What are the Residency Requirements for Divorce in Maryland?
Photo by: unsplash.com
The process of filing for divorce can get complicated depending on each couple’s situation. However, what you should know before even attempting to file are the essentials you need for your petition to go through. That is when a divorce lawyer comes in handy whether you’re in Baltimore, MD or anywhere else. For instance, if you’re going to get divorced in Maryland, there are residency conditions that must be met and your lawyer can help make those clear to you.
So, what are the residency requirements for divorce in Maryland?
For starters, one of you must be a resident of Maryland if you are to file for divorce in that state, and that means you should be physically living there. However, the duration of your residency before filing for divorce depends on where grounds for divorce have occurred.
- Grounds that occurred outside the state – Either one of you must have lived there for at least six months prior to filing for divorce.
- Grounds that occurred within the state – You should currently be living in Maryland upon filing for divorce. You can ask your divorce lawyer in Baltimore, MD for a more detailed explanation on this.
One thing you should also remember is that if you are filing for divorce in Maryland, it will be subject to the laws of that state regardless of which state you got married in.
Do you need to prove your residency?
Often enough, the judge will refer to the information provided on your complaint as well as your verbal testimony. However, you may also be asked to provide evidence, such as your driver’s license, voter registration card, and bank account statements. To ensure that you will have no problems proving your residency, make sure to properly document your residency in Maryland before filing for divorce. This is because there have been situations where cases were dismissed due to a lack of proof of residency.
Can you move elsewhere after filing?
You are allowed to move anywhere within Maryland since the forms do not require you to list down all of your addresses. But in the final hearing, you need to prove where you lived during the separation.
You can also move to a different state after filing for divorce. Your case in Maryland will still be heard as long as you or your spouse were residents of the state upon filing the divorce.
Where Should You File?
The divorce can either be filed at the residence of the plaintiff (the person filing) or the defendant (the person being sued). You also have the option of filing in the defendant’s place of business or employment. If you are in the armed services but you have lived in Maryland before, you may file for divorce in the state provided that you can establish your residence there prior to joining the armed services. This is applicable even if you have not lived in the state ever since entering the armed services.
Filing for divorce can either be a breeze or a turbulent process. But with the help of a qualified divorce lawyer like Attorney Richard J. Hackerman of Fast Divorce Lawyer, you will get all the assistance you need. He is a divorce and family lawyer in Baltimore, MD with practice areas encompassing child custody and visitation rights, child support, marriage dissolution, division of property and marital debts, and spousal support. Contact us today for more information.