Somerset County Dissolution of Marriage Lookup

Somerset County dissolution of marriage records are maintained at the Circuit Court in Princess Anne. You can search cases online through the statewide Maryland Judiciary Case Search or visit the courthouse in person to request copies of divorce decrees. The clerk's office accepts written mail requests as well. Spanish-language assistance is available at the Somerset County courthouse, which can be useful for residents who need help navigating the dissolution of marriage process.

Somerset County Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk for Somerset County is Charles T. Horner. His Chief Deputy is Penny B. Custis, who can be reached at 410-845-4845. The main office number is 410-845-4840. Fax is 410-651-1048. You can email Clerk Horner directly at charles.horner@mdcourts.gov. The courthouse is at 30512 Prince William Street in Princess Anne. Mail goes to the P.O. Box at P.O. Box 99, Princess Anne, MD 21853-0099. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Spanish assistance is available for residents who need it.

The clerk's office handles all dissolution of marriage filings in Somerset County. This includes the initial complaint, all motions and orders filed during the case, and the final decree. Records from the courthouse are sent to the Maryland State Archives for permanent retention once a case is closed. If you need records that have already been transferred, the State Archives can help locate them.

Searching Dissolution of Marriage Records in Somerset County

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us covers all Somerset County Circuit Court filings. Enter one or both party names to find dissolution of marriage cases. A percent sign (%) works as a wildcard for partial name searches. The tool shows case numbers, filing dates, and current status at no charge. It is the best starting point before you make a trip to Princess Anne or send a written request.

In-person requests at the courthouse on Prince William Street are handled during regular hours. Bring the names of both spouses as they appeared during the divorce, an approximate filing date, and a case number if you have it. The clerk will search the records and tell you what is available. Somerset County dissolution of marriage records that have been transferred to the Maryland State Archives may take more time to retrieve. Call ahead if you think the case is more than a few decades old.

Mail requests are also accepted. Send a written request to the P.O. Box in Princess Anne. Include full names, the filing date or year range, the case number if known, and your contact information. Enclose a check or money order for the fees, and include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the copies. The office accepts cash, check, money order, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover) for in-person payments. Credit cards are not processed through the mail.

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is the fastest way to locate a Somerset County dissolution of marriage case before visiting the courthouse or sending a mail request.

Fees for Somerset County Dissolution Records

Somerset County uses standard Maryland court fee rates for dissolution of marriage records. Certified copies cost $5.50 each. Regular, non-certified copies cost $0.50 per page. The filing fee to open a new dissolution of marriage case in Somerset County is $165. If you need to access the records page to confirm current fee schedules, visit mdcourts.gov/clerks/somerset/records.

Fee waivers may be available for people with low income. If you cannot afford the filing fee, ask the clerk's office about the process for requesting a waiver. You will need to provide financial information to the court. The waiver does not cover copy fees or service fees, but it can reduce the burden of the main filing cost when you start a dissolution of marriage case in Somerset County.

Note: Fees can change. Confirm current rates with the clerk's office before mailing a payment or visiting in person.

Maryland Law Governing Somerset County Divorces

Dissolution of marriage cases in Somerset County follow Maryland state law, the same rules that apply in every county. The basic definitions that govern what constitutes a marriage under state law appear in Family Law Article, Section 7-101. The grounds under which a court may grant an absolute divorce are listed in Family Law Article, Section 7-103. These include mutual consent, separation of at least six months, and several fault-based grounds. The Somerset County Circuit Court applies these standards when ruling on all local dissolution of marriage cases.

Property division in a Somerset County dissolution of marriage case falls under Family Law Article, Section 8-205. The judge reviews factors like how long the marriage lasted, what each spouse contributed financially and otherwise, and what each party will be left with after the split. The court can issue a monetary award to make the outcome fair if property cannot simply be divided. All of these orders become part of the public dissolution of marriage record once the case is closed. For a plain-language guide to the full process, the Maryland Courts legal help site at mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/family/divorce is a useful resource.

Filing Forms for Dissolution of Marriage in Somerset County

All standard Maryland family law forms apply in Somerset County. The Complaint for Absolute Divorce is form CC-DR-020. You file this with the Circuit Court Clerk in Princess Anne to begin your case. If the other party wants to respond, they use CC-DR-050 for an answer or CC-DR-094 for a counter-claim. A name restoration request uses form CC-DR-097. All forms are free at courts.state.md.us/family/family-forms.

Somerset County is a small county, and the clerk's office staff can help direct you to the right forms when you visit in person. If you want to prepare before your visit, use the Guide and File tool at courts.state.md.us/guideandfile. This online tool is designed for people without attorneys and helps you identify the forms you need and fill them out correctly based on your situation.

The Maryland Courts legal help page covers the full dissolution of marriage process and links to all the forms needed to file a case in Somerset County and across the state.

Other Records Maintained by Somerset County

The Somerset County Circuit Court Clerk's office also holds other record types that may come up in connection with a dissolution of marriage case. Land records are searchable through the statewide system at mdlandrec.net. Plat records are at PLATS.NET, where you log in with the username "plato" and password "plato#." Corporate records through 1991 and military discharge records from 1919 to the present are also on file with the clerk.

These records can be useful if a divorce case involved real property transfers, business interests, or military service details. After a dissolution of marriage is finalized in Somerset County, the deed to a marital home may need to be updated in the land records system. The clerk's office can help you locate the right records and understand which office handles each type of request.

Cities in Somerset County

Somerset County is one of the smallest and least populated counties in Maryland. Princess Anne serves as the county seat and is home to the Circuit Court. Crisfield is the other notable community in the county. Neither city meets the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. All residents of Somerset County file dissolution of marriage cases at the courthouse on Prince William Street in Princess Anne.

Nearby Counties

Somerset County is on Maryland's lower Eastern Shore. It borders two other counties. Make sure your home address falls within Somerset County before filing a dissolution of marriage case here. Cases filed in the wrong county will need to be transferred, which adds time to the process.