Section 7-102 - Limited divorce. - Maryland Statutes

§ 7-102. Limited divorce.
 

(a)  Grounds for limited divorce.- The court may decree a limited divorce on the following grounds: 

(1) cruelty of treatment of the complaining party or of a minor child of the complaining party; 

(2) excessively vicious conduct to the complaining party or to a minor child of the complaining party; 

(3) desertion; or 

(4) voluntary separation, if: 

(i) the parties are living separate and apart without cohabitation; and 

(ii) there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation. 

(b)  Attempts at reconciliation.- As a condition precedent to granting a decree of limited divorce, the court may: 

(1) require the parties to participate in good faith in the efforts to achieve reconciliation that the court prescribes; and 

(2) assess the costs of any efforts to achieve reconciliation that the court prescribes. 

(c)  Time during which decree is effective.- The court may decree a divorce under this section for a limited time or for an indefinite time. 

(d)  Revocation of decree.- The court that granted a decree of limited divorce may revoke the decree at any time on the joint application of the parties. 

(e)  Decree of limited divorce on prayer for absolute divorce.- If an absolute divorce is prayed and the evidence is sufficient to entitle the parties to a limited divorce, but not to an absolute divorce, the court may decree a limited divorce. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 16, § 25; 1984, ch. 296, § 2; ch. 371.]