Access Maryland Divorce Records: Free Search

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Free Maryland Divorce Record Search

Find out if someone in Maryland is divorced, free of charge.

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A citizen can access Maryland divorce records for free, but they have to know how to find them. Divorce records are a great tool for tracing one’s family heritage with a genealogy search. They can also be accessed just to satisfy a curiosity about someone in your life.

Thanks to the Maryland Public Information Act, divorce records are generally available to anyone who wants to access them. That being said, there are some exceptions to the type of information that can be released. In addition, this state statute authorizes access; however, it does not dictate the specific means through which a government agency must comply with this mandate.

This article will clarify what type of divorce information is accessible and the best ways to access or request these records.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

Are Divorce Records Considered Public Records in Maryland?

Records of divorce in Maryland are subject to the Public Information Act and are therefore available to anyone who wants to view them.¹ Regardless of your purpose, you can access divorce records and view detailed information on when and how a marriage ended.

However, to obtain a state-issued verification of divorce, the Maryland Code of Regulations requires that you have both a tangible and direct interest. For divorce records, that is limited to the following people:

• Either person who was a party to the divorce
• Representative of either party (with a signed and notarized letter from a person listed on the record)
• An attorney representing either party

In many states, other family members can request this type of record; however, that is not the case in Maryland.

In addition to divorce records and state agency verification, other related information is publicly available. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics provides divorce rates for the most recently available year (currently 2021). This information indicates that Maryland has a rate of 1.6 divorces per 1,000 people, well below the national average of 2.5 divorces per 1,000 people.

How To View & Obtain Free Maryland Divorce Records

If an individual wants to access Maryland public divorce records, they can do so through the Judiciary’s online unified case search tool. This tool searches for various types of court cases throughout the state. However, you can take a couple of steps to weed out some unrelated types of cases.

Note: The below steps are for a name-based search. If you have the case number, you can enter this information directly.

To perform a free public divorce records search, select “civil” for the case type. This selection will remove all criminal cases from your search. Next, you will want to select “Circuit Court only” for the Court system option. The reason is that family law cases such as divorces are solely adjudicated at the circuit court level.

There are other options a record seeker can choose to narrow their results further. Those include setting a filing date range as well as selecting the county where the divorce was issued. Once you finalize your parameters, you can enter the person’s name and conduct your search.

The results page will list helpful information to assist you with identifying the case you are looking for. This information includes the case number, party names, case type, status and filing date. If you perform a partial name search and have to look through a lot of results, click on the “case type button to have the information alphabetized by this category.

Go to Case Types starting with “D” to find all applicable divorce cases.

Once you find the divorce records you are looking for, you can get detailed information by clicking on the case number. At the top of the page, you can get high-level information, such as when the divorce decree was issued. Next, you can get detailed information on both parties, including their address and the contact information for the attorney that represented them.

A record seeker can also see a list of every court hearing and filing in chronological order. If you want to look at this information in greater detail, a citizen can use this information to search the details of these case records in person. Also, if a person wants the actual decree, they will have to make a request through the Maryland Circuit Court that finalized the divorce.⁴

How to Make a Request for a Divorce Certificate with the Maryland Department of Health

While case records can be helpful, an individual might have a need for a divorce certificate. This certificate provides official verification that parties were divorced along with basic information identifying when and where the divorce occurred and the type of action.

A citizen can request a certificate verifying a divorce through the Division of Vital Records (DVR) of Maryland’s Department of Health.⁵ The DVR can provide this type of official verification for any divorce that occurred from January 1, 1992, to the present.

To make a request, you must first complete their Application for Verification of Divorce Record. You will need to provide the name of both spouses, the date, place and reason for the divorce. In addition, you will have to provide your relationship to the person listed on the record.

As we discussed earlier, this type of record is only available to the parties, their representative or attorney.

The non-refundable fee for this request is $12.00. A completed application along with the fee, copy of government-issued identification and self-addressed stamped envelope can be sent to the address below:

State of Maryland
Department of Health
Division of Vital Records
P.O. Box 68760
Baltimore, Maryland 21215

You can also submit your request at their office. If so, it is recommended you schedule an appointment in advance. They are located at the address below:

Division of Vital Records
6764 B Reisterstown Rd.
Baltimore, Maryland 21215

For additional questions about making a request for this certificate, you can call them at 410-767-6500. They are available Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

If you are looking for a more convenient option, The Division of Vital Records has partnered with VitalChek, an approved third-party vendor that can provide vital records (including a certificate of divorce) online.⁷ However, additional fees apply to use this service.

Searching Maryland Counties & Cities for Divorce Records

There is more than one way to access divorce records in Maryland. While you can conduct a wider search through state records, you may find that looking for this information with a county government agency is a better option for you.

If you are looking for a divorce record from a county where you reside or close by, you may benefit from being able to go into the office in person. This will allow you to talk to someone in person, and you may be able to access more information than if you performed an online search or submitted a general request to a state agency.

In some cases, the county has an easier process or quicker turnaround for providing divorce records. Below is information on how to access or request divorce records in the three largest counties in Maryland.

To assist you with any county search, a record seeker should know that divorce cases are filed and issued with the county’s Circuit Court.

The most populated county in Maryland is Montgomery County. To obtain a decree, you can make a request with the Montgomery County Circuit Court.⁸ To get more information on this process, you can call them at 240-777-9426. The Montgomery County Circuit Court is located at the address below:

Montgomery County Circuit Court
50 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, Maryland 20850

For divorce case files, there are multiple options for requesting copies of these records. The most informal process is to just go to the Circuit Court at the address above and ask to search their case records. You can also complete their Copy Request Form and either mail it or place it in the Circuit Court’s drop box.

The Dropbox is available to the general public every day, 24 hours a day.

The second largest county in Maryland is Prince George’s County. If you want a divorce record in Prince George County, you can reach out to the record custodian, the Clerk of the Circuit Court.¹⁰ Court records, including divorce cases, are available for public review.

You can access this information by going to the Circuit Courthouse at the address below:

Prince George County District Court
14735 Main St.
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772

For specific questions on how to access and get copies of these records, you can call the Clerk at 301-952-3318. The Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Baltimore County has the third largest population in Maryland. In Baltimore County, if you want to locate a divorce record, you can complete a Request for Copy Form and email it to [email protected] or mail it to the address below:¹¹

Baltimore County Circuit Court Clerk’s
Judicial Records
P.O. Box 6754
Towson, Maryland 21285

The cost of copies of a divorce record is $0.50 per page and $5.00 for a certified copy. For additional questions, you can call the Clerk at 410-887-3494. They are open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can also go to their office to request divorce records at the address below:

Baltimore County Clerk’s Office
County Courts Building
401 Bosley Ave., 2nd Fl.
Towson, MD 21204

Locating Archived Divorce Information for Free via MD State Archives

Many people have a desire to learn the details about their or someone else’s family history. To perform a genealogy search, you will want access to a variety of documents, including archived divorce records. To access these types of archived records in Maryland, you can search through a divorce index and use other types of tools.

For older divorce records, you can start by searching with the Maryland State Archives. They have a variety of searchable indexes for divorce cases before 1980. Once you find the archived divorce record you are searching for, you can order a copy online.

If you would like to view an entire case file, you can submit a request for an appointment. Appointments are available from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Tuesday through Friday (and the first Saturday of every month). To find a record yourself or view a complete file, you can go to the address below:

Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Boulevard
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

If you have any questions about accessing or requesting an archived divorce record, you can contact the Maryland State Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 410-260-6487.

There are other creative ways to find archived divorce records. Consider searching with various public libraries, historical societies and religious institutions. You may find this information in old records or even preserved newspapers.

How To Search for Dissolution of Marriages in Maryland

A dissolution of marriage is another term for divorce in Maryland. To access dissolution information, you can do so through the same tools that were used to obtain divorce records. For an online option, you can view dissolution cases using the Maryland Judiciary’s case lookup tool.

You can also make a request for a certificate of dissolution through the Maryland Department of Health’s Division of Vital Records.
In some states, people can request to have their relationships considered a common law marriage even though they never went through the proper state legal process. States that allow common-law marriage have certain requirements that must be met to make that determination. In Maryland, state law does not allow for common-law marriage. Thus, there is no such thing as common law divorce in Maryland.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Maryland since January 1, 2013. While Maryland does not have a statute to allow civil unions, they do authorize domestic partnerships.¹³ The termination of a domestic partnership is subject to the same public record laws as divorces and can be accessed using the same tools.

How To Approach the Divorce Process in Maryland: Filing & Addressing Divorce Papers

If you have just been served divorce papers or are contemplating filing yourself, the first step is to get a better understanding of how the initial process unfolds in Maryland. Divorce law is state-driven, so requirements for eligibility and process can vary widely.

If you are contemplating alternatives to divorce, be aware that legal separation is not an option in Maryland.

Note: You can also request an annulment from the court. This type of legal action says the marriage was never valid, and you are asking the court to recognize its invalidity. Examples of what can void a marriage are if your spouse was married at the time of your matrimony, close familial relationship or mental incompetence.

To determine if you can file for divorce in Maryland, you must first meet its residency requirement.¹⁴ The residency requirement is that at least one party is a resident of Maryland. However, if the ground for divorce occurred outside Maryland, then one party must have been resident for six months or longer before filing.

In Maryland, as of October 1, 2023, there is no longer an allowance for at-fault divorce. However, there are three no-fault divorce options in Maryland. Either the parties have come to mutual consent, there has been at least a six-month separation, or one party claims that there are irreconcilable differences.

Once you have determined how to proceed, you can prepare and file a Complaint for Absolute Divorce in the Circuit Court in the county where you or your spouse reside. In addition, you will have to provide the Complaint to your spouse (referred to as “service of process”) and then submit proof to the court that you complied with this requirement.

If you and your spouse are on the same page for all aspects of the divorce, you can submit a Marital Settlement Agreement.¹⁵ If you do not agree, you will have to let the court know what you want from the divorce. This may include alimony, child support, custody, name change and other related items.

Now, if you are on the receiving end of this process, there may be even greater stress. However, you have plenty of time to take the next step. If you live in Maryland, you have 30 days to provide an Answer. A respondent has 60 days if living in another state and 90 days if outside the United States.

The Answer is your chance to let the court know your position and where you disagree with your spouse. While the court can decide these matters for you, there are other options, such as mediation that involve less risk and allow for parties to reach compromises.

Before you move forward in this process, you should talk with a licensed Maryland attorney who specializes in divorce law. They will be able to answer your questions and assist you through any difficult aspects of the process.

With this information, you should be prepared to address the initial steps in the divorce process. You now also have online tools and detailed resources at your disposal for accessing Maryland divorce records.