Divorce
On October 1, 2011 there was a change in the listing of grounds for divorce which appear in the Family Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Simply put, the two year statutory ground for divorce was changed to one year. A one year separation with the purpose and intent of ending a marriage which is beyond hope or expectation of a reconciliation is now all that is necessary to achieve a ground for divorce in Maryland. It is not necessary to prove that the separation was voluntary on the part of each party. Previously, a two year separation was required unless the moving party could prove either voluntary separation, cruelty of treatment, abandonment or desertion, cruel and vicious conduct or one of a few other grounds. The change in the law allows parties to achieve a ground for divorce without the necessity of proving fault, voluntary separation or waiting an additional year. Persons in separation should not wait until the ground matures but should see an attorney as soon as they know that a divorce may occur in order to begin preparation and to take care of important details that need not wait until the ground for divorce is mature. Child custody and support, alimony and alimony pendente lite, use and possession of the family use home and visitation issues can all be pursued immediately upon separation and, in some events, can be pursued prior to the physical separation of the parties. For more information on other subcategories of the above menu, see those categories. Whether you are looking for a Fallston Divorce Lawyer, Bel Air Divorce Lawyer, or Havre de Grace Divorce Lawyer, the likely location for the case will be Harford County Circuit Court in Bel Air, Maryland.
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