Obtain Free Baltimore County Divorce Records on Anybody

Access free Baltimore County divorce records to reveal details of anyone’s marital status or information on marriages that have since been dissolved. Searchers can use these important records to provide documentation for various purposes, whether personal or official.

Additionally, parties to a divorce or annulment can obtain official certified copies of documents for a small fee. No matter the reason for your inquiry, you will find that Baltimore County, Maryland, has thorough records and a welcoming service to assist citizens; use this resource for efficient methods, links, and contact information for the custodians that host these records.

How To Find Free Baltimore County Divorce Records

The Clerk of the Circuit Court holds the public divorce records. In Maryland, these documents are considered public records, and everyone has the right to search and view them. The divorce information exists in an online summary, which can be accessed through the Clerk’s website.

Additionally, the custodian also stores a complete and detailed file with paper copies and scanned documents. Individuals can follow steps to find the case summary, request records to be sent, or view the file in person.

The first step in all cases is to find out the case number and verify that the records are located in Baltimore County. To do so, the clerk recommends using their helpful Judiciary Case Search tool.¹

After navigating to the site, simply check the box and agree to the disclaimer. Then, users enter the information about the case record.

The database holds a plethora of court records of all kinds. So make sure to select the following search criteria to find divorce records in Baltimore County:

• Party Type: Party
• Case Type: Civil
• Court System: Circuit & District
• County: Baltimore

Any cases that fit your criteria will be displayed. Select the case that matches your inquiry by clicking on the case number. The tool will then display the summary of the case such as the court, the dates, the judge’s name, and the procedural history.

Users will see information such as when the divorce was filed, when papers were served to the other party, hearing dates, and the case number.

Alternatively, you can visit the Clerk’s Office in person or call the clerk to get assistance in locating the summary and case number. The Clerk gives directions to assist drivers for those who want to go in person.² Assistance is also provided over the phone at (410)-887-2601.

Baltimore County Clerk of the Circuit Court
401 Bosley Avenue Second Floor
Towson, MD 21204

By using the online search tool, connecting with the clerk’s office with a phone call, or arriving in person, individuals will be able to get free summary information. Some researchers will complete their inquiry with this step. However, others will continue the process to request copies of the detailed divorce or annulment.

To do so, requestors will provide basic information found from the summary record, such as:

• Case number
• Full name of both spouses
• Whether the case is a divorce or an annulment
• Mailing address to receive the copies

To obtain this full record, users fill out the Request for Copy of Judgement of Divorce form.³ For the fastest service, the Clerk’s Office recommends sending the form by email to [email protected].

You can also send the form via traditional mail to the following address:

Baltimore County Circuit Court Clerk
Judicial Records
PO Box 6754
Towson MD 21285

The search process is free, but small charges apply to obtain copies or certified proof of divorce. Copies of the records cost $.50 per page. If you are a party to a divorce or annulment, you can also obtain certified copies by paying an additional charge of $5.

Turn to Cities or Towns Within Baltimore County for Local Divorce & Dissolution Records

Local municipalities in Maryland do not keep their divorce records. In the Maryland court system, there are two types of trial courts called district and circuit courts.⁴

The smaller local district courts handle other types of cases, such as traffic violations, landlord-tenant disputes, and misdemeanor crimes without a jury trial. Because of this, divorce record seekers should not seek local municipal records but instead, only pursue records in circuit courts that handle family law.

Note: One common area of confusion is records for Baltimore City. Baltimore City is its own administrative district with its own circuit court; it is not located within Baltimore County.

How To View & Acquire Divorce Records in Maryland as a Whole

Researchers may anticipate that a record exists in Baltimore County, only to find out later that the decree was issued elsewhere in the state. There are three options to find and retrieve these records.

In most cases, interested parties can use the same Judiciary Case Search online tool that the Baltimore County Clerk provides and change one of the settings. Instead of clicking the option for Baltimore County, select the other county name or “Default All” to search the entire state.

For genealogical purposes, researchers can access older records through the Maryland State Archives’ Divorce Records.⁵ The records start in 1851, as there are no official state documents from common law divorces before that time. Search the divorce index and annulments index kept in the 1851-1984 Baltimore County Equity Docket Index.

With the case number, interested parties can determine if the entire record at the archives with a search of Baltimore County indexes. The search will result in a data screen showing the location in the archives of the materials. Researchers might find the appropriate records in either the Baltimore County 1851-1984 Equity Papers or the 1879-2004 Civil Papers.⁶

After locating the case of interest, researchers can order copies of the case documents for a fee by filling out a Divorce Decree Order Form.⁷

Alternately, citizens are able to visit the archives and view the documents for free by filling out the Request to View. Then the archives will contact you to set up an appointment to review the divorce document.

The Maryland State Archives can be visited, called, or faxed by using the following address and contact information:⁸

Maryland State Archives
350 Rowe Boulevard,
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Nationwide Phone: 800-235-4045
Local Phone: 410-260-6400
Fax: 410-974-2525
Email: [email protected]

Additionally, the Maryland Vital Statistics Administration also provides some recent records from 1/1/2016 to the present through a third-party vendor that is endorsed by the state. By following the link to VitalChek, record seekers can access a divorce record database.

To find the record this way, users have to enter the location of the divorce, the names of the persons divorced, the type of divorce action, and the county in which the divorce took place. So, this option is viable only for those who are seeking a certified copy of their own case where they have all the details at hand. The fee for the certified copy of the divorce certificate is $12.

Who Is Able To Retrieve Divorce Records in Baltimore County?

State lawmakers deem divorce cases to be public records that are accessible to anyone as part of the Maryland Public Information Act.⁹

Generally, any interested party can search and view divorce case files including the basic record and the full decree. Maryland divorce records include decrees and files with other divorce papers. Decrees are the official order of the judge that ends the marriage and gives directions for any other issue to be resolved such as child custody.

However, sensitive information is often redacted. Parties to the divorce can petition the judge to seal parts of the file. Regulations permit the judge to seal information about children and sensitive business or financial records.

Additionally, the court will order parts sealed to protect victims of domestic violence.

The guidelines differ for certified copies, which serve as official proof of the divorce. Only the former spouses who are parties in the case or lawyers representing the party can receive these copies.

Various other third-party providers compile records from multiple online databases and make them available. These databases may be helpful if the records the searcher is curious about are hard to find in official archives. However, keep in mind that only the actual government records can be used for proof of divorce or any other official purpose.

Luckily for researchers, the county clerk and the State of Maryland provide many resources and tools to search for Baltimore County divorce records. By following the steps described, interested parties can find the information for a variety of legal and genealogical purposes.