Record series
Divorce Cause Books
VPRS 5334
1861 - 1975
Closed, Open
North Melbourne
Agencies
This record series was created by:
Supreme Court of Victoria ( VA2549 ): 1861 - 1975
Agencies responsible for this record series: Supreme Court of Victoria ( VA 2549 ): 1861 - present
Date Range
Series date range: 1861 - 1975
Series in custody:
1861 - 1976
Contents in custody:
1861 - 1976
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.
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.
