Maryland Divorce Blog

Celebrity gossip lovers may know all about the pending divorce of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. Since the high-profile duo called it quits just 72 days after their lavish wedding, celebrity insiders have speculated about whether the celebutante will return the $2 million engagement ring to her ex.

The 20.5 carat diamond ring has been subject to much debate and it was reported today that Humphries has formally asked for the ring back. Gossip outlets say that Humphries paid for the ring, and feels that he should be able to reclaim it since Kardashian filed for divorce so soon after the nuptials.

Maryland residents who are going through a divorce or another family law matter are wise to be very careful with their Facebook and other social media accounts. According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, more than 80 percent of divorce lawyers say the number of cases that use social networking evidence has been on the rise since 2006.

In all types of law, cases involving evidence culled from Facebook, Twitter or other sites is becoming common. Because Maryland residents have become so used to posting photos, location updates and personal thoughts on these pages, they often do not realize the weight that some of these observations can carry. Certain status updates, conversations or photos can have a drastic effect on a divorce settlement or child custody order.

A number of things can lead Maryland couples to file for divorce. Sometimes, one spouse is having an affair, or the relationship has become abusive. In other cases, the couple finds that they cannot agree on personal finances or religion and this division has eroded the marriage. And, sometimes a couple simply grows apart. The exact reasons for a divorce are not always revealed in Maryland because of the no-fault divorce option.

Under Maryland's family law statutes, a no-fault divorce can be obtained after one year of separation. If at this point there is no hope or expectation of reconciliation, either spouse can attain an absolute divorce without listing a reason. However, across the pond things are not so simple. In England, a divorce can only be granted if it falls under one of five categories. One of these categories, "unreasonable behavior," leads to what we in the states might consider to be very odd divorce cases.

In an interesting twist of events, while the rate of marriage has declined in America in recent years, the number of couples seeking prenuptial-type agreements has actually increased, according to a recent survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

While many couples in Maryland and elsewhere are still choosing to live together and buy homes together, some are foregoing the traditional first step of signing on the dotted line of a marriage certificate. Because of this, an increasing number of unmarried couples are interested in legally-binding contracts called cohabitation agreements, which protect their assets in the event of a break-up.