INSTRUCTIONS: MARYLAND COMPLAINT FOR ABSOLUTE DIVORCE (Form CCDR20)

A spouse filing a complaint for divorce against their spouse in Maryland may complete a complaint for absolute divorce without an attorney. This Form CCDR20 can be found from the website of the Maryland Judiciary.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 1: At the top of the page, enter your full name and address above the section reserved for the plaintiff. Do the same for your partner above the section reserved for the defendant.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 2: Write your full name where indicated.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 3: In section one, give the date and location of your marriage. Indicate with a check mark whether the ceremony was religious or civil.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 4: In section two, give the information requested about the Maryland residency status of both spouses.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 4: In section three, indicate whether you have children or not. If you do not have children, skip to step 67

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 5: In section four, list all court cases concerning the children or filed by one spouse against the other.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 6: If you have children, list their names and dates of birth in section three. In sections five and six, give information about any legal actions concerning children and other parties with custody rights.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 7: In section seven, list who the children are currently living with.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 8: In section eight, list all addresses from the last five years the children have lived at and the amount of time they were there. Provide the name and contact information of the people they lived with.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 9: In section nine, indicate your wishes concerning visitation and custody rights. In section ten, indicate if you seek alimony. Section eleven is optional and only if you wish for a judge to make a ruling concerning the division of property.

Maryland Complaint For Absolute Divorce CCDR20 Step 10: In section twelve, indicate with a check mark your grounds for divorce and the actions you would like the court to take.