Plaintiff
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Defendant
City, State, Zip
Street Address
Telephone
Telephone
City/County
Court Address
CIRCUIT COURT FOR , MARYLAND
Located at Telephone
Case No.
vs.
COMPLAINT FOR ABSOLUTE DIVORCE
(Family Law § 7-103)
MDEC counties only: If this submission contains Restricted Information (confidential by statute, rule
or court order) you must file a Notice Regarding Restricted Information Pursuant to Rule 20-201.1
(form MDJ-008) with this submission, and check the Restricted Information box on this form.
NOTE: Use this form to initiate an absolute divorce case. Mark the “Restricted Information” box at the top
of this or any other form you file that includes financial or other confidential information such as part of a
social security or federal tax identification number. Only list the last four digits of account/ID numbers.
Visit mdcourts.gov/divorce.
I, , state that:
1. The defendant and I were married on in ,
in a ☐ civil ☐ religious ceremony.
2. Check all that apply:
☐
I have lived in Maryland since .
☐
My spouse has lived in Maryland since .
☐ The grounds, or legal reasons, for divorce occurred in Maryland.
(for a list of grounds see number 13 below)
☐ The grounds for divorce occurred outside Maryland, and either my spouse or I have been a
resident of Maryland for at least six (6) months prior to the date this complaint was filed.
3. I know of the following cases, or I have been involved (as a party, witness, etc.) in the following
cases about me, my spouse, or the child(ren). Examples include cases such as custody, child
support, guardianship, protective order (domestic violence), paternity, divorce, visitation (child
access), CINA, delinquency, termination of parental rights, adoption or other cases:
CC-DR-020 (Rev. 10/2023) Page 1 of 6 COADI
Name
Date of marriage
City/County/State where married
Month/Year
Month/Year
Country where married
☐
Mark this box if this form contains Restricted Information.
E-mail
E-mail
Case No.
Cour
t
Case No. Kind of Case Year Filed
Result/Status/Date of
Most Recent Order
Attach the most recent court order for these cases.
4. Child(ren)
(check one):
☐
We ha
ve no child(ren) together (skip to number 10).
☐
My spouse and I are parents of the following child(ren) together:
5. I know
of the following people, who are not parties to this case, but have or claim to have rights to
physical or legal custody, visitation (child access), or guardianship of the minor child(ren):
6. The
minor child(ren) currently live(s) at with
.
7. The minor child(ren) has/have lived in Maryland for at least six (6) months
☐ yes ☐
no.
In the past five (5) years, the minor child(ren) has/have lived in the following places with the
following persons:
Tim
e Period
Address
Name(s) and Current Address of
Person(s) with whom Minor
Child(ren) Lived
CC-DR-020 (Rev. 10/2023) Page 2 of 6 COADI
Name
Name
Current Address
Current Address
Name
Current Address
Address
Name
Name
Name
Name
Name
Name
Name
Year of birth
Year of birth
Year of birth
Year of birth
Year of birth
Year of birth
Case No.
8. Parenting Plan (Custody and Visitation Agreement) (check one):
☐ My spouse and I have agreed on a parenting plan(s) that we believe is/are in the best interest of
the minor child(ren). Attach your signed and dated parenting plan agreement.
☐ My spouse and I have not agreed on a parenting plan(s).
See: Maryland Parenting Plan Instructions (Form CC-DRIN-109) and Maryland Parenting
Plan Tool (Form CC-DR-109) or visit mdcourts.gov/parentingplans.
It is in the best interest of the minor child(ren) that I have (check one selection from each line):
☐ joint ☐ primary physical custody (parenting time) of
.
☐ joint ☐ sole legal custody (decision-making authority) of
.
☐ visitation (child access or parenting time) with
.
9. Child Support (check one):
☐ I am asking for child support and/or health insurance for the minor child(ren).
If you and your spouse’s combined gross monthly income (before taxes/not take-home
pay) is $30,000 or less, attach Financial Statement (Child Support Guidelines)
(Form CC-DR-030); if the combined gross monthly income is more than $30,000, attach
Financial Statement (General) (Form CC-DR-031).
☐ Child support has been established:
☐ in a separate court case, Case No. in
.
At
tach a copy of the most recent order if available.
☐ I am not asking for child support and/or health insurance for the minor child(ren) at this
time, because
10. Al
imony (select one):
☐ My spouse and I have a signed and dated written agreement that covers alimony.
Attach a copy of the agreement.
It can, but does not have to, include an agreement about marital property.
☐ I ☐ am ☐ am not seeking alimony, because
If
you want the court to establish alimony, attach a Financial Statement (General)
(Form CC-DR-031) if you want alimony. You do not need to attach a financial statement if
you and your spouse have a written agreement that covers alimony.
CC-DR-020 (Rev. 10/2023) Page 3 of 6 COADI
Name(s) of child(ren)
Name(s) of child(ren)
Name(s) of child(ren)
County and State
C
ase No.
11. Ma
rital Property:
☐ My spouse and I have a signed and dated written agreement about how we will divide marital
property.
Attach a copy of the agreement.
It can, but does not have to, include an agreement about alimony.
☐ My spouse and/or I have the following property that needs to be divided by the court
(check all that apply):
☐ House ☐ Furniture
☐ Pension(s)/Retirement account(s)* ☐ Bank account(s) and investment(s)
☐ Motor vehicles ☐ Business(es)
☐ Other:
☐
I am requesting to have use and possession of the home and/or to have use and possession of the
family personal property for the benefit of the minor child(ren) for up to three (3) years from the
date of the divorce.
☐ My spouse and I have no marital property that needs to be decided by the court.
12.
I am requesting to be restored to my former name .
(If you do not request your former name at this time, you may do so later by filing a motion within 18
months after the judgment of absolute divorce was entered.)
13. My grounds (legal reasons) for absolute divorce are (you may check more than one):
☐ Mutual Consent – My spouse and
I have signed a written settlement agreement that
resolves issues relating to alimony; the distribution of property (real and personal); and the care,
custody (child access/visitation), and support of minor or dependent child(ren). Neither of us has
taken any action to set aside (invalidate) the agreement.
A
ttach a copy of your written, signed, and dated agreement (Form CC-DR-116, Marital
Settlement Agreement).
If your agreement provides for the payment of child support, you must attach a copy of the
completed Child Support Guidelines Worksheet (Form CC-DR-034 for primary physical custody
or CC-DR-035 for shared physical custody).
CC
-DR-020 (Rev. 10/2023) Page 4 of 6
COADI
*NOTES:
• If you have or your spouse has a retirement or pension plan, talk to a lawyer. You
m
ay need a “domestic relations order” to transfer the marital portion of benefit
s
f
rom one spouse to the other. These orders are sometimes called qualified
domestic relations orders (QDROs), Court Orders Acceptable for Processing
(COAP), or qualifying retirement benefit court orders. If you and your spouse
agree on how to divide the benefits, you can draft and file an order for the court to
approve. Each plan has specific requirements that must be met for the order to b
e
va
lid and accepted. A lawyer can advise you based on the plan.
• Social Security benefits cannot be divided in a divorce. Contact the Social Security
Administration or a lawyer for more information.
Full former name
Case No.
☐ Six (6)-Month Separation – From on or about , my spouse and I have
lived separate and apart, without interruption for six (6) months or more before the date of
filing of this complaint.
Spouses who live under the same roof but pursue separate lives or who are separated
in accordance with a court order are considered to live “separate and apart.”
☐ Irreconcilable Differences – Our marriage should be terminated for the following reasons that
cannot be resolved:
FOR T
HESE REASONS, I request (check all that apply):
☒ a
n Absolute Divorce.
☐ a change back to my former name, .
☐ jo
int ☐ primary physical custody (parenting time) of the minor child(ren).
☐ joint ☐ sole legal custody (decision-making authority) of the minor child(ren).
☐ visitation (child access or parenting time) with the minor child(ren).
☐ child support (attach Form CC-DR-030 or CC-DR-031).
☐ health insurance for the child(ren).
☐ alimony (attach Form CC-DR-031).
Pro
perty (check all that apply): (The following requests require a Joint Statement
(Form CC-DR-033) to be filed at least ten (10) days before the trial date if you and your spouse are
not able to reach a written agreement that resolves all property issues.)
☐ To have use and possession of the family home and/or to have use and possession of the family
personal property for the benefit of the minor child(ren) for up to three (3) years from the date
of divorce.
☐ My share of the property or its value.
☐ Transfer of family use personal property.
☐ Transfer of the marital share(s) of pension and/or retirement benefits and authority to draft and
submit for court approval a domestic relations order to accomplish the transfer.
☐ Transfer of the real property jointly owned by the parties located at
.
from to .
☐ Authorize to purchase from
an interest in real property located at
☐ A monetary award (money) based on marital property.
☐ Incorporate, but not merge, our written agreement into the judgment of absolute divorce.
☒ Any other appropriate relief.
CC-DR-020 (Rev. 10/2023) Page 5 of 6 COADI
Full former name
Name
Name
Name
Name
Address
Address
Month/Date/Year
Case No.
I solemnly affirm under the penalties of perjury that the contents of this document are true to the best of my
knowledge, information, and belief.
CC-DR-020 (Rev. 10/2023) Page 6 of 6 COADI
Signature of Plaintiff/Attorney/Attorney Code
Printed Name
Telephone Number
City, State, Zip
Date
Address
E-mail
Attorney Number
Fax
Reset
