Kent County Dissolution of Marriage
Kent County dissolution of marriage records are held at the Circuit Court in Chestertown, one of the oldest public institutions in Maryland with records dating back to 1658. The Civil Department handles all domestic relations cases, including divorce filings and final decrees. To search Kent County dissolution of marriage records, you can use the Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal online or visit the clerk's office at 103 N. Cross Street in Chestertown during regular business hours.
Kent County Overview
Kent County Circuit Court Clerk
Sherise L. Kennard is the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Kent County. The office is located at 103 N. Cross Street in Chestertown, Maryland 21620. This is among the oldest continuously operating courthouses in the state, with public records going back to 1658. The Civil and Pro Se line is 410-778-7461, which is the best number to call for questions about dissolution of marriage cases. The main line is 410-778-7460. Criminal matters use 410-778-7477. The general email for the office is kentcc@mdcourts.gov, and the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Maryland Relay 711 is available for TTY users, and a toll-free line for Maryland residents is 800-989-2520.
The Circuit Court in Kent County handles civil claims over $30,000, domestic relations cases including divorce, child support, custody, adoption, paternity, guardianships, and name changes. The same office also records land records such as deeds and mortgages and maintains plat records. The depth and age of the records in this courthouse make it one of the more complete repositories for historical dissolution of marriage cases on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
| Clerk | Sherise L. Kennard |
|---|---|
| Address | 103 N. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620 |
| Phone (Main) | 410-778-7460 |
| Phone (Civil/Pro Se) | 410-778-7461 |
| Toll-Free | 800-989-2520 (in Maryland) |
| kentcc@mdcourts.gov | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
Finding Kent County Dissolution of Marriage Records
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search portal at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the primary free tool for searching dissolution of marriage cases in Kent County online. It covers all Maryland circuit courts and lets you search by party name or case number. Results show case status, docket entries, hearing dates, and filing history. Both open and closed cases appear, so even older divorces are accessible through the portal without a trip to the courthouse.
The Kent County clerk information page at courts.state.md.us/clerks/kent outlines what types of records the office holds and how to request copies. The Circuit Court's own website at circuitcourt.kentcounty.com has local information specific to the Chestertown court. The Kent County directory page at mdcourts.gov/courtsdirectory/kent has contact details and links to court departments. These three sites together give a complete picture of how to access dissolution of marriage records in Kent County.
When visiting in person, bring valid photo ID and the full names of both parties as they appeared on the divorce filing. An approximate year or date helps staff narrow the search. If you have a case number, bring it. Staff at the clerk's office can look up cases by name, but they are not permitted to provide legal advice on how to use the records or what to file. For help with forms, use the Guide and File tool at courts.state.md.us/guideandfile.
The screenshot below shows the Kent County clerk information page as it appears on the Maryland Courts website, where you can find service details and request information for dissolution of marriage records.
The Kent County Circuit Court Clerk page on the Maryland Courts website describes services, record types, and how to access dissolution of marriage filings in this county.
This page is the official source for clerk services in Kent County and the best place to start if you need to request dissolution of marriage records from the Chestertown courthouse.
Copy Fees for Kent County Divorce Records
Copy fees for dissolution of marriage records in Kent County follow the standard Maryland rate. Standard copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document plus the per-page copy fee. Exemplification, used for official legal proceedings outside Maryland, costs $10.00 plus the copy fee. Payment is accepted in cash, check, money order, or credit card. There is no mail-in request option listed for this office, so an in-person visit or use of the online case search is the most direct path to obtaining records.
Under Maryland Family Law Code § 7-103, Maryland law sets out the grounds for absolute divorce. Changes to the law in recent years simplified the process, and many uncontested cases move through the Kent County Circuit Court without long delays. Once the final decree is issued, it becomes part of the permanent public case file held by the clerk.
Plat records in Kent County are accessible through PLATS.NET using username: plato and password: plato#. This is a separate system from dissolution of marriage case records but may be useful if a divorce case involved property in Kent County and you need to review land boundaries or recorded surveys. Note: Juvenile and adoption records require a court order before the clerk can release them.
Filing a Dissolution of Marriage Case in Kent County
Filing for dissolution of marriage in Kent County starts at the Circuit Court at 103 N. Cross Street in Chestertown. The filing fee is $165 for self-represented parties and $175 when filed by an attorney. Both are paid at the time of filing. Under Maryland Family Law Code § 7-101, at least one spouse must have lived in Maryland for six months before filing. You file in the county where either you or your spouse currently lives.
Once you file, the clerk assigns a case number and the record is added to the court system. The other party must be served with the papers. After service, both parties may work out a settlement or proceed to a hearing. Property division follows Maryland Family Law Code § 8-205, which requires equitable distribution of marital assets. The judge in Kent County applies this standard when deciding any contested property issues. The final decree is the closing document in the case and is what most people need when they request dissolution of marriage records in Kent County.
Free court forms are available at courts.state.md.us/family/family-forms. The Guide and File system walks self-represented filers through each form in the process. Both tools are state-level resources that apply directly to filings in Kent County.
Divorce Certificates and the Circuit Court Record
The Maryland Department of Health issues divorce verification certificates for divorces finalized in 1992 or later. These certificates cost $12 and confirm the names, date, and county of a divorce but do not include the terms of the settlement or any custody or support orders. You can request them at health.maryland.gov/vsa/Pages/divorce.aspx. They are useful for administrative needs like name changes on government ID or insurance records.
For the complete dissolution of marriage record, including all pleadings, orders, and the final decree, you need to contact the Kent County Circuit Court Clerk. This applies to all divorces in Kent County, and it is the only source for cases before 1992. The full case file is the document that lawyers, lenders, and courts in other states typically require when the matter goes beyond a simple verification. The clerk's office at 103 N. Cross Street in Chestertown handles these requests during regular business hours.
For general guidance on divorce law in Maryland, the Maryland Courts legal help page at mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/family/divorce is a reliable statewide resource that applies directly to cases filed in Kent County.
The screenshot below is from the Kent County Circuit Court's own website, showing the court's local information page for residents of Chestertown and Kent County.
The Kent County Circuit Court website at circuitcourt.kentcounty.com provides locally specific information about court services and how to access dissolution of marriage records at this courthouse.
This site is maintained by Kent County and supplements the state-level Maryland Courts directory with local court details and filing guidance specific to Chestertown.
Cities in Kent County
Kent County is a small county on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Chestertown is the county seat and the location of the Circuit Court that handles all dissolution of marriage filings in the county. No cities in Kent County meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site.
Other communities in Kent County include Galena, Millington, Betterton, and Rock Hall. Residents of all these areas file dissolution of marriage cases at the Circuit Court in Chestertown at 103 N. Cross Street.
Nearby Counties
Kent County is bordered by Cecil County to the north and Queen Anne's County to the south. If you are not certain which county handled a dissolution of marriage case, the Maryland Case Search portal at casesearch.courts.state.md.us searches all Maryland circuit courts at once and will show the county of filing in the results.