, are apostilled by the state where the court sits. The decree itself has to come from the court as an official certified copy; a photocopy of the judgment will not carry the signature the state office needs.

The extra layers before the apostille vary considerably. In Kentucky, court records issued by a Circuit Court Clerk go to the corresponding County Clerk, who certifies the Circuit Clerk's signature. Virginia expects Circuit Court documents to carry the two-page Certification of Official Record, known as the Triple Seal. Georgia wants the divorce decree as a certified copy from the county Clerk of Superior Court, preferably issued since 2000. In Michigan, documents from a court clerk can only be authenticated once they have been notarized.

Other states certify court signatures directly. Arizona's apostille certifies a court clerk among other officials, Alabama's can be affixed to documents bearing the signature and seal of a probate judge, and New Jersey's attests to officials such as Superior Court judges and County Clerks.

Background checks

Criminal record checks are a separate case. In Kentucky, a state background check needs the issuing official's signature notarized and that notary certified by the County Clerk, while background checks from the Administrative Office of the Courts cannot be apostilled directly at all.

For use in Türkiye

How a US decree is used in Türkiye, and what form it must take, is decided by the Turkish authority handling the matter. Our part is the sworn translation into Turkish in Ankara after the apostille, with notarization by a Turkish notary where it is required. The table lists the office for each state we have verified.