Find Dissolution of Marriage Records in Howard County
Howard County dissolution of marriage records are on file at the Circuit Court, now located at 9250 Judicial Way in Ellicott City after the court moved to a new building in 2021. The clerk's office handles all civil filings, including divorce cases, and can provide copies of decrees and related documents. You can search Howard County dissolution of marriage cases online through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal or by contacting the Family Law office directly. The court also offers a Family Law Assistance Program for people who need help navigating the process.
Howard County Overview
Howard County Circuit Court Clerk
Wayne A. Robey serves as the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Howard County. The courthouse moved in 2021 from its historic location at 8360 Court Avenue to a new facility at 9250 Judicial Way in Ellicott City. If you have older paperwork with the prior address, note that all in-person services now operate from the new building. The new courthouse includes a 691-space parking garage, which makes it easier to visit for record requests and filings. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The general clerk line is 410-313-2111. For the clerk directly, call 410-313-2160. Civil matters, including dissolution of marriage cases, go through the civil line at 410-313-3844. The Family Law office has its own dedicated number at 410-313-2225 and its own email at howardfamilylaw@mdcourts.gov. The main court email is howardcircuitinfo@mdcourts.gov. Maryland Relay 711 serves TTY users. The toll-free number for Maryland residents is 888-313-0197.
The clerk's office directory listing at mdcourts.gov/courtsdirectory/howard has current contact details for all departments in the Howard County courthouse.
| Clerk | Wayne A. Robey |
|---|---|
| Address | 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043 |
| Phone (Main) | 410-313-2111 |
| Phone (Civil) | 410-313-3844 |
| Phone (Family Law) | 410-313-2225 |
| Email (Family Law) | howardfamilylaw@mdcourts.gov |
| Toll-Free | 888-313-0197 (in Maryland) |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
The clerk's general information page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/howard/general describes what documents the office holds, what services it provides, and how to request copies of dissolution of marriage records in Howard County. The screenshot below shows that page.
The Howard County Circuit Court Clerk general information page on the Maryland Courts website explains what records are on file and how the public can access them.
This page covers the full range of services at the Howard County clerk's office, including how to request dissolution of marriage case files and certified copies of decrees.
Family Law Services in Howard County
Howard County has a well-developed set of family law resources that go beyond what many other Maryland counties offer. The Family Law Assistance Program runs free sessions where court staff and volunteer attorneys help people fill out forms and understand procedures for dissolution of marriage cases. Morning sessions are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Circuit Court building. Evening sessions run twice a month from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the East Columbia 50+ Center, located at 6610 Cradlerock Way in Columbia. You do not need an appointment for these sessions.
The Family Law section of the Howard County Circuit Court website at mdcourts.gov/circuit/howard/family has a full list of available services, including mediation, child custody resources, and self-help tools. Most custody and visitation cases are ordered to mediation at some point during the case. The mediation cost is $100 per person per hour. Mediation can help resolve disputes faster than going to trial and reduces the length of the overall dissolution of marriage case in Howard County.
The Law Library at the Circuit Court is on the first floor of the building. Staff there can help you find forms and case law. The library number is 410-313-2135 and the email is howardlawlibrary@mdcourts.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free court forms for dissolution of marriage cases are available at courts.state.md.us/family/family-forms, and the Guide and File tool at courts.state.md.us/guideandfile walks you through each form step by step.
Search Howard County Divorce Cases Online
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the primary online tool for finding Howard County dissolution of marriage records. It is free and covers all Maryland circuit courts. You can search by the full name of either party or by case number. Results show case status, hearing dates, and docket entries. Both active and closed cases appear in results, so older divorces are searchable the same way as recent ones.
Under Maryland Family Law Code § 7-101, at least one spouse must have resided in Maryland for a minimum of six months to file for divorce here. If both parties lived in Howard County at the time of filing, the case will be in the Howard County Circuit Court records. If one spouse lived elsewhere, the case could be in a different county's records.
For in-person searches at the Howard County courthouse, bring the full names of both parties as listed on the original filings and an approximate year. If you have a case number, bring that too. Staff can search by name alone if needed. Copy fees are $0.50 per page, certified copies are $5.00 per document, and exemplified copies are $10.00. Payment by cash, check, money order, or credit card is accepted. Business credit cards must have the user's name printed on them.
Note: Juvenile and adoption records in Howard County are restricted and require a court order before the clerk can release them.
Filing Dissolution of Marriage Cases in Howard County
To file a dissolution of marriage case in Howard County, go to the Circuit Court at 9250 Judicial Way in Ellicott City. You pay $165 if you are representing yourself, or $175 if an attorney files for you. After filing, the clerk logs the case and assigns a number. That number is how the record is tracked in the system from that point forward. The grounds for divorce under Maryland Family Law Code § 7-103 no longer require a lengthy waiting period in many situations, which has made the process faster for uncontested cases.
Property that needs to be divided between spouses is addressed under Maryland Family Law Code § 8-205, which requires equitable distribution. In Howard County, the Circuit Court judge uses this standard when resolving property disputes. The final decree lays out all of those decisions and becomes part of the permanent public case file. Certified copies of the decree are often required when refinancing property, changing your name, or handling insurance after a dissolution of marriage in Howard County.
Residents of Columbia, which is an unincorporated community in Howard County, travel roughly 6 to 8 miles from the center of Columbia to the courthouse. Using US-29 North and then MD-103 to Judicial Way takes about 15 to 20 minutes depending on traffic. Note that land records and marriage licenses are handled at a separate office: the Dorsey Building at 9250 Bendix Road in Columbia, reachable at 410-313-5850.
Divorce Certificates vs. Court Records in Howard County
The Maryland Department of Health maintains divorce verification certificates for divorces that occurred in 1992 or later. These certificates cost $12 and confirm that a divorce took place, along with the names of the parties and the date and county of the decree. You can request them at health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/divorce.aspx. These are useful for administrative purposes but do not contain the full terms of the settlement or custody orders.
If you need the complete dissolution of marriage record, including property division terms, custody and support orders, and all filings in the case, you must contact the Howard County Circuit Court Clerk directly. The clerk's office holds these records for all divorces filed in Howard County. For older divorces before 1992, the Circuit Court record is the only source since the state health department does not have certificates going back that far.
Cities in Howard County
Howard County includes Columbia, Ellicott City, and several smaller communities. All dissolution of marriage filings for residents of Howard County are handled at the Circuit Court in Ellicott City. Two cities in Howard County have dedicated records pages.
Other communities in Howard County include Jessup, Laurel, Elkridge, Savage, and Fulton. Residents of these areas all file dissolution of marriage cases at the Howard County Circuit Court on Judicial Way.
Nearby Counties
Howard County borders Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George's counties. If a dissolution of marriage case involves parties who lived in different counties, the Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us lets you search all Maryland circuit courts at once.