A Short Guide to the Maryland Mutual Consent Law
Contrary to what is commonly portrayed in movies, getting a divorce is not that easy. Apart from having many legalities to consider, there is also the fact that divorce has a huge impact on mental and emotional aspects. That is especially if children are involved. Therefore, wouldn’t it be so much easier if there was a quick way of getting divorced? Luckily for the residents of Maryland, we have the Mutual Consent Law which makes this possible. All you need is an experienced divorce lawyer in Baltimore, MD to help you with the process.
So what exactly is this law?
If you and your spouse are determined to go your separate ways but you both acknowledge that neither is specifically at fault for this outcome, then this law is perfect for you. Before this law, spouses who wanted to file for an uncontested divorce were required to live separately for one year before even being granted permission to file. But under the mutual consent law which was created in 2015, you can dissolve your marriage in a short amount of time and with lesser expenses as long as you qualify for the streamlined program.
To help you qualify, you can hire a divorce lawyer in Baltimore, MD so that you can prepare what is needed. But we are also going to give a short overview in this blog to help you get an idea of what you should do.
Here are the qualifications you need to show the court:
- You must present a written settlement agreement that is signed by both parties. This agreement resolves property and alimony issues.
- If you have children who are minors, you must present an agreement, signed by both parties, which resolves child custody, access or parenting time, and child support. (If child support is needed, you need to provide a support guideline worksheet along with the agreement.)
- Neither of you has changed his or her mind from the time the settlement agreement was signed to the date of your divorce hearing.
- You and your spouse must be present at the uncontested divorce hearing.
If all of these conditions are met, then you can get divorced without the need for a one-year separation period. This means you can avoid hefty and unnecessary expenses because you and your spouse can still live in the same residence while negotiating the terms of your separation agreement. You won’t have to buy or rent a new home just yet and your overall divorce expenses will be significantly lower. Plus, a lot of stress can be avoided on both parties and everything can be settled as amicably as possible.
Now that you know what to do, the next step is in hiring an expert divorce lawyer to help you iron out the details of your separation. Choose Atty. Richard Hackerman as your divorce lawyer and he will take care of the rest. As a renowned and experienced divorce and family lawyer in Baltimore, MD, you can rest assured that you are in good hands.