Search Maryland Divorce Decree Records

Maryland divorce decree records are maintained at circuit courts in all 23 counties and Baltimore City. A divorce decree is the final court order that ends a marriage and is sometimes called a judgment of absolute divorce. You can search for Maryland divorce decree records through the free Maryland Judiciary Case Search, request certified copies from the circuit court clerk in the county where the case was filed, or get a divorce verification from the Maryland Division of Vital Records. This guide covers every way to find and obtain Maryland divorce decree records, from official online databases to in-person requests at your local courthouse.

What a Maryland Divorce Decree Contains

A divorce decree is the formal court order issued at the close of a divorce case in Maryland. A judge signs the document once all issues are settled or decided at trial. The decree may be called a final judgment of absolute divorce, and it confirms that the marriage is fully dissolved. Either spouse may remarry once a decree of absolute divorce is entered in Maryland. That is the key legal effect of the document.

The decree covers everything the court ordered in the case. This includes how property is split between the parties, whether alimony is owed and for how long, who has custody of any children, what the visitation schedule looks like, and how much child support will be paid. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 7-105, if one party asked to restore a former name, that name change order also appears in the decree. Courts may include provisions for tax filings, retirement account divisions, and debt allocation as well. The document can run from one page to many pages depending on how complex the case was.

A typical Maryland divorce decree contains:

• Court name, case number, and date the decree was issued
• Judge's name and signature with court seal
• Full legal names of both spouses, including maiden names
• Date of marriage and date the divorce was finalized
• Grounds cited for the divorce
• Property and debt division terms
• Alimony amounts and duration (if ordered)
• Custody, visitation, and child support terms (if applicable)

Maryland limited divorce was abolished on October 1, 2023. Only absolute divorce is available now. Before that date, some Maryland courts issued limited divorce decrees as a form of legal separation. Those older documents are still valid court records. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 7-106, each circuit court clerk in the state must record all final divorce decrees and keep them accessible in permanent form. That statute is why Maryland courthouse divorce records go back to the 1800s in many counties.

Searching for a Divorce Decree in Maryland

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the main free tool for looking up divorce cases across the state. You can reach it at casesearch.courts.state.md.us. The system covers all 23 counties and Baltimore City. Search by party name, case number, or filing date range. Filter by county and use case type code "DA" to find absolute divorce cases quickly. The search is open to anyone and costs nothing to use.

Case Search shows basic case information. You see party names, case numbers, filing dates, current status, scheduled hearings, and docket entries. It does not give you a copy of the actual divorce decree or any other document from the case file. To get the full decree, you must contact the circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was filed. Case Search is best used to find the case number before you make a records request, since many county clerks require it.

The Maryland Courts website at mdcourts.gov is the main hub for all court resources in the state, including links to each county clerk's office, the self-help center, court forms, and updates on the case search system.

From mdcourts.gov you can reach the Case Search portal, download divorce forms, and find contact information for every circuit court clerk in Maryland. The site also has news about updates to the court record systems, which have expanded significantly in recent years.

Historical Divorce Decree Records at the State Archives

The Maryland State Archives holds historical divorce decree records for most counties in the state. These records typically cover divorces filed before the 1980s or 1990s, though the cutoff varies by county. The archives are located at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: 410-260-6400. Email questions can go to msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov. The archives also hold records published in historical volumes, including the book "Divorces and Names Changed in Maryland by Act of the Legislature 1634-1854" by Mary Keysor Meyer, which covers the era when only the General Assembly could grant divorces in Maryland.

The Maryland State Archives divorce guide explains what historical records are available, how they are organized, and the steps for requesting copies. It covers records by county and helps you figure out whether an older divorce decree document is held at the archives or still at the county circuit court.

The guide is useful before you make a records request. Check it first to confirm the archives have the record you need.

To order a certified copy of a historical divorce decree, use the online form at shop.msa.maryland.gov. The fee is $25 per certified copy. You need the plaintiff's name and defendant's name, the county where the divorce was filed, the approximate date of the divorce, and the case number if you have it. You can leave the case number blank and add notes if you are unsure of some details. Staff review the request and will contact you if they need more information. Processing takes several business days.

The order form walks you through each required field step by step, making it straightforward even if you have limited information about the case.

Maryland Division of Vital Records

The Maryland Department of Health Division of Vital Records issues divorce verifications, not full certified copies of decrees. A verification confirms that a divorce took place. It shows basic facts but does not include property division details, custody orders, or other terms from the decree. The Division handles verifications only for divorces granted on or after January 1, 1992. For older divorces, go to the circuit court or the State Archives.

The Division of Vital Records is at 6550 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. Phone: 410-764-3038. The website is at health.maryland.gov/vsa. The fee is $12 per verification. To apply, you complete the Application for Verification of Divorce, submit a government-issued photo ID, and pay the fee. Mail requests include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing takes five to seven business days. Only the spouses named on the record, their attorneys, or a representative with a notarized permission letter can request a verification.

A verification is useful when you only need to confirm a divorce occurred. For any legal matter requiring the full decree with all terms, request a certified copy from the circuit court clerk in the county where the case was filed.

How to Get a Certified Copy of Your Divorce Decree

Certified copies of divorce decrees come from the circuit court clerk in the county where the divorce was filed. Maryland has 23 county circuit courts plus Baltimore City Circuit Court, and each keeps its own records permanently under Md. Code, Family Law § 7-106. Standard fees across most counties are $0.50 per page for copies and $5.00 per document for certification. An exemplified copy with the court's triple seal costs $10.00 plus copy fees. Total cost for a typical certified copy of a divorce decree runs $5.50 to $10.00 depending on length.

Most courts accept requests in person and by mail. Some accept email. Cecil County, for example, accepts email requests at cecilcocivil@mdcourts.gov and also takes fax requests, with a flat $5.50 fee that covers both certification and the copy with no separate per-page charge. Baltimore County accepts email requests at CCBaltCoClerkRecords@mdcourts.gov. Montgomery County and Carroll County both have 24-hour drop boxes where you can submit request forms at any time. No payment goes in the drop box. Staff contact you when the record is found, tell you the cost, and mail the copy after you pay.

For any county, bring or include the following with your request:

• Full names of both spouses at the time of the divorce
• Approximate year the divorce was filed or finalized
• Case number (use Maryland Judiciary Case Search to find it free of charge)
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Payment by money order or check made payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court for that county

If you do not have the case number, some counties charge a $12 search fee per five-year period to look it up. Using Maryland Judiciary Case Search first costs nothing and can save you that fee. Mail requests to most counties take five to ten business days to process. In-person requests are often handled the same day if the record is available. Washington County requires the case number for all requests and will not search by name alone, so looking it up online before you contact that office is especially important.

Maryland Divorce Laws and Filing Requirements

Maryland divorce law changed significantly on October 1, 2023, when the state simplified the grounds for absolute divorce. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 7-103, there are now three grounds: a six-month separation, irreconcilable differences, or mutual consent. Before this change, the separation requirement was twelve months. Limited divorce, which was a form of legal separation, was also abolished at that time. These changes make Maryland one of the more accessible states for no-fault divorce.

Residency rules control where you can file. Under Md. Code, Family Law § 7-101, at least one spouse must be a Maryland resident when you file. If the reason for the divorce happened outside Maryland, one spouse must have lived in the state for at least six months before filing. If the reason happened inside Maryland, current residence is enough. You file in the circuit court of the county where either spouse lives at the time of filing.

The six-month separation ground requires the parties to have lived separate and apart without interruption. Interestingly, Maryland law allows spouses who live in the same residence to meet this requirement if they are truly living separate lives in the household. The mutual consent ground is faster when both spouses agree on everything. Both must sign a written settlement that resolves alimony, property division, and all child-related matters including custody, access, and support. A completed child support guidelines worksheet must be attached to the agreement.

Filing fees are set statewide. The fee is $165 without an attorney and $185 with one. These amounts break down into an $80 base filing fee, a $55 Maryland Legal Services Corporation surcharge, and a $30 Records Improvement Fund charge. Fee waivers are available for people with low income. You request a waiver using Form CC-DC-089, which asks you to document your income and expenses. Courts grant waivers when income falls below set thresholds, and several counties offer fee waiver assistance through their self-help centers. For guidance on the divorce process, the Maryland Courts divorce legal help page is a good starting point.

Legal Help and Court Resources in Maryland

Maryland offers free and low-cost resources for people handling divorce matters. The Maryland Courts Self-Help Center is the main starting point for people who do not have an attorney. It has guides, forms, and information covering divorce procedures across all Maryland courts. You can call the center at 410-260-1392 for help finding forms and understanding the process. The self-help center does not give legal advice, but it can direct you to the right resources and forms for your county.

Court forms for divorce in Maryland are free at mdcourts.gov/courtforms. Key forms include CC-DR-020 (Complaint for Absolute Divorce), CC-DCM-001 (Civil Domestic Case Information Report), CC-DR-030 or CC-DR-031 (Financial Statement), and CC-DR-033 (Joint Statement of Marital and Non-Marital Property). Cases with children also require Form CC-DR-109 (Parenting Plan) and child support guidelines worksheets CC-DR-034 or CC-DR-035. All forms are free to download. For information on access to court records, including divorce decree records, the Maryland Courts court records page explains what is public and how to request it.

The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org covers Maryland divorce law in plain language. It is run by the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library and explains each ground for divorce, the step-by-step process, and what to expect at each stage. Many individual county courts also have in-person Family Law Self-Help Centers that provide direct assistance with forms and procedures. Anne Arundel County's center is in Room 303 at 8 Church Circle in Annapolis. The Harford County center is on Level A at the courthouse in Bel Air. Howard County provides fee waivers for people receiving Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, or SSI, and those experiencing homelessness.

Browse Maryland Divorce Decree Records by County

Each Maryland county has its own circuit court that maintains divorce decree records going back many decades. Select a county below to find clerk contact information, local fees, and access options specific to that area.

View All 23 Maryland Counties

Divorce Decree Records in Major Maryland Cities

Cities in Maryland file divorce cases at the circuit court for their county. Select a city below to learn which court handles divorce records and how to access them.

View Major Maryland Cities