October is Nearly Here: Summing Up The Upcoming New Divorce Laws
Maryland divorce laws are changing! While we’ve all busy watching the spectacle of Kim Davis in the Kentucky clerk’s office, let’s not forget what’s coming down the pike here in Maryland. As we’ve blogged elsewhere (here and here and here), there are some much anticipated changes coming for divorcees effective October 1, 2015. First, if you don’t have kids and you have a written settlement agreement, you can get divorced on “consent” grounds. While this may not sound exciting, the new grounds does not require the divorcing couple to live separate and apart for a specific period of time – no longer do qualifying couples have to wait 12 months! Second, Maryland used to require that you live here for a year prior to filing for divorce here. The residency requirement has been reduced to 6 months. Finally, a limited divorce (what many think of as a legal separation) no longer requires that the required separation be voluntary. That is, the separation just has to happen, regardless of whether the couple agreed on it or not. In the end, all of these changes should make divorce a little easier (read: cheaper and faster) for our clients. And that’s good news.
The attorneys at McCabe Russell, PA, have offices in Howard County and Montgomery County, Maryland, and have helped hundreds of clients through the divorce process. Please contact the firm to make an appointment for a consultation.
© 2015 McCabe Russell, PA
At McCabe Russell, PA, we have an established reputation as assertive and confident negotiators and litigators, offering legal guidance designed to eliminate any of our clients’ worries and confusion. We are experienced family law attorneys in Howard and Montgomery County, but we serve clients throughout Maryland. Read more about McCabe Russell, PA.