Howard County Divorce Records
Howard County divorce records are filed and kept at the Circuit Court in Ellicott City, Maryland. The court is located at 9250 Judicial Way and handles all divorce cases for residents of Howard County. You can search basic case details online for free through the Maryland Judiciary Case Search, or visit the Clerk's Office in person to get certified copies of divorce decrees. The Civil Department handles domestic relations matters and maintains the case files you need.
Howard County Overview
Howard County Circuit Court
The Howard County Circuit Court is at 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043. This is the main courthouse for all civil and family matters in Howard County, including divorce filings. If you have heard about the old courthouse on Court Avenue in Ellicott City, that building is being repurposed as an arts center. All court operations moved to the Judicial Way location. Do not go to the old address if you need to file or pick up records.
Clerk Wayne A. Robey oversees the office. The general information line is 410-313-2111. You can reach Clerk Robey directly at 410-313-2160. If you are calling from outside the local area, the toll-free number is 1-888-313-0197. For the Civil Department, which handles divorce cases, call 410-313-3844. The Court Information Line is 410-313-4851. You can also send an email to howardcircuitinfo@mdcourts.gov for general inquiries. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Howard County Circuit Court case records page has links to online search tools and information about requesting copies. That page is your first stop if you want to find a divorce case in Howard County before going to the courthouse.
The case records page lists all the ways to request documents from the court, including phone numbers and links to online search tools for Howard County divorce records.
| Court Address | 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043 |
|---|---|
| General Phone | 410-313-2111 |
| Civil Department | 410-313-3844 |
| Clerk Direct | Wayne A. Robey, 410-313-2160 |
| Toll-Free | 1-888-313-0197 |
| howardcircuitinfo@mdcourts.gov | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Searching Howard County Divorce Records Online
The free online tool for finding Howard County divorce records is the Maryland Judiciary Case Search at casesearch.courts.state.md.us. It is available any time, day or night. To search Howard County cases, go to the site and select Civil as the case type, then choose Circuit Court Only and pick Howard County as the jurisdiction. Type in one or both party names. Adding a date range helps narrow things down if you know roughly when the divorce was filed.
Look for case type DA, which stands for absolute divorce, or DL for limited divorce. Case Search shows basic details only. You will see party names, the case number, the filing date, and current status. The actual decree and case documents are not available online. You need to contact the Clerk's Office to get copies of those. Write down the case number when you find it. That number makes any request much faster, whether you call, mail, or visit in person.
Note: Public access terminals at the courthouse also let you search Howard County case records in person at 9250 Judicial Way during regular business hours.
How to Request Howard County Divorce Records
There are three ways to get divorce records from the Howard County Circuit Court. In person is the fastest option if you need copies the same day. Go to the Clerk's Office at 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City. Bring a valid photo ID. If you have the case number, bring it. If not, staff in the Civil Department can look up the case with the full names of both parties. You fill out a request form at the office, pay the fees, and records are usually ready the same day or within two to three business days.
Mail requests go to: Clerk of the Circuit Court, Civil Department, 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Your request letter should include the full names of both parties, the divorce date if you know it, the case number if available, and your return address. Include a copy of a valid photo ID. Send a check or money order payable to "Clerk, Circuit Court for Howard County" along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you need expedited return shipping, include a pre-paid return envelope from FedEx or UPS and the court will use it.
Online search through Maryland Judiciary Case Search gives you basic case information at no cost. You can confirm that a divorce exists, see the filing date, and find the case number. But full document copies and certified decrees still require a formal request to the court. Online access does not replace a records request for legal purposes.
Note: The court accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover) for in-person payments, which is useful if you do not have exact change for the copy fees.
Howard County Divorce Record Fees
Copy fees at the Howard County Circuit Court are the same as other Maryland circuit courts. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $0.50 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document. Exemplified copies, sometimes needed for legal use in other states, cost $10.00 plus the per-page copy fee. A typical divorce decree is a few pages, so a certified copy often runs between $6.00 and $10.00 depending on length.
Payment options in person include cash, check, money order, or credit card. Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted. For mail requests, use a check or money order. Make checks payable to "Clerk, Circuit Court for Howard County." Do not send cash in the mail. There is no fee to search the online case database through Maryland Judiciary Case Search. That tool is free to use at any time.
If you want a certified copy from the Maryland State Archives for older records, the fee is $25.00 for a certified copy or $5.00 for an uncertified copy. The Division of Vital Records charges $12.00 for a divorce verification for cases from 1992 onward. That verification is not a full copy of the decree but does confirm the divorce in an official format.
What Howard County Divorce Records Include
A Howard County divorce decree includes the full names of both parties, the date the divorce was finalized, the case number, the county, and the legal grounds used. It also states the effective date of the marriage dissolution, the judge's signature, and the court seal. These are the basic facts you need for most legal and administrative purposes. Certified copies carry the same weight as the original for things like name changes, passport applications, and remarriage licenses.
The full case file contains more. Divorce cases in Howard County often include a financial statement showing each party's income and expenses, a joint statement of marital and non-marital property, and the marital settlement agreement if the parties reached one. When children are involved, parenting plans, child support worksheets, and custody orders are also part of the file. If retirement accounts were divided, a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) may be in the file as well. Alimony provisions, property division terms, and any name restoration orders round out what the decree can contain.
Under Maryland Rule 16-934, certain information is shielded from public copies. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, medical records, income tax returns, and identifying details about minor children are redacted from copies provided to the public. If domestic violence is part of the case history, some information may be protected as well.
Under Md. Code, Family Law Section 7-101, at least one party must have lived in Maryland for at least six months before filing. That residency requirement applies to all Howard County divorces. Maryland Rule 16-902 governs public access to court records, which means most divorce case documents are open to the public with the exceptions noted above.
Historical Howard County Divorce Records
For older Howard County divorce records, two separate sources exist. The Maryland State Archives at shop.msa.maryland.gov holds Howard County divorce records going back to 1851. Records transferred from the Circuit Court to the Archives cover divorces up through approximately 1984. Certified copies from the Archives cost $25.00. Uncertified copies are $5.00. To order, you need the names of both parties, the county, the approximate year of the divorce, and the case number if you have it.
The Maryland State Archives order form lets you request certified or uncertified copies of historical Howard County divorce decrees going back to the mid-1800s.
For divorces finalized on or after January 1, 1992, the Maryland Division of Vital Records at health.maryland.gov/vsa issues official divorce verifications for $12.00 each. This is not a full copy of the decree. It is a certificate confirming the divorce happened, but it is accepted for many official purposes. Contact Vital Records at 6550 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215, or by phone at 410-764-3038. The Archives address is 350 Rowe Boulevard, Annapolis, MD 21401, phone 410-260-6400.
Note: For divorces between roughly 1984 and 1992, the Circuit Court in Ellicott City is likely still the best source since those records may not yet be at the Archives and are too old for Vital Records.
Legal Help for Howard County Divorce Cases
If you are handling your own divorce in Howard County, several free resources can help. The Maryland Guide and File tool at courts.state.md.us/guideandfile walks you step by step through completing the standard divorce forms used in Maryland circuit courts, including Howard County. It does not file for you, but it helps you fill out the forms correctly before you go to the courthouse.
The People's Law Library at peoples-law.org has a detailed overview of Maryland divorce law, covering grounds, procedures, what courts look at for custody and support, and how the process works from start to finish. This is a good free reference if you want to understand what to expect. The Maryland Courts Self-Help Center is reachable at 410-260-1392, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and offers live attorney chat on the courts website for self-represented litigants.
Under Md. Code, Family Law Section 7-103, Maryland law sets out the grounds for divorce, which now include a no-fault option. You do not need to prove fault to get an absolute divorce in Howard County. If you need a lawyer, Maryland Legal Aid serves Howard County residents who qualify based on income. The Howard County Bar Association also has a referral service for those who need to find a private attorney.
Cities in Howard County
All cities and communities in Howard County file divorce cases at the Circuit Court in Ellicott City. Select a city below for more specific information about accessing Howard County divorce records from your area.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Howard County. If you are not sure which county handles your divorce case, check the address where you or your spouse lives. You file in the county where either party currently lives in Maryland.