Bills Effecting Family Law Making Way Through Maryland Senate

Hands of wife, husband signing decree of divorce

Several bills that affect family law are making their way through the Maryland Senate. Bills involving divorce, youth marriage and adultery are being heard and could soon be made into law. Here is a brief rundown of what is happening.

Divorce – Mutual Consent

A bill passed in the Senate that will allow courts to permit divorces based on the ground of mutual consent when the parties have minor children. The bill is meant to eliminate the years it can currently take for a divorce to be settled when their are children in the family. The potential law would encourage spouses to attempt to workout their divorce amicably. The bill passed with a 33-14 vote.

Adultery

As we have discussed previously, adultery is current illegal in the state of Maryland. If a person in the state is charged with and convicted of adultery, they are subject to a $10 fine. The law is considered arcane and essentially worthless. The bill would completely take the law off the books, making adultery a private issue rather than a criminal one.

Youth Marriage

A child aged 15 may marry in Maryland. A bill has been introduced that would raise the age of marriage. It would also provide consent to those who are 16 or 17 years old to marry if they have parental permission. Some lawmakers are trying to make 15-year-old marriage illegal across the board while some oppose its elimination.

If you need assistance with a family law matter in Columbia, MD, reach out to our office. We are here for you and will provide any assistance we can. Call us today to schedule an appointment for a case evaluation and learn more about your legal rights.