The Maryland legislature removed an outdated divorce requirement not long ago. The General Assembly approved a new piece of law designed to make it easier for Maryland residents to have an uncontested divorce by loosening the formerly strict requirements that required a witness to confirm that both sides of the couple had been living away from each other — i.e., not under the same roof — for at least one year.
The bill was ultimately passed when the state Senate agreed that the House of Delegates’ version of the legislation was appropriate. Other proponents of the legislation include the Maryland State Bar Association’s division of family law, which argued that the other laws were outdated and in need of revisions.
Proponents, including the Maryland State Bar Association’s family law division, argued that the previous law was outdated and only served to create an unnecessary inconvenience for divorcing couples and the witnesses representing them. Now, with the new piece of legislation in place, it will be much easier for those wishing to have a divorce to take care of the matter as swiftly and cost effectively as possible.
Aside from reducing the amount of court time required to divorce one’s wife or husband, the new legislation will help in so many other areas of life. For example, less court time means less costs and more time that soon-to-be single spouses can spend in the way that they wish, as opposed to sitting in on costly court proceedings. If they are willing to contract the services of an experienced divorce attorney, it is likely that divorcing spouses will be able to find other areas where they can save money and time.
Source: Baltimore Sun, “No divorce court witness needed under bill approved by Maryland General Assembly,” Michael Dresser, accessed Aug. 12, 2016