Typo on divorce decree

[StraightShooter 62]

Got the certified copy of my divorce decree from January 3 1997 today. Except the judge put Jan 3, 1996 in the date block on the front of the Order! A New Year's typo bites me 15 years later...

I contacted the clerk of court, who advised me that the OFFICIAL Order date is the one on the back page where the Order is date/time stamped. That date shows Jan 9, 1997 and the paragraph with the absolute divorce language is on that same page.

The clerk said that she will start the process to retrieve the case from the state capital and then have the date on the original order corrected. However, that will take "one or two months or more" according to the clerk!

My plan at this point is to go ahead and send in a copy of the Order as it is now, but to highlight and circle the divorce decree portion, the time and the judge's signature. And I'll move that page from the back to the front so that it's prominent.

Sound like a plan to ya'll?

[TropicalRose 0]

Got the certified copy of my divorce decree from January 3 1997 today. Except the judge put Jan 3, 1996 in the date block on the front of the Order! A New Year's typo bites me 15 years later...

I contacted the clerk of court, who advised me that the OFFICIAL Order date is the one on the back page where the Order is date/time stamped. That date shows Jan 9, 1997 and the paragraph with the absolute divorce language is on that same page.

The clerk said that she will start the process to retrieve the case from the state capital and then have the date on the original order corrected. However, that will take "one or two months or more" according to the clerk!

My plan at this point is to go ahead and send in a copy of the Order as it is now, but to highlight and circle the divorce decree portion, the time and the judge's signature. And I'll move that page from the back to the front so that it's prominent.

Sound like a plan to ya'll?

Does anyone know if the typo will be an issue, since the official date is the one on the back page next to the judge's signature?

Please help...

[TBoneTX 45,291]

Forgetting to "change years" is something that we all do, when writing checks or whatever.

Pointing out the erroneous date and the correct one, explaining the discrepancy in a brief note, and offering to provide a corrected decree when it becomes available should do the trick.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Got the certified copy of my divorce decree from January 3 1997 today. Except the judge put Jan 3, 1996 in the date block on the front of the Order! A New Year's typo bites me 15 years later...

I contacted the clerk of court, who advised me that the OFFICIAL Order date is the one on the back page where the Order is date/time stamped. That date shows Jan 9, 1997 and the paragraph with the absolute divorce language is on that same page.

The clerk said that she will start the process to retrieve the case from the state capital and then have the date on the original order corrected. However, that will take "one or two months or more" according to the clerk!

My plan at this point is to go ahead and send in a copy of the Order as it is now, but to highlight and circle the divorce decree portion, the time and the judge's signature. And I'll move that page from the back to the front so that it's prominent.

Sound like a plan to ya'll?

Makes no difference, you are divorced.

In our case, no kidding...

Alla's divorce decree misspelled her name. She insisted on getting a new one so we went to do so. She was told "3 weeks" which is the usual "Ukrainian 3 weeks" which is meant to generate a bribe. It did. They said "wait in the hallway" 20 minutes later we had her "corrected" divorce decree with her name spelled correctly and signed by all THREE officials ($20 will get someone off their @ss to walk it around for signatures)

Great. Except they made the divorce for THAT day, more than 5 years after her actual divorce! We sent it anyway and have used that as her official divorce date ever since since it actually IS her official divorce date now.

This also means she was "divorced" about a week before we filed the petition. So what? The requirement is "Free to marry"

Does anyone know if the typo will be an issue, since the official date is the one on the back page next to the judge's signature?

Please help...

Not an issue.

[denny&gerlie 0]

When you send the package for k-1 in USCIS, is your divorced paper have the certified true copy note or seal from the courthouse?

[Darnell 8,478]

I suggest you not write anything on the divorce decree, but if you must bring it to their attention (still not a bad idea)

then

use some yellow postit note, and include a letter of explanation with the divorce decree.

[StraightShooter 62]

Thanks for the replies everyone. As Gary said, typos do happen and I am divorced. The typo shouldn't really be a problem.

So, here's what I'm going to do.

The Order is 3 pages in paragraph form, including the certification sheet. The divorce decree is buried in one of the paragraphs on the second page. The Order includes all the property division, custody issues, etc. and each paragraph needs to be read in order to glean the information.

The caption with names is on the first page of the order. The judge's signature and date/time stamp are on the second page along with the paragraph which has the divorce decree. The third page is the certification.

I will reorganize the court Order and certification into sheets as follows:

Sheet 1 - certification on top

Sheet 2 - third page with judge's signature, date/time stamp and divorce section circled

Sheet 3 - caption page

I won't draw attention to the typo, but I will draw attention to the certification, the judge's signature, the divorce decree, the date/time stamp and the parties involved by circling those items with black pen. The eye will be drawn to those areas on the sheets.

The first thing the examiner will see is the certifcation page. Lifting that, the next thing up is the judge's signature and date/time stamp. If the examiner even bothers going to the last page, the caption showing the parties involved is the last sheet.

I doubt that the examiner will read each paragraph after seeing the certification and judge's signature. After all, they don't want to read a book, they just want to get the facts.

However, if the examiner does happen to notice the typo, a choice has to be made... either recognize it as a typo and move on or to send an RFE. If I do get an RFE, I can contact them and point out that the official date is on the signature page, regardless of the typo. And if they still want to have a corrected copy from the court, that process is already started and I will get it to them when it arrives.

By emphasizing the correct information in the Order and deemphasizing the typo, I believe that it will process through smoothly.

If I point out the typo, I believe I increase the odds of an RFE, especially if I state that I've already ordered a corrected copy.

And that's the plan!

Thanks again everyone.

Edited January 18, 2012 by StraightShooter

[StraightShooter 62]

UPDATE: I received the corrected divorce decree today with a certified seal from the Clerk of Courts and with a fresh signature from the judge (I'm glad she hadn't retired!). I will send the original documentation update with the seal and cover letter that I received today to my fiancee so that it's available for her at the interview. I'll make a copy for myself.

QUESTION: Should my fiancee draw attention to the typo during the interview and present the updated court record then? If not, is there a risk that the CO will go through the paperwork afterwards and notice it, then send out an RFE after the interview?

[TBoneTX 45,291]

Congratulations, si man!

Of course she should bring it up. Communication during this process is crucial.