Proposed legislation could simplify divorce in Md.

Divorces involving children can quickly turn volatile according to certain Maryland legislators, that’s why Sen. Bobby Zirkin (D- Balt. Co) is aiming to allow couples with children to work together in order to reach a divorce quicker with his new legislation.

Under current Maryland law, couples with children must be separated for a year before they are able to file for divorce. Senate Bill 358 would allow couples to apply for a divorce as long as they were able to mutually agree on terms of separation.

As it pertains to the children, the care, custody access and support would all have to be negotiated as part of a settlement agreement. Both parties would also have to attach a child support guidelines worksheet, outlining who would pay what amount and when, as part of the agreement. This ultimately would be presented to the court, who would then decide if the terms of the settlement agreement were fair for both parties and the children involved. 

“When you have children  it’s that much more important to have couples working things out as amicably as possible. When things get ugly and there are kids involved the kids are the one who suffer the most,” said Zirkin, who also chairs the Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee. 

Thanks to law enacted in October of 2015, couples in Maryland without children are already allowed to apply for a divorce if they have come to a mutual settlement agreement.