Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

If I got married to the same person in two states, but only got divorced in one,

I got married in VA, in secret (about 20 years ago).

Then, 6 months later, while already married to my

husband, I ''got married'' (again to the same man) in

MD, writing ''single''on the MD state marriage license

certificate in order to keep the first marriage secret from

my folks.

When I got divorced, I used the (earlier) VA date of

marriage as the reference, but now that I'm seeking an

annulment, it has been questioned whether I'm truly

divorced, according to MD law. Can I be certain that the

divorce I got in VA, ''ended'' the marriage contract in both

states?


Asked on 1/13/03, 7:05 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys

David DenHartigh Attorney at Law

Re: If I got married to the same person in two states, but only got divorced in

You should consult with a Maryland divorce lawyer.

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Answered on 1/13/03, 8:39 pm
G. Joseph Holthaus III Law Offices of G. Joseph Holthaus

Re: If I got married to the same person in two states, but only got divorced in

A divorce proceeding in one state has the same legal effect in another state unless there are property matters that may not have been resolved in the subsequent state of marriage. An annulment proceeding accomplishes the same purpose but may be more costly to pursue, especially in Maryland. Filing a petition for divorce in Maryland will be honored with the prior divorce being suitable as corroborative evidence as is required in any divorce proceeding in Maryland. This presumes that the prior state granted a divorce of the previous marriage that satisfies the grounds within Maryland's statutes.

Contact me if you require assistance.

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Answered on 1/25/03, 12:15 am
Robert Sher Wagshal and Sher

Re: If I got married to the same person in two states, but only got divorced in

Your second secret marriage has no legal significance. If you get divorced, it doesn't matter how many times and where you were married to your husband--your divorced, period.

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Answered on 1/14/03, 4:48 pm


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