Maryland Residence Requirements For Filing A Divorce

If you’re considering divorcing your spouse, you may wonder what the State of Maryland requires from those filing divorce petitions. Although Maryland is a no-fault divorce state, which means that you do not need to prove anyone was at fault for the breakdown of the marriage, there are still a number of legal criteria that must be met before a judge is willing to dissolve your marriage. It is, therefore, crucial to be aware of these requirements before you file for divorce, regardless of whether or not your divorce is contested or uncontested. In this article, the Maryland divorce lawyers at Schlaich & Thompson Chartered will discuss Maryland’s residency requirements for divorce.

What are Maryland’s divorce residency requirements? 

You are allowed to file for divorce in the State of Maryland if either you or your spouse is a resident of the state. If the grounds for the divorce occurred outside of Maryland, either you or your spouse must have been a Maryland resident for at least six months at the time you filed for divorce.

Other states require that you file for divorce in the county where you live. Maryland, on the other hand, allows you to file in any county within the state. So long as either spouse has resided in the state for at least six months or more, the divorce action can be filed in any county where the defendant has lived or worked, or the last place the parties lived together as a married couple.

In addition, for any issue involving custody, parenting time, and child support, your children’s home state must have been Maryland for at least six months.

How do I prove I’m a resident of the State of Maryland? 

When you file for divorce, you have to prove that you satisfy the state’s divorce residency requirements. You must also specify how long you have been a resident of the State of Maryland and include the address where you currently live in the divorce documents.

The Maryland courts will consider the following evidence to prove residency for your divorce:

• Voting registration – The place where you registered to vote can be used to prove your claim of residency in Maryland.

• Tax records – You can use your tax documents to prove you live in Maryland.

• Mailing address – You can use your mailing address to prove you live in Maryland.

• Location of your primary residence – The location of the house in which you reside can be used to prove residency.

• Financial records – Residency can also be established with bank statements or other financial records that have your address on them.

• Driver’s license – If your current driver’s license was issued by the State of Maryland, it can be used as proof that you live here.

Talk to a Bel Air, MD Family Lawyer Today 

Need to file for divorce? The Bel Air family lawyers at Schlaich & Thompson Chartered represent the interests of those seeking to divorce in our state. Call our office today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.