Search Bowie Divorce Decree Records
Divorce decree records for Bowie are filed and maintained at the Prince George's County Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro, approximately 12 miles from Bowie. Bowie is an incorporated city in Prince George's County, and all divorce cases go to the county courthouse at 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro. The Circuit Court Clerk holds permanent records of every final divorce decree filed in the county, and Bowie residents can request copies in person, by mail, or through the online Maryland Judiciary Case Search tool. Prince George's County also has a Family Law Self-Help Center at the courthouse for people handling their own cases.
Bowie Overview
Prince George's County Circuit Court
The Prince George's County Circuit Court handles all divorce filings for Bowie. The courthouse is at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. The Circuit Court Clerk is Mahasin El Amin. The main clerk number is 301-952-3318. For civil and family cases specifically, the direct line is 301-952-3249. The court's website is at princegeorgescourts.org. Court hours are generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, but confirm before you make the drive from Bowie.
| Court | Prince George's County Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Mahasin El Amin |
| Address | 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 |
| Phone (General) | 301-952-3318 |
| Phone (Civil/Family) | 301-952-3249 |
| Website | princegeorgescourts.org |
Bowie residents can reach Upper Marlboro by taking MD Route 450 west or US Route 301 south. The drive is about 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. TheBus, Prince George's County's public transit system, also connects parts of Bowie with Upper Marlboro. The MARC Train from Bowie State station runs to New Carrollton, where connections are available for those who prefer not to drive. Upper Marlboro has parking at and near the courthouse. Bring a valid photo ID when you come to request divorce decree records in person.
Fees for Bowie Divorce Decree Copies
Prince George's County follows Maryland's standard court copy fee schedule. Plain copies are $0.50 per page. A certified copy adds a $5.00 certification fee. If you need the certified copy mailed to you, there is an additional $2.00 surcharge for postage. Exemplification, which provides the highest level of court authentication, costs $10.00 total. The court's domestic and family fee page is at princegeorgescourts.org/199/DomesticFamily-Fees and lists current fees for the full range of family law actions.
If you need the clerk to search for a case without knowing the case number, a $12.00 search fee applies per five-year period searched. To avoid this fee, run a free name search first through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us. This free tool can give you the case number before you contact the clerk, which speeds up the request and saves the search fee.
Mail requests go to 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, your contact information, and a check or money order payable to the clerk of the court. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the copies mailed back to you. Call 301-952-3249 to confirm current procedures and payment options before mailing.
Note: Always verify fees before sending a mail payment, since copy rates can be updated. The court will not process requests that include the wrong payment amount.
Vital Records and Divorce Decree Verification
For divorces finalized since January 1, 1992, the Maryland Division of Vital Records also offers a divorce verification record. This is separate from the full divorce decree. The screenshot below shows the Division of Vital Records website, which Bowie residents can use to request this verification document.
The verification costs $12 and confirms names, date, and county of the divorce. It is a summary, not the full court order. If you need proof of divorce for a legal matter such as a name change, property transfer, or court proceeding, you will almost certainly need the full certified copy of the decree from the Circuit Court rather than the vital records verification. The Division of Vital Records main page is at health.maryland.gov/vsa.
For older Bowie divorce cases not covered by the vital records system, the Maryland State Archives at 350 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD 21401 is a useful source. Certified copies from the Archives cost $25 and can be ordered online at shop.msa.maryland.gov. Their divorce research guide at guide.msa.maryland.gov explains which records they hold and how far back the index goes.
Family Law Self-Help Center
The Prince George's County Circuit Court has a Family Law Self-Help Center in Room M0159 of the courthouse. You can reach it at 301-780-2000. This center is designed for people who are handling divorce cases without an attorney. Staff can assist with finding forms, understanding court procedures, and using the court's filing systems. Like all Maryland court self-help centers, they do not provide legal advice, but for Bowie residents new to the divorce process, it is a helpful resource before filing papers.
Court forms are available at no cost through mdcourts.gov/courtforms. The broader self-help page at mdcourts.gov/selfhelp has guides for uncontested and contested divorces, custody, and support. The legal help page at mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/family/divorce links to legal aid organizations and other resources available to Prince George's County residents. For a plain-language overview of Maryland divorce law, the People's Law Library at peoples-law.org is worth reading before you visit the courthouse.
Filing for Divorce in Bowie
Bowie residents file for divorce at the Prince George's County Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro. Maryland's six-month residency rule under Family Law § 7-101 requires at least one spouse to have lived in Maryland for six months before filing. If you live in Bowie now and have been in Maryland for at least six months, you can file in Prince George's County.
Since October 1, 2023, Maryland law under § 7-103 gives three grounds for divorce: mutual consent, six-month separation, and irreconcilable differences. All three are no-fault grounds. Fault-based divorce grounds were removed from Maryland law when this reform took effect. Mutual consent is the most commonly used option when both spouses agree on all terms. Under mutual consent, both parties must sign a written agreement resolving property, support, and any children before the case is filed. There is no waiting period with mutual consent as long as all the required documents are in order at the time of filing.
The six-month separation ground is an option when both spouses have been living apart for at least six months with no plan to reconcile. Irreconcilable differences is available when neither party wants to wait out a separation period but both are willing to appear before the court.
Filing fees are $165 if you are representing yourself. If an attorney files on your behalf, the fee is $185. Under § 7-105, a name change can be included in the divorce decree or filed as a separate petition within 18 months of the final decree. Under § 7-106, the clerk must permanently record all final divorce decrees, so Bowie cases going back many years remain on file and can be accessed by anyone with a legitimate need.
Note: Bowie is Prince George's County's third largest city by area. All filings go to Upper Marlboro regardless of whether you live in the eastern or western part of the city.
Nearby Qualifying Cities
Bowie is in Prince George's County. There are no other qualifying cities in Prince George's County on this site. Neighboring counties have their own divorce decree pages if you need records from a different area of the Washington metro region.
Prince George's County Divorce Decree Records
Bowie is in Prince George's County, and all divorce filings for the city go through the county circuit court in Upper Marlboro. The county page covers the full courthouse details, fee schedule, related records, self-help resources, and all contact information for the Prince George's County Circuit Court. If you are looking for a divorce decree from anywhere in Prince George's County, the county page is the best reference for the complete picture.