IN SOME STATES IT IS SO HARD TO GET A COPY OF MARRIAGE LICENSE-DEATH CERTIFICATES-BIRTH CERTIFICATES
Best Answer
-
Local and State governments control access to vital records created by them. In many cases, they are reluctant to let the public and genealogical companies have access to them. Usually this is either because they profit from charging fees for access, or they have a deal with a for-profit company like Ancestry.com that gives that company exclusive publishing rights.
The organisation Reclaim The Records has a very successful track record of suing local governments who are illegally stopping the public from viewing records, or who are charging high fees. I believe their website has a "To Do" List of records they are targeting next, and a form where you can suggest records for them to target.
(https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/)
In the United States, County Clerks and other directly elected statewide politicians have a lot of control over access to records. In almost every other country voters do not get to elect those officials. You should make your views on this issue known to those politicians, and participate in the primary and general elections for those positions.
0
Answers
-
John
.
Firstly ...
.
Question: WHAT "Country" of "Union", in the World are you referring?
.
'FamilySearch' has Records from ALL around the World.
'FamilySearch' is used by many Users/Patrons from ALL around the World.
.
Secondly
.
Please be aware that 'FamilySearch' may NOT have the Authority/Right to make some Records available.
.
The Authority/Right to authorise 'FamilySearch' to to make some Records available, rests with the Record "Custodian".
.
Some (maybe, many) Record "Custodians" DO NOT give 'FamilySearch' the the Authority/Right to make some Records available.
.
'FamilySearch' is a FREE website, created; and, maintained, by the Church.
.
'FamilySearch' tires to make Records available to ALL ...
Unfortunately, often, 'FamilySearch' CANNOT make Records available to ALL ...
.
It all 'hinges' on ...
Whenever the Church goes to a Record "Custodian" to request permission to "Film" the Records, the Church (ie. 'FamilySearch') enters into Contractual Agreements/Arrangements with the Record "Custodian".
.
You must understand that:
.
▬ There are COUNTLESS Records, all around the World.
.
▬ And, there are COUNTLESS Record "Custodians", all around the World.
.
▬ Naturally, of course, the Church (ie. 'FamilySearch') must enter into COUNTLESS Contractual Agreements/Arrangements with the various Record "Custodians".
.
It is a, legal; and, logistical, 'mine field' and 'nightmare'.
Luckily, the Church has been doing so for over 125 Years.
.
It is basically the "Record" Custodians that dictate what can and cannot bee seen in 'FamilySearch'.
.
I know that this does not help; but, I hope this gives you some perspective.
.
Brett
.
0 -
The certificates are owned by the state, county or country who created the record. Family Search can only share what they are allowed to get access to. The governments control access to the records, FamilySearch does not. They must follow the contracts they use to get access to what we do have.
0
