Maryland, is finally all the way on board with No Fault divorce. Prior to October 2018, divorcing parties who had minor children in common were not able to benefit from the expedient and less costly Mutual Consent ground of divorce. Enter the Maryland General Assembly and voila – no longer are parents discriminated against when it comes to obtaining a No-Fault Divorce. As of October 2018, not only may parties with minor children in common obtain divorces on the ground of Mutual Consent, but now, only one party need appear in court!

MUTUAL CONSENT DIVORCE

Divorce does not have to be a long and drawn out process. In Maryland, when both parties are on the same page, Mutual Consent Divorce may be the best option. Filing for divorce on this ground can be relatively inexpensive, fast, and easy. In order to go this route, the spouses must meet the following criteria:

• Have a signed settlement agreement that resolves property issues, alimony and issues related to dependent or minor children;
• Neither party seeks to set aside the settlement agreement prior to the divorce hearing;
• Attach a completed child support guidelines worksheet to the settlement agreement if the agreement includes provisions for the payment of child support;
• The court must be satisfied that the settlement agreement is in the best interests of the minor or dependent children, if any.

12 MONTHS SEPARATION – UNCONTESTD DIVORCE

When Mutual Consent is not an appropriate ground, one party may still file for an uncontested divorce. Where the parties have led completely separate lives and have lived under separate roofs and have not had any sexual relations for a minimum of 12 months, either spouse may file for divorce on the grounds of voluntary separation or desertion.

To begin the process of filing for your divorce in Maryland, contact West Law Firm to schedule your complimentary 15-minute discovery call today.

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