Do genealogy research laws differ from state to state? Vital records are birth records, marriage records, and death records. Those are the three vital records in a person's life. They do for vital records...
They do for vital records (birth, marriage, and death records). Those are the three vital records in a person's life. Marriage records have always been kept at the courthouse or at a local church and they go back go way back. However, in the past births happened at home and deaths happened at home and there wasn't any record kept unless it was in the family's Bible, on the tombstone, or printed in the newspaper. The government said we have to have a way of knowing what we have out here. So around 1910 the government passed a law that said every state was responsible for keeping track of birth and death records. But the states are very independent and they don't necessarily have to comply immediately, especially if there is no money involved. In this situation it took a good 30 years for most states to have systems in place to track birth and death records.
There is a place on the web called Vital Records (http://www.vitalrec.com/) and that site maintains information for every state's vital records - where you write to, what the rules are, how much it cost, and what you have to furnish. For a fee you can order these records on-line.
People should be aware that more and more of the vital records are being closed to the public because of fraud and identity theft, it is very sad. So you may have to provide certain information that proves you are related to the person who's birth or death certificate you are requesting.
