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Friday, March 03, 2017

Bill Would Allow Protective Orders Admitted in Divorce Court

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland House on Thursday voted in favor of a bill that repeals language in Maryland’s Family Law prohibiting decisions in domestic violence proceedings from being admitted as evidence in divorce court. The bill passed with no dissenting votes.

Current Maryland law states that divorce courts cannot consider decisions or orders made in district or circuit courts when hearing divorce proceedings.

Divorce courts can consider abuse as a reason for divorce, but not protective orders, which are given in cases of physical abuse such as rape and assault, or stalking.

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

So long as these are properly weighed as evidence on level ground for both parties, so be it, and good for that. There is room here for specious claims before the court, so prudence must be exercised.

Anonymous said...

Great point.

Zorro said...

11:38.....great points....unfortunately. the courts in Wicomico County favor women...regardless how crazy and abusive they were to their husbands, no matter how many times they were involved in infidelity with their doctors to get prescription opiate drugs, and no matter if they wrote in their diaries they planned on killing you....the courts favor women.....I will never marry in Wicomico County...I can only imagine the courts state wide are sexist in decision making as well...

Anonymous said...


Protective orders have a genuine use, but they can and frequently are sought for purposes of leverage when a marriage or relationship founders. They are readily awarded primarily on the say-so of the 'aggrieved' and have an immediate devastating effect on the life of the one served if they were still residing together.

Viewed in that context, reservations about permitting their introduction into divorce cases needs more thought.

Anonymous said...

As long as men and women don't have equal footing in the eyes of the courts, men will always be sucking the hind teat in these confrontations.