NRS-13495 | Divorce and matrimonial cause case papers

The divorce case papers, also known as matrimonial causes files, are the main record series relating to divorce and contain evidence for each particular case including judicial separations. The series was created after the passing of the first divorce legislation in New South Wales, the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1873 (36 Vic. No.9). (1)The terminology for matrimonial and divorce matters varied over time as reflected in the title for the Division of the Supreme Court responsible for such matters. As a result, the series predominantly contains papers relating to divorce proceedings, however there are files for other matrimonial and family matters such as custody proceedings. These other family matters are particularly common after the proclamation in 1976 of the Commonwealth Family Law Act 1975. Under this Act, responsibility for divorce matters was transferred to the Commonwealth but the New South Wales Supreme Court retained concurrent jurisdiction for custody, maintenance and property disputes until 1987. The contents of the files in this series have changed markedly during the years since 1873, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s when less evidence was required to obtain a divorce decree. Files for the years 1873 to 1900, and to a lesser extent, those for 1901 to 1920, contain detailed petitions for the dissolution of marriage, statements of issues, affidavits of evidence and supporting documentation, as well as correspondence, applications for divorce, judicial separation or other matters matrimonial, copies of the decrees nisi (initial conditional grant of divorce), and copies of decrees absolute (final grant of divorce). In instances where property division and alimony were in question, financial documents relating to income and capital are included. Some files for 1976 contain pamphlets printed by the Federal Government outlining different aspects of Family Law including divorce, custody and maintenance of children, and the maintenance of spouses.ArrangementThe series is arranged by a single running number from No. 1 in 1873 to No. 8076 in 1911, then in an annual single numbering system from 1912. Files are then numbered from 1/1912 to 4882/1976. Some case papers include documents as late as 5 August 1987.Related recordsThere are index books covering the periods 1873-1925 and 1950-54, and a card index covering the period circa 1920-76 (NRS 21360). The index books are arranged alphabetically by surname and give the registered matrimonial causes number, year, surname, given name(s), name of respondent and co-respondent. The index cards are arranged alphabetically by surname and give the registered matrimonial causes number, surname and given name(s). Some cards also give the name of the co-respondent and if applicable a guardian's name. The registered matrimonial causes number can also be used in the series “Process books relating to matrimonial causes”. These Process books are arranged by the registered matrimonial causes number and include details such as the date the petition was filed, appearance date, date of answer, date of draft issues, date of trial, date of decree, and the name of the Petitioner's and Respondent's solicitor. Information relating to divorce and matrimonial causes can also be found in the Minutes of divorce and matrimonial causes series (NRS 13493) and the Rough minutes of divorce and matrimonial causes series (NRS 13494).Endnotes1. Major amendments were subsequently made to the Matrimonial Causes Act 1873 in 1881, 1884, 1892, 1899, 1923, and 1929. In 1959, uniformity in divorce laws throughout Australia was made possible with the Commonwealth Matrimonial Causes Act (No.104) and this was subsequently amended in 1965. In 1976, the Commonwealth Family Law Act 1975 established the Family Law Court of Australia.离婚案件文书（亦称婚姻诉讼档案，matrimonial causes files）是记录离婚相关事项的核心档案系列，涵盖各具体案件的证据材料，其中亦包含司法分居相关内容。该系列档案始于新南威尔士州首部离婚立法——1873年《婚姻诉讼法》（Matrimonial Causes Act 1873，36 Vic. No.9）颁布之后。 婚姻及离婚相关事项的术语随时间推移有所变化，这一点可从负责此类事务的最高法院庭室的名称中窥见一斑。因此，本系列档案虽以离婚诉讼相关文书为主，但亦包含监护权诉讼等其他婚姻家庭类案件档案。1976年《1975年联邦家庭法》（Commonwealth Family Law Act 1975）公布施行后，此类其他家庭类案件档案愈发常见。根据该法，离婚事务的管辖权移交至联邦政府，但新南威尔士州最高法院直至1987年仍对监护权、赡养费及财产纠纷保有共同管辖权。 自1873年以来，本系列档案的内容发生了显著变化，尤其是在20世纪60年代至70年代期间，当时获取离婚判决所需提交的证据材料大幅减少。1873年至1900年的档案，以及1901年至1920年的部分档案，包含详细的婚姻解除申请书、争议事项陈述书、证据宣誓书及佐证材料，此外还有往来信函、离婚申请、司法分居或其他婚姻相关事项的文件、暂准离婚令（decrees nisi，附条件的初步离婚许可）副本，以及绝对离婚令（decrees absolute，最终离婚许可）副本。当涉及财产分割与赡养费争议时，档案中还会包含收入与资产相关的财务文件。1976年的部分档案中还存有联邦政府印制的宣传手册，概述了家庭法的不同方面，包括离婚、子女监护权与抚养、配偶赡养费等内容。 ### 编排方式 本系列档案的编排规则如下：1873年至1911年采用连续编号体系，编号从第1号至第8076号；1912年起改为年度编号体系，档案编号格式为「序号/年份」，如1/1912代表1912年第1号档案，直至4882/1976即1976年第4882号档案。部分案件文书的最晚归档日期可达1987年8月5日。 ### 关联档案 本系列关联档案包括：1873年至1925年、1950年至1954年的索引簿，以及约1920年至1976年的卡片索引（NRS 21360）。索引簿按姓氏字母顺序编排，标注有登记婚姻诉讼编号、年份、申请人姓氏、申请人名字、被申请人姓名及共同被申请人姓名。卡片索引同样按姓氏字母顺序编排，标注有登记婚姻诉讼编号、姓氏及名字，部分卡片还会注明共同被申请人姓名，若涉及监护人则一并标注。登记婚姻诉讼编号亦可用于检索「婚姻诉讼程序簿」系列档案，该系列档案按登记婚姻诉讼编号编排，包含申请书提交日期、出庭日期、答辩日期、争议事项草拟日期、庭审日期、判决日期，以及申请人与被申请人的律师姓名等详细信息。离婚及婚姻诉讼相关信息还可从「离婚与婚姻诉讼纪要」系列档案（NRS 13493）及「离婚与婚姻诉讼简易纪要」系列档案（NRS 13494）中获取。 ### 注释 1. 1873年《婚姻诉讼法》后续分别于1881年、1884年、1892年、1899年、1923年及1929年进行了重大修订。1959年，联邦《婚姻诉讼法》（第104号）的颁布使得澳大利亚全国离婚法律统一成为可能，该法随后于1965年完成修订。1976年，《1975年联邦家庭法》设立了澳大利亚家庭法院。