Maryland Petition for Divorce

In Maryland, a Petition for Divorce is a legal document that, when filed with the appropriate circuit court, initiates a dissolution of marriage proceeding with the court.

The petition must be filed with the Circuit Court in the county where either spouse resides. In order to file a petition for divorce in Maryland , either spouse must have been a resident of Maryland for at least six months before filing.

A petition for divorce does not legally end the marriage. To finalize and complete a divorce, a judge must sign a Judgment of Absolute Divorce. At any time before the judge signs the Judgment, a Petition for Dissolution can be withdrawn by the spouse who filed it with the court. Except in cases of domestic violence, no judge can sign a Judgment of Absolute Divorce until at least one year has passed from the time the Petition was filed with the court, unless the grounds for divorce occurred outside the state.