Location
Testimony will be taken for an uncontested divorce before Jac E. Knust, Standing Examiner of the Circuit Court for Howard County at:
The Collaborative Law Group
10440 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 900
Columbia, Maryland 21044
(Click here for directions)
Many of the cases are scheduled for fifteen (15) minute intervals, so please be on time.
Who Must Attend?
1. The Plaintiff, Counter-Plaintiff, or moving party (i.e. person seeking divorce) and their lawyer, if any.
2. Any witness necessary to corroborate, confirm, or give support to any allegation made in the Complaint for Absolute Divorce via testimony from a witness testifying from personal knowledge.
3. The Defendant, Counter-Plaintiff, and their lawyer, if any, if that party is seeking a presumption of their maiden name in their Answer to any Complaint for Absolute Divorce.
Avoiding Postponements
If you have not been served with the Complaint for Divorce by a sheriff, private process server, or certified mail-restricted delivery, you must call Jac E. Knust, Standing Examiner. If you do not attend the hearing or call Jac E. Knust, then the hearing will be postponed until arrangements are made for you to be present at a rescheduled hearing.
How Are Standing Examiner Fees Paid?
The Standing Examiner fee is $200. Only cash, money orders, major credit cards, or attorney checks made payable to “Jac E. Knust” are acceptable. We do not accept personal checks. The preferred method of payment is credit card via our secure portal: https://payments.lawpay.com/bpl/lp1188976 .
What Must I Bring to the Hearing?
1. Child Support Calculations
If you have minor children under 18, or 19, if the child has not yet graduated from high school, NOTE WELL: In accordance with FL 12 – 204, Annotated Code of Maryland, the lawyer for the Plaintiff, Counter-Plaintiff, or moving party shall complete and produce at the hearing a Child Support Guidelines (MCSG) Worksheet. If the agreed-upon child support amount is less than the amount called for by the MCSG, then the moving party shall produce evidence supporting a requested deviation from MCSG so that the Standing Examiner can recommend to the Court the deviated amount and supply to the Court the reason why the deviated amount serves the best interest of the child.
2. Marital Settlement Agreement
If the parties have signed a Marital Settlement Agreement, please bring an extra copy to the hearing for submission into evidence.
3. Report of Absolute Divorce – Blue Form
Please complete and bring to the hearing: Form VSA A24 12/2012 (blue form) – Report of Absolute Divorce. The paper does not have to be blue. (Complete 1-19 and 25-28.)
4. Submission for Judgment of Absolute Divorce
If you want to waive the 10 day waiting period, you can complete the submission for judgment of absolute divorce form.