Find Dissolution of Marriage Records in Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County dissolution of marriage records are held at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Centreville. You can search for divorce cases using the statewide case search system or by visiting the clerk in person. The office uses a form-based request process for copies of judgments and decrees. Older records before 1999 may be stored in the Papervision system and require staff retrieval, so it helps to call ahead and bring as much case detail as you can.
Queen Anne's County Overview
Queen Anne's County Circuit Court Clerk
The Circuit Court Clerk for Queen Anne's County is Katherine Hager. The office is located at 100 Court House Square in Centreville. Mail requests go to the separate mailing address at 200 N. Commerce Street, Centreville, MD 21617. You can reach the civil division by calling 410-758-1773 and pressing Option 4. TTY users can connect through Maryland Relay at 711. Email inquiries go to qacc@mdcourts.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Queen Anne's County uses a specific form for requesting copies of dissolution of marriage decrees. The form is called "Request for Copy of a Judgment of Divorce or Order for Name Change" and it is available as a PDF from the court. You can download it directly at courts.state.md.us. The form asks for the case number if known, the plaintiff and defendant names, how many copies you need, your name and mailing address, and your phone number. You also indicate the total payment enclosed with the form.
| Clerk | Katherine Hager |
|---|---|
| Physical Address | 100 Court House Square, Centreville, MD 21617 |
| Mailing Address | 200 N. Commerce Street, Centreville, MD 21617 |
| Phone (Civil) | 410-758-1773, Option 4 |
| qacc@mdcourts.gov | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Court Records Page | courts.state.md.us/clerks/queenannes/courtrecords |
Searching Dissolution of Marriage Cases in Queen Anne's County
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the first place to look for Queen Anne's County dissolution of marriage records. This free tool covers Circuit Court filings and lets you search by party name or case number. Use the percent sign (%) as a wildcard for partial name searches. The system shows case status, hearing dates, and basic filing details.
Not every Queen Anne's County record appears in the online case search. Several docket types are only accessible through the Papervision system, which requires staff retrieval. These include Equity Dockets from 1975 to July 1984, Law Dockets from 1944 to July 1984, Civil Dockets from July 1984 to March 1999, Paternity Dockets from 1964 to March 1999, and older divorce decrees. If your case falls in one of these ranges, contact the clerk's office directly and give them as much information as possible. As of October 2020, the office requires a case number for efficient processing of these older requests.
The clerk's office cannot certify that a record does not exist. If no case is found under a given name, that does not mean no dissolution of marriage occurred. It may mean the records are in an archive or filed under a different spelling. The Maryland State Archives holds historical records going back to 1634 and can help with older divorce records from Queen Anne's County.
The Queen Anne's County court records page outlines how to access dissolution of marriage records and what systems are used to store older filings.
How to Get Copies of Queen Anne's County Divorce Decrees
You have two ways to get a copy of a dissolution of marriage decree from Queen Anne's County. In person is the fastest. Go to 100 Court House Square, give the clerk the case number or party names, complete the request form, show your ID, pay the fee, and you can get your copy the same day if the record is on-site.
For mail requests, download the PDF form from the link above and fill it out. Make your check or money order payable to "Clerk of Circuit Court." Credit cards are only accepted in person, not for mail orders. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can mail the copies back to you. Send everything to the mailing address at 200 N. Commerce Street, Centreville, MD 21617. Allow 5 to 10 business days for mail requests. Archived records may take additional time if they need to be pulled from off-site storage.
Certified copies cost $5.00 plus $0.50 per page. Non-certified copies cost $0.50 per page only. If you need a certified copy for legal use, such as remarriage or a name change, make sure you request certified when you fill out the form. Plain copies work fine for personal reference but may not be accepted in legal settings.
The civil division page for Queen Anne's County explains the full process for accessing dissolution of marriage records and making copy requests.
Note: The office cannot process requests for records stored in off-site archival storage the same day. Call ahead if you know your case is from the earlier Papervision docket range.
Maryland Dissolution of Marriage Law
Dissolution of marriage in Queen Anne's County follows the same state statutes that apply across Maryland. Family Law Article, Section 7-101 sets out the basic definitions. Section 7-103 lists the grounds for absolute divorce, which include mutual consent, separation, and certain fault-based grounds. The Circuit Court in Centreville applies these statutes when it reviews and decides dissolution of marriage cases filed in Queen Anne's County.
Property matters in a divorce go through the equitable distribution process under Family Law Article, Section 8-205. The court weighs several factors when deciding how to divide marital property. These include the length of the marriage, each party's financial contributions, and what each person needs going forward. The final order on property becomes part of the court record and can be accessed through the clerk's office in Centreville. For general guidance on the divorce process in Maryland, visit mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/family/divorce.
Forms for Filing in Queen Anne's County
Standard Maryland family law forms are available at courts.state.md.us/family/family-forms. These include the Complaint for Absolute Divorce (CC-DR-020), the Answer (CC-DR-050), and the Counter-Claim (CC-DR-094). If you are asking for a name change as part of the divorce, use form CC-DR-097. All forms are free to download.
If you are not sure which forms to fill out or how to complete them, try the Guide and File tool at courts.state.md.us/guideandfile. This step-by-step system walks you through the process and generates the forms you need based on your answers. It does not give legal advice, but it helps make the filing process less confusing for people who do not have an attorney. Once your forms are ready, bring them to the clerk's office at 100 Court House Square in Centreville.
Cities in Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County is a smaller county on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The county seat is Centreville, which is also where the Circuit Court is located. No cities in Queen Anne's County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Residents of all communities in the county file dissolution of marriage cases at the Circuit Court Clerk's office in Centreville.
Nearby Counties
Queen Anne's County sits on the Eastern Shore and borders several other Maryland counties. If you are not certain which county applies to your case, check your current residence address. Dissolution of marriage cases must be filed in the county where you or your spouse lives.