Find Divorce Records in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County divorce records are held at the Circuit Court in Annapolis, where the Clerk's office has maintained case files dating back to 1870. If you need to find or get copies of divorce records in Anne Arundel County, this guide covers the court, the search tools, the fees, and what to do depending on when the divorce was finalized.
Anne Arundel County Overview
Anne Arundel County Circuit Court
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court sits at 8 Church Circle in Annapolis. This is the court that handles all divorce cases in Anne Arundel County. The Clerk of Court is Scott A. Poyer. His office manages case filings, record requests, and certified copies. The main phone line is 410-222-1397, and there is a toll-free number at 888-246-0615 for callers outside the local area. TTY users can reach the office through Maryland Relay 711.
Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. If you need copies, note that the copy window closes at 4:20 PM, so plan to arrive a few minutes early. The court is closed on Maryland state holidays. If you need to reach the Civil and Family division directly, call 410-222-1431. For questions about civil case files specifically, the Civil Files line is 410-222-1219.
The mailing address for written requests is 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401-1934. Use this address when you send a request by mail and cannot come in person.
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court website at circuitcourt.org has the most current information on hours, department contacts, and online services. The screenshot below shows the court's main portal.
The Circuit Court site is updated regularly and includes links to the clerk's office, court calendars, and self-help resources for people handling their own divorce cases in Anne Arundel County.
| Court Address | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401 |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401-1934 |
| Main Phone | 410-222-1397 |
| Civil and Family Division | 410-222-1431 |
| Civil Files | 410-222-1219 |
| Toll-Free | 888-246-0615 |
| TTY | Maryland Relay 711 |
| Clerk of Court | Scott A. Poyer |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (copies until 4:20 PM) |
Two Sources for Anne Arundel County Divorce Records
Where you go to get an Anne Arundel County divorce record depends on one key date: January 1, 1992. Maryland splits responsibility for divorce records between the Circuit Court and the state's Division of Vital Records. Knowing which side handles your case will save you time and avoid a wasted trip or mailing.
If the divorce was finalized before January 1, 1992, you need to contact the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court directly. The court's records go back to 1870, so even very old cases are on file there. The Circuit Court is the only place that can provide actual copies of the decree and the full case file for pre-1992 divorces. Call the Civil Files line at 410-222-1219 or go in person to 8 Church Circle in Annapolis during business hours.
If the divorce was finalized on or after January 1, 1992, you can also contact the Maryland Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Their office is at 6550 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215. The phone number is 410-764-3038, and their website is health.maryland.gov/vsa/pages/dvr.aspx. The fee for a verification from Vital Records is $12. Keep in mind that Vital Records issues a certificate confirming the divorce took place. It does not provide the full decree or the case file documents. For those, you still go to the Circuit Court regardless of the year.
Note: The Division of Vital Records issues a short-form verification only, not a copy of the actual divorce decree, so contact the Circuit Court if you need the full document.
Anne Arundel County Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Circuit Court page at circuitcourt.org explains the full scope of what the Clerk's office handles, including divorce case filings, fee schedules, and record requests. The page below is a good starting point before contacting the office.
The Clerk's office is responsible for maintaining all court records, including Anne Arundel County divorce records, and for issuing certified copies to people who request them.
The Clerk of Court oversees several divisions. Divorce and family law cases fall under the Civil and Family Department. When you contact the court about a divorce record, the clerk or a deputy clerk will pull the case file, confirm what is available, and give you the cost for copies. You do not need a lawyer or a court order to request copies of a public case file. Most Anne Arundel County divorce records are public under Maryland Rule 16-902, with some limited exceptions for sealed or shielded material.
Certain personal details are protected under Maryland Rule 16-934. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and information that could identify minor children are redacted from public copies. If a domestic violence protective order is connected to the case, some additional information may be withheld. The Clerk can tell you what parts of a file are available when you make your request.
Civil and Family Department for Divorce Records
The Civil Department and Family Division page on the court's site explains what this division handles and how to contact the right staff for divorce cases. The screenshot below shows the page.
The Civil and Family Department at Anne Arundel County Circuit Court is the main point of contact for all divorce-related filings and record requests in the county.
This department handles the full range of domestic relations cases, including absolute divorce, limited divorce, legal separation, and cases involving child custody and support. If you are filing a new divorce case in Anne Arundel County, this is where you submit your paperwork. The filing fee as of 2025 is $197. Under Md. Code, Family Law section 7-101, at least one spouse must have lived in Maryland for six months before filing, and the case must be filed in the county where either party resides. The Civil and Family Department phone number is 410-222-1431.
When grounds for divorce are at issue, the court applies the standards set out in Maryland family law. The relevant statute on grounds for divorce governs what the court needs to find before granting a dissolution. Staff in the Civil and Family Department can tell you what forms are needed for your specific type of case, but they cannot give legal advice on strategy or outcomes.
How to Get Copies of Anne Arundel Divorce Records
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court provides several ways to get copies of divorce records. In person is the most direct route. Go to 8 Church Circle in Annapolis during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:20 PM for copies. Bring the names of both parties and the case number if you have it. Staff will locate the file and tell you the exact cost before you pay. In-person payments are cash, check, or money order only. Credit and debit cards are not accepted at the counter.
By mail, write a request to the Clerk of Circuit Court at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401-1934. Include the full names of both parties, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if you know it. Add a return address and a phone number. Do not include payment with your first letter. The clerk will calculate the fee and contact you. Then you send payment by check or money order and the copies come back by mail.
The Obtain File Copies page on the Circuit Court site walks through the steps for getting records by mail, in person, or through other available options. See the screenshot below for a look at that page.
The court's instructions page at circuitcourt.org covers the process for each request method and answers common questions about what to include and what to expect after you submit a request.
Note: Payment in person is cash, check, or money order only; the credit card reader is not available at the copy counter, so bring the right form of payment to avoid a second trip.
Anne Arundel County Divorce Record Fees
Copy fees at the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court are set by state schedule. Regular copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $0.50 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document. You pay the certification charge once per document, not per page, so a 10-page decree costs $5.00 plus $5.00 for certification, for a total of $10.00. If you need a certified copy for an out-of-state matter, confirm with the receiving party whether a standard certified copy is enough or whether they need a triple-seal exemplified copy.
There is a $12 non-refundable search fee. This fee covers the time to locate the case in the file system. You pay it whether or not a matching record is found, so having the correct names and approximate dates before you request is important. If you are using the Maryland Division of Vital Records for a post-1992 verification, that also costs $12 per request.
Filing a new divorce case in Anne Arundel County costs $197 as of 2025. Payment in person must be cash, check, or money order. For mail requests, use check or money order only. If cost is a barrier, ask the clerk about fee waiver options. People who qualify based on income can apply for a waiver on the standard Maryland form.
The Maryland State Archives also provides certified copies of older Anne Arundel County divorce records at $25 each through their online order system at shop.msa.maryland.gov. This is a good option if the courthouse file is not readily accessible or if you need a certified copy for genealogy or legal purposes.
Searching Anne Arundel County Divorce Records Online
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us is the free public tool for finding Anne Arundel County divorce case information online. It is available any time, day or night. To search for Anne Arundel divorces, go to the site and select Civil Case as the case category, then choose Circuit Court Only and pick Anne Arundel County from the jurisdiction list. Enter the name of either party and, if helpful, a date range to narrow the results. Look for case type DA, which stands for absolute divorce, or DL for limited divorce.
Case Search shows party names, case numbers, filing dates, case status, and scheduled hearings. It does not display the actual divorce decree or any documents from the case file. To get those, you must contact the Clerk's office. Having the case number from the online search will make your in-person or mail request much faster. The system pulls from current court data, but there can be a short delay on very recent filings.
Case Search is a good first step. It costs nothing and tells you quickly whether a case was filed in Anne Arundel County under the names you are searching. If you do not find a result, try alternate spellings of the name or broaden the date range. Some older records may not appear online if they predate the electronic filing system.
Family Law Self-Help Center in Anne Arundel County
The Family Law Self-Help Center at the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court is located in Suite 301 on the main entry floor of the courthouse at 8 Church Circle. The center is staffed by attorneys who can help people who are handling their own divorce cases. Walk-in hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM and again from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM. You do not need an appointment. Just show up during walk-in hours and sign in.
The center phone number is 410-260-1392. Attorneys at the Self-Help Center can explain court forms, walk through the steps for filing, and answer questions about how the process works. They do not take sides or represent you in your case. They cannot give legal advice tailored to your personal situation, but they can explain procedures clearly. This is useful if you are not sure which forms to use or what the next step in your case should be.
The statewide Maryland Courts Self-Help Center uses the same phone number, 410-260-1392, and is available Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM. The court's website also offers a live chat option where you can talk with an attorney in real time. The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org has a detailed overview of Maryland divorce law and procedures that is free to read and covers the full process from start to finish.
Note: The Self-Help Center in Suite 301 serves people who represent themselves and cannot provide legal advice specific to your case or predict what a judge will decide.
Historical Anne Arundel County Divorce Records
The Anne Arundel County Circuit Court holds divorce records going back to 1870. That is a long time span, and older cases are stored differently from recent electronic filings. If you are looking for a record from the 1800s or early 1900s, contact the Civil Files line at 410-222-1219 and describe what you are looking for. Staff can tell you whether a specific record is on file and what is needed to request it. Genealogical researchers often use these records to trace family history, since divorce decrees name both parties, the date of marriage, and the grounds for the dissolution.
The Maryland State Archives at shop.msa.maryland.gov holds some transferred records from Anne Arundel County as well. The Archives is located at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis, phone 410-260-6400. Certified copies from the Archives cost $25. You will need both party names, the county, and an approximate date. For very old records where the exact year is uncertain, give the Archives a date range and they can search within it. Online ordering is available through their shop portal.
Cities in Anne Arundel County
All cities and communities in Anne Arundel County file divorce cases at the Circuit Court in Annapolis. Select a city below for more specific information about accessing Anne Arundel County divorce records from your area.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Anne Arundel County. Divorce cases must be filed in the county where either party lives. If you are not sure which county applies, check the current residential address of either spouse.