Finding a divorce lawyer Maryland can be intimidating. Our quick post will give you the basics on how your divorce may go. Read to the end to find out how to get a free consultation.
Table of Contents
What Are the Steps in Getting Divorced?
Every divorce is different, but at its core, there are just a few basic steps that every case must go through:
- The Complaint for Absolute Divorce, and
- The Domestic Case Information report.
These forms accomplish quite a few goals. When you file for divorce, you need to let the Court know what you want, why, and what you are asking the court to do. (called “relief”)
The divorce complaint is where you give the Court the basics about your divorce. If it is a divorce based on grounds, you would briefly list those. If you have children, those must be listed.
Finally, you need to list what property is at issue and what you want the court to do about all of it. This may include requests for alimony or child support.
Your soon-to-be-ex will file a response and depending on how much you can agree on, you may not have to battle it out for many months in court. The more contentious the fight is over property and children the longer and more costly your divorce will be.
At Seddiq Law we are not afraid to go to the mat for our clients. However, we do know how exhausting the process can be and if our clients wish to try and settle the case quickly, we are skilled at doing that as well.
What Types of Divorce Are There?
Maryland has many routes you can take when getting divorced so it is important to discuss all of them when your divorce lawyer Maryland. Here is a brief description of those options:
Uncontested Divorces in Maryland (Mutual Consent)
Uncontested divorces in Maryland are usually the quickest and most cost-effected way to get divorced. These cases are so quick because the parties get together with their attorneys to agree to everything before court.
These agreements are then filed as Marital Settlement Agreements with the divorce complaint. Marital settlement agreements are basically contracts between the parties where they agree on issues of custody, child support, property distribution, and alimony if necessary.
Once the contract is filed, as long as the judge agrees, most cases can be settled with a quick 15-30 minutes hearing with the court. This process can shave months off of the process but it requires absolute agreement as to all issues.
No-Fault Divorces in Maryland
No-Fault divorces don’t require either party to establish a “ground” for divorce. The benefit of a no-fault divorce is that agreement by all of the parties is not required prior to filing your divorce complaint.
However what IS required is 12 months of separation without sexual intimacy. This approach can be much less confrontational and can save money, but not as much as the consent divorce process.
At-Fault Divorces in Maryland
At-Fault Divorces in Maryland are the most costly of all divorce cases. Not only are you fighting over everything (children, property, etc), you also have to prove grounds for divorce.
Grounds for divorce can include adultery, desertion, cruelty, insanity, etc. Some of these are harder to prove than you might think. You should consult with your divorce lawyer Maryland before making a finally decision on how to approach your case
How Much Will a Divorce Lawyer Maryland Cost Me?
Lawyers are not cheap. However, your divorce decree will control you finances for the rest of your life. It is important to find the right divorce lawyer Maryland to handle your case.
Lawyers.com notes that the average hourly rate for a Maryland divorce lawyer is $260-$325 an hour. The average total fee is between $11,000- $13,500.00.
Some factors that can affect your final costs can include 1) significant wealth to distribute 2) no agreement on child custody or 3) an attempt to get alimony from your spouse.
What next? Fill Out this Form for a Free Consult.
Our divorce lawyers Maryland, Justin Eisele and Mirriam Seddiq, have decades of experience. We are discontinuing free consults for divorces cases. However, if you request a consultation through the below form, we will waive the fee. We look forward to hearing from you.
