On October 1, 2023, Maryland will eliminate all fault grounds for divorce, including adultery, desertion, and cruel and vicious conduct. There will now be only three no-fault grounds for divorce in Maryland: (a) 6 month separation; (b) irreconcilable differences; and (c) mutual divorce.
Most importantly, spouses will now be able to obtain a divorce on irreconcilable differences grounds if they are living in the same house together, but living separate lives. In most cases, the spouses will agree that they have irreconcilable differences and, if they are living together, that they are living separate lives, such as sleeping in separate bedrooms, having minimum interactions with each other, not sharing bank accounts or credit cards, etc.
