Prince George's County Divorce Decree Records
Prince George's County divorce decree records are filed and kept at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Upper Marlboro, and the Maryland Judiciary Case Search provides a free online index for all cases filed in the county. The Civil and Family sections of the clerk's office handle all divorce decree copy requests for this large suburban county adjacent to Washington, D.C.
Prince George's County Overview
Prince George's County Circuit Court Clerk
Mahasin El Amin is the Circuit Court Clerk for Prince George's County. The clerk's office is located at 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772. This is where all divorce decree records for the county are kept and where copy requests are processed. The Civil and Family sections of the office handle all divorce-related matters. Staff can search case files by name or case number, pull records, and issue certified copies of divorce decrees.
The general phone number is 301-952-3318. For civil and family matters, including divorce decrees, call 301-952-3249 directly. Courtroom clerks can be reached at 301-952-5277. A toll-free number is available at 800-937-1335. Callers who use TTY can contact the office through Maryland Relay at 711. The court's own website is at princegeorgescourts.org, which has fee information and contact details for each department.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The court is closed on Maryland state holidays. In-person visits and mail requests are both accepted. Bring valid photo ID if you visit in person.
| Clerk | Mahasin El Amin |
|---|---|
| Address | 14735 Main Street, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 |
| General Phone | 301-952-3318 |
| Civil/Family | 301-952-3249 |
| Toll-Free | 800-937-1335 |
| TTY | Maryland Relay 711 |
| Court Website | princegeorgescourts.org |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
How to Find Prince George's County Divorce Decrees
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the free starting point for any search. It is available at all hours. Enter the name of either party or a case number to search. Look for case type "DA" which Maryland courts use for absolute divorce. The results show the case number, both party names, filing date, and case status. You can confirm a divorce was filed in Prince George's County and pull the case number before making a copy request.
The online case search does not display the text of the divorce decree. It shows case index data only. To get the actual decree, contact the clerk office in Upper Marlboro. You can visit in person, call to make a request by phone, or send a written mail request to 14735 Main Street. Include the names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if available. Bring a valid photo ID for in-person requests.
The Family Law Self-Help Center is located at Room M0159 in the Upper Marlboro courthouse. Call 301-780-2000 for that office. Staff there can help you understand how to file a request or locate your case. They do not provide legal advice, but they can walk you through the process step by step for divorce records in Prince George's County.
Note: For divorce cases prior to 1992, contact the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis rather than the clerk office in Upper Marlboro. Historical records may not be on file at the courthouse.
Prince George's County Divorce Decree Fees
Copy fees in Prince George's County follow the Maryland statewide schedule. Copies cost $0.50 per page. Certification costs $5.00 per document. A certified copy of a one-page divorce decree costs $5.50 in total. Exemplification with the triple court seal costs $10.00. A search fee of $12.00 applies per five-year period for manual searches of older records.
The Prince George's County court also charges several case-related fees that appear in divorce proceedings. Filing a divorce case without an attorney costs $165. Filing with an attorney is $185. An appeal to the Court of Special Appeals costs $121. An attorney appearance fee is $10. A petition for contempt costs $31. Sheriff's service for delivering papers is $40. Surcharge for mailing is $2. These fees are detailed on the court's domestic and family fees page at princegeorgescourts.org.
| Copy Fee | $0.50 per page |
|---|---|
| Certification | $5.00 per document |
| One-Page Certified Copy | $5.50 total |
| Exemplification | $10.00 |
| Search Fee | $12.00 per 5-year period |
| Filing (no attorney) | $165.00 |
| Filing (with attorney) | $185.00 |
| Sheriff's Service | $40.00 |
| Mailing Surcharge | $2.00 |
Maryland Divorce Law in Prince George's County
All divorces in Prince George's County follow Maryland Family Law. The residency requirement under Maryland Family Law § 7-101 states that if the grounds for divorce occurred outside Maryland, the party filing must have lived in Maryland for six months before filing. If the grounds happened in Maryland, no extended residency period is needed before filing in Prince George's County.
Maryland updated its divorce law in October 2023 through Maryland Family Law § 7-103. Three grounds are now recognized: a six-month separation, irreconcilable differences, and mutual consent. Mutual consent is the most streamlined path when both parties agree on all issues including property, custody, support, and any name change. Both parties must sign a written settlement agreement, which is submitted with the filing. The court reviews the agreement and, if it is complete and fair, can enter the final decree without a lengthy waiting period. This makes Prince George's County divorces faster when both spouses are in agreement.
Under Maryland Family Law § 7-106, every final divorce decree must be permanently recorded by the Circuit Clerk. The Prince George's County clerk keeps a permanent file for all cases. Under Maryland Family Law § 7-105, a person can ask for a name restoration in the decree itself or within 18 months after the decree is signed. Free court forms for all stages of a divorce case are available at mdcourts.gov/courtforms.
What a Prince George's County Divorce Decree Contains
A divorce decree from Prince George's County is a final court order bearing the judge's signature and the court seal. It states the date the marriage ended and identifies both parties by full legal name. Every term of the divorce is set out in the decree or in attached orders incorporated by reference.
The decree covers property division, assigning assets and debts to each party. Custody terms, if children are involved, appear with a visitation schedule and any child support amounts. Alimony, if ordered, is stated with the dollar amount and how long it lasts. A name restoration is included if the party requested it at the time of filing. The decree is the primary document most institutions ask for when proof of divorce is needed in Prince George's County. Most requests for legal purposes require a certified copy rather than a plain photocopy. The clerk's office certifies copies at $5.00 per document plus $0.50 per page.
Note: The full court file for a divorce case in Prince George's County also includes the original complaint, any motions filed, financial statements, and the final hearing record. Any part of the file can be requested from the clerk office separately.
Other Sources for Prince George's County Divorce Records
The Maryland State Archives holds older divorce decree records for Prince George's County. Their address is 350 Rowe Blvd, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-260-6400. A certified copy through the Archives costs $25 and can be ordered online at shop.msa.maryland.gov. The Archives research guide at guide.msa.maryland.gov explains what is held there and how far back the records go. For cases in the 1992 and later range, the clerk office in Upper Marlboro is the first stop. For older cases, the Archives may have them when the clerk office does not.
The Maryland Division of Vital Records at health.maryland.gov/vsa provides divorce verifications for cases from January 1, 1992 onward. A verification is a short document that confirms the divorce and shows the parties and the date. It does not contain the terms of the decree. The fee is $12. Many legal tasks in Prince George's County, such as proving a name change or remarrying, require the full certified decree rather than just a verification.
The Maryland State Archives at guide.msa.maryland.gov maintains a research guide that explains what Prince George's County divorce records are held in the Archives collection and how to order them.
Use the Archives for older Prince George's County divorce cases that predate the clerk office's digitized records or when you need a lower-cost alternative source for historical decrees.
Legal Help for Divorce in Prince George's County
The Family Law Self-Help Center at the Upper Marlboro courthouse is at Room M0159. Call 301-780-2000 for information. This center helps people who are filing for divorce on their own. Staff explain court procedures and can direct you to the right forms. They do not provide legal advice.
Maryland Legal Aid serves Prince George's County residents who qualify based on income. They handle family law cases including divorce. Call their office or visit mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/family/divorce for the full list of legal help resources for divorce in Maryland. The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org explains Maryland divorce law in accessible language. The Maryland Courts Self-Help line at 410-260-1392 and the self-help website at mdcourts.gov/selfhelp have guides for all stages of the divorce process in Prince George's County. For court records access questions specifically, see mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/courtrecords.
Cities in Prince George's County
Prince George's County includes many cities and communities, all of which file divorce cases at the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro. The qualifying city in the county with a page on this site is linked below.
Other communities in Prince George's County include College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel (the Prince George's County portion), Hyattsville, Landover, Capitol Heights, Seat Pleasant, and Bladensburg. All divorce filings from these areas go to the Circuit Court at 14735 Main Street in Upper Marlboro.
Nearby Counties
Prince George's County shares borders with four Maryland counties. Divorce cases must be filed in the county where at least one spouse currently lives. If you live near a county line, confirm which county is correct before you file.