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Ten Copies

The Clerk's desk

A word from the Clerk's desk

Each day we tackle the issues people face when in need of a certificate: county versus state, who may request, what to bring, how many copies. Fees that cannot be confirmed are not invented.

  1. August 29, 2026

    Los Angeles County vs the state of California

    If the death was in L.A. County, start with the county. Sacramento is the slow backup, not the first desk.

  2. August 29, 2026

    The desk is open

    Fifty-two jurisdictions, eight field guides, and a copies calculator. One new page will ship each night.

Next from the desk

  1. 1Cook County deaths, not Springfield
  2. 2Harris County and the $3 extra copy
  3. 3The five boroughs are not Albany
  4. 4When you need an apostille
  5. 5The name or cause is wrong
  6. 6Consular Report of Death Abroad
  7. 7Small-estate affidavits still want a copy
  8. 8Opening a safe-deposit box
  9. 9Military deaths and DD Form 1300
  10. 10There is no record on file
  11. 11Miami-Dade vs Jacksonville
  12. 12King County, not Olympia
  13. 13Maricopa County deaths
  14. 14Search unclaimed property while you wait
  15. 15How soon the record exists
  16. 16Why a scan is not a certified copy
  17. 17Executor papers beat a family story
  18. 18Walk-in beats mail when you can
  19. 19What VitalChek actually is