When you and your spouse decide to end your marriage, it is often best to resolve as many issues as possible (if not all) between the two of you. Settling your divorce issues by agreement rather than litigation is often less stressful, faster, and less antagonistic. Nevertheless, you should understand that the things you put into a mutual agreement — once a judge signs off on it — are just as binding as a litigated judgment. For this reason and more, it is wise to have an experienced Maryland divorce lawyer by your side throughout the process to help ensure you understand what your agreement calls for and that it reflects the outcome you want.
A recent alimony dispute illustrates the importance of understanding a settlement agreement and being bound by its terms.
R.M. and S.M. were a couple who married in 1983, separated in 2017, and divorced in 2021. As part of the process, the couple worked out a settlement agreement. The agreement had several common elements, such as a provision about the division of property. (The wife, for example, got the marital home in Maryland and the condo in Colorado.)