Maryland Divorce Laws & How To File (2024 Guide)

Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or.

Jeffrey Johnson, J.D. Deputy Legal Editor

Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or.

Written By Jeffrey Johnson, J.D. Deputy Legal Editor

Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or.

Jeffrey Johnson, J.D. Deputy Legal Editor

Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or.

Deputy Legal Editor

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Adam has resided at the intersection of legal and journalism for two decades. An award-winning journalist and legal strategist, he’s covered high-profile trials in Florida. After law school, Adam and spent two years clerking for a U.S. District Co.

Updated: May 10, 2023, 2:55pm

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Maryland Divorce Laws & How To File (2024 Guide)

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Table of Contents

Maryland was founded as a refuge for Catholics in the new world, and Catholics are not, traditionally, big fans of divorce. However, Maryland is also a relatively progressive state, and such states tend to be accommodating of rights to divorce.

As you might expect from those two competing facts, divorce in Maryland can be complicated to navigate. Not to worry, though. This article will explain how to file for a divorce in Maryland and cover all the basics as well as some of the weird quirks of Maryland divorce law.

Overview of Maryland Divorce Laws

Maryland has two kinds of divorce: absolute divorce and limited divorce.

Absolute divorce is what most states simply call divorce or dissolution of marriage. It ends the marriage and the parties are free to go their separate ways (assuming there are no children).

Limited divorce is actually a legal separation. It allows for the couple to separate and creates a legal framework for support (either spousal support or child support) while keeping the couple legally married. This limited form of divorce only has four grounds: cruel treatment towards a spouse or child, excessively vicious conduct towards a spouse or child, actual or constructive desertion or separation.

Absolute divorce allows the same grounds and a few others, for a total of eight:

Mutual consent is the “no-fault” option, making Maryland both a fault-based and a no-fault divorce state.

Maryland, therefore, has both fault and no-fault divorce and has both absolute and limited divorce.

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Deputy Legal Editor

Jeffrey Johnson has written novels and movies in addition to legal analyses of eminent domain and immigration law. His experience in writing engaging fiction makes him uniquely capable of making the most dry and academic legal topics interesting (or as interesting as possible).

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