Family Court – Cecil County

Hearings    Orders

Filing Requirements
Fees:     Court Fees     Sheriff’s Fees     Fee Waivers
Forms:     Distribution     Assistance     Domestic Case Management (DCM) Forms 
Child Support Worksheets     Notarization     Emergency Hearings

Fees
Court Fees
Uncontested Divorce Master Fee: None
Is this fee paid to the Master?: N/A
Pro Se filing fee: $105
Filing fee with an attorney: $115 
Post-judgment filing fee: $25

Sheriff’s Fees
Sheriff’s fee for service: $40
Reissuance of Summons: no fee

Fee Waivers
Both pre-payment and eventual of fees may be waived, and costs may be assessed to one of the parties at the end of the hearing. This may or may not include sheriff’s fees. In order for sheriff’s fees to be included, a waiver specifically citing sheriff’s fees as waived must be signed by the judge.

Forms
Distribution
The most reliable source of family court forms is the Administrative Office of the Courts, Family Services Division, which provides the most recent versions of forms for pro se litigants through their website. Forms are also available from the clerk’s office and the Family Court Services office.

Forms Assistance for Pro Se Litigants
A full-time pro se assistant (non-lawyer) is available through the Family Court Services office. Other staff members of this office will also provide assistance with the forms. On Mondays, a Legal Aid attorney provides assistance to pro se litigants from 1pm-4pm. On Fridays a private attorney, funded by the courthouse, is available from 2pm-5pm.

If you are considering filing for custody in Maryland, there is a new online tool which will walk you though a series of questions and ask you to provide information. At the end of the process, you will have the appropriate Maryland Domestic Relation forms for custody, filled out and read to print.

Domestic Case Management (DCM) Forms
This court requires DCM forms for both pro se and represented filers.

Child Support Worksheets/Guidelines
Parties can obtain child support worksheets and guidelines from the Legal Aid office and through the Department of Human Resources website. The are also available at the Family Court Services office.

Notarization
This court does not require that forms be notarized.

Emergency Hearing (Pro Se Litigants)
A pro se litigant should fill out the request for an emergency hearing form. If it is deemed an emergency situation, it is possible to see a judge the same day it is filed.

Source: A joint project of the Women’s Law Center and MLAN, along with interviews conducted with Family Law Court Coordinators, court clerks and local advocates practicing in this county.  Updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).


Date of Last Review: 10/06/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)