An uncontested divorce Maryland is, bottom line, going to be the quickest way to get a divorce in Maryland. But, as with anything legally related, it all depends on the facts of your case.
Here are 3 things you need to know. (If you read through to the end, we will offer you a free consultation)
You Must Agree on Literally Everything
The reason a uncontested divorce Maryland can move so quickly is because you are not asking the judge to make any decisions on your case. The role of the judge is only to review the agreement you have with your soon-to-be-ex and make sure it covers everything.
The way this is accomplished is by filing what is called a Marital Settlement Agreement (or separation agreement). The settlement is between you and your your spouse and it must cover all of the relevant issues that must be resolved in a divorce. Such as:
- Property and Debt Division
- Custody (if applicable)
- Alimony (if applicable)
If you do not think you can agree on major terms with your spouse, you may be wasting your time going the uncontested route. However, good attorneys can sometimes facilitate an uncontested divorce when it would otherwise be impossible.
Maryland Consent Divorce is Better than the Old “No-Fault” Divorce in Maryland.
Divorce laws have advanced greatly (for the better) over the last 20 years. In Maryland and other states, you previously had to plead grounds in order to get divorced. Then, a while back, Maryland came up with no-fault divorces. This is still an option, and may be a good one if you cannot agree on everything, but there are still a few important extra hurdles in no-fault divorces as compared to Maryland uncontested divorce. Those are:
- The parties must live apart and completely separated
- The parties must not cohabitate at all or engage in sexual relations with each other for a minimum of 12 continuous months
12 months may not seem like a long time on paper, but for clients needing a clean break from their spouses it can feel like a lifetime. Every case is different. In some cases no-fault is preferable to uncontested divorce Maryland so hiring an experienced lawyer is important.
Many Options for Divorce – Consult an Attorney
In another other post we discuss the general options for divorce. You should give it a read. Your divorce cases is probably not like the ones your friends had. It probably is not like the one you read about online. You should do what is best for you.
Maryland uncontested divorce may be right for you, but you should make sure. For potential clients reading our blog, we make a special offer. Click below for a free divorce consult. (Normally $150.00)
