Sonoma County Death Records

There could be no doubt that a person who is no longer alive could not obtain property, enter into any contracts, or be the subject of any legal proceeding. Of course, just because the world is now more interconnected than it had ever been in history does not mean that people could be easily informed of the fact of death, and sometimes, there is the possibility that people would not believe the news even if it did turn out to be real. Sometimes, there is a need to prove the death of a person and it is in cases like these that death records like Sonoma County Death Records come in.

These records are the best evidence that one could present in order to prove the death of the person named in the records because they are the official records of the government. They are afforded the greatest respect of regularity such that a probate proceeding would only require the presentation of death certificates like Sonoma County Death Certificates in order that the courts could take notice of the death of the person named in the records and open the probate proceedings so that the estate of the decedent could be settled.

Like all death notices in the state of California, there are two types of Sonoma County Death Notices, and these would be the informational copies which could be requested by anyone, and the authorized or certified copies which may only be requested by those who are included in an exclusive list as provided for by law. In terms of contents, the two records would have the same contents, but informational copies may only be used to inform the person of the death of the decedent and nothing else, whereas authorized or certified copies could be used for a number of other purposes.

At the local or county level, requests for death records are almost always faster because there would be fewer records that would have to be checked. At the state or national level, almost all records from the entire state would have to be checked and this could take some time. It must be remembered, though, that county level offices have territorial jurisdictions such that they would only have records if the death had occurred within their territorial jurisdictions. If it happened outside their territorial jurisdictions, then they would not have records of the same. There are two modes that one could use when requesting for copies of records at this level, requesting via mail or requesting in person, either way, the required fee would be twenty one dollars.

One may be able to find Free Death Records online, but it is more likely that one would just find cheaper copies, because even online database would charge some sort of fee for the use of their services, though the same would be minimal. Of course, the copies that may be found online would be substantially the same as that which may be found at the official archives and sources.

A request for copies of death records at the local level may be done through mail

• – Obtain the necessary form and accomplish the same.
• – If you are requesting for certified copies, have the form notarized.
• – Determine your required fee and make a money order or personal check to answer for the same.
• – Send the completed application form together with all other attachments including the money order or personal check to the office of the recorder
• – Wait for the office to finish processing your request.

Sonoma County Death Notices

The following links should be of further assistance

• – State of California
• – Sonoma County
• – Clerk-Recorder
• – Death Certificates
• – County Vital Records Offices
• – California Department of Health
• – Vital Records Division
• – Birth, Death Certificates
• – National Center for Health Statistics