Market data
Family law in Maryland: market data
What public records say about the market for family law in Maryland: how much demand the courts and agencies count, how many law offices serve it, how many people need help in Spanish, and the ad rules that apply. Every number links to the record it comes from.
Demand: what courts and agencies count
Counts of filings, crashes, complaints and enforcement in the records each agency keeps. A count shows where problems were recorded, not how many people will hire a lawyer.
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divorced residents | 491,701 ±5,743 people age 15+ | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886 record legal-need-md · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Residents divorced in the last 12 months | 36,059 ±1,771 people age 15+ | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886 record legal-need-md · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Residents with limited English (any language) | 467,207 ±7,034 people age 5+ | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886 record legal-need-md · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: adoption cases filed | 1,005 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-family-adoption · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: divorce (dissolution) cases filed | 31,158 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-family-divorce · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: other domestic-relations cases (custody, support, alimony and modifications) filed | 39,053 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-family-other · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: paternity and parentage cases filed | 3,547 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-family-paternity · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: protective-order cases (domestic violence and peace orders) filed | 5,251 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-family-protective · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: juvenile delinquency and status-offense cases filed | 7,521 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-juvenile-delinquency · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Circuit courts: juvenile dependency (child-welfare) cases filed | 1,933 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-circuit-juvenile-dependency · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| District Court: protective-order cases (domestic violence and peace orders) filed | 48,437 cases filed | FY 2024-25 | Maryland state | state-courts v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032 record md-state-district-family-protective · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Rising or falling
The change between the last two periods each source publishes. No threshold and no smoothing.
| Measure | Before | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit courts: adoption cases filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-family-adoption | 1,011 FY 2023-24 | 1,005 FY 2024-25 | falling (-0.6%) |
| Circuit courts: divorce (dissolution) cases filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-family-divorce | 30,392 FY 2023-24 | 31,158 FY 2024-25 | rising (+2.5%) |
| Circuit courts: other domestic-relations cases (custody, support, alimony and modifications) filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-family-other | 38,842 FY 2023-24 | 39,053 FY 2024-25 | rising (+0.5%) |
| Circuit courts: paternity and parentage cases filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-family-paternity | 3,589 FY 2023-24 | 3,547 FY 2024-25 | falling (-1.2%) |
| Circuit courts: protective-order cases (domestic violence and peace orders) filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-family-protective | 5,057 FY 2023-24 | 5,251 FY 2024-25 | rising (+3.8%) |
| Circuit courts: juvenile delinquency and status-offense cases filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-juvenile-delinquency | 6,549 FY 2023-24 | 7,521 FY 2024-25 | rising (+14.8%) |
| Circuit courts: juvenile dependency (child-welfare) cases filed Maryland · record md-state-circuit-juvenile-dependency | 1,821 FY 2023-24 | 1,933 FY 2024-25 | rising (+6.2%) |
| District Court: protective-order cases (domestic violence and peace orders) filed Maryland · record md-state-district-family-protective | 49,678 FY 2023-24 | 48,437 FY 2024-25 | falling (-2.5%) |
Lawyer supply
How many law offices and lawyers the federal statistics count here.
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New lawyers admitted | 1,251 lawyers a year | 2025 | Maryland state | bar-pipeline v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443 record md-bar-pipeline · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Counties under 1 law office per 10,000 residents | 1 counties | 2026-Q1 | Maryland state | deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430 record deserts-24 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Counties with no law office | 0 counties | 2026-Q1 | Maryland state | deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430 record deserts-24 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Residents living in those low-office counties | 0.4 percent of residents | 2026-Q1 | Maryland state | deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430 record deserts-24 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Employer law firms | 2,589 firms | 2022 | Maryland state | law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997 record lfe-md-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Receipts of employer law firms | 3,841,391,000 US dollars | 2022 | Maryland state | law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997 record lfe-md-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Law offices per 10,000 residents | 5.17 per 10,000 residents | 2026-Q1 | Maryland state | law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415 record law-offices-24 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Self-employed lawyers (nonemployer firms) | 5,617 firms | latest Nonemployer Statistics year | Maryland state | law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415 record law-offices-24 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Private law offices | 3,242 establishments | 2026-Q1 | Maryland state | law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415 record law-offices-24 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Lawyers employed (wage-earning, BLS OEWS) | 13,810 jobs | May 2025 | Maryland state | lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840 record lawyer-wages:MD:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Median annual wage of employed lawyers | 139,110 US dollars a year | May 2025 | Maryland state | lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840 record lawyer-wages:MD:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Counties with the most demand per law office
Of the 25 counties in Maryland with the most circuit courts: adoption cases filed, the ten with the most per private law office. Both counts are shown with their records.
| County | Demand | Law offices | Per office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, MD | 5 record md-somerset-circuit-family-adoption | 2 record law-offices-24039 | 2.5 |
| Caroline County, MD | 10 record md-caroline-circuit-family-adoption | 6 record law-offices-24011 | 1.67 |
| Cecil County, MD | 17 record md-cecil-circuit-family-adoption | 13 record law-offices-24015 | 1.31 |
| Washington County, MD | 38 record md-washington-circuit-family-adoption | 39 record law-offices-24043 | 0.97 |
| Harford County, MD | 57 record md-harford-circuit-family-adoption | 68 record law-offices-24025 | 0.84 |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 14 record md-queen-anne-s-circuit-family-adoption | 17 record law-offices-24035 | 0.82 |
| Garrett County, MD | 8 record md-garrett-circuit-family-adoption | 10 record law-offices-24023 | 0.8 |
| Allegany County, MD | 16 record md-allegany-circuit-family-adoption | 22 record law-offices-24001 | 0.73 |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 12 record md-st-mary-s-circuit-family-adoption | 17 record law-offices-24037 | 0.71 |
| Dorchester County, MD | 5 record md-dorchester-circuit-family-adoption | 7 record law-offices-24019 | 0.71 |
Circuit courts: adoption cases filed (state-courts v1.1.0, FY 2024-25) ÷ Private law offices (law-offices v1.0.0, 2026-Q1). ratio = state-courts.circuit.family-adoption / law-offices.qcew_estabs, rounded to 2 decimals; ranked highest first, among the 25 units with the most demand. Units with zero supply are listed apart (ratio undefined); units without a published value are listed as missing.
Spanish-language demand
People who speak Spanish and speak English less than very well, and the lawyers who speak Spanish, from the Census Bureau survey (with margins of error).
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawyers who speak Spanish at home (ACS) | 1,348 ±383 lawyers | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758 record language:state:MD:lawyers-spanish · status P · checked 2026-10-25 |
| Spanish speakers with limited English per Spanish-speaking lawyer | 193 ±54.9 people per lawyer | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758 record language:state:MD:lep-per-spanish-lawyer · status P · checked 2026-10-25 |
| Spanish speakers with limited English (ACS) | 259,582 ±4,846 people age 5+ | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758 record language:state:MD:spanish-lep · status P · checked 2026-10-25 |
| Spanish speakers with limited English | 259,582 ±5,427 people age 5+ | 2020-2024 | Maryland state | legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886 record legal-need-md · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Ad rules that apply
The rules a law firm's ads in Maryland have to meet, summarized from the official texts. The full rules, with quotes, are on the state page.
| Topic | Status | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Ad filing or review | P primary source | Ads are not reviewed before use, and nothing is filed for ordinary ads. Keep a copy and a record of when and where each ad ran for at least three years (19-307.2(b)). official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Required content | P primary source | Every ad includes the name of at least one responsible attorney (19-307.2(d)). An ad saying no fee without a recovery also says whether the client owes expenses (19-307.2(e)). official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Waiting periods for contact | P primary source | A lawyer may not send a covered communication (recording, online, fax, letter, telegraph, telephone or video) about a personal injury, wrongful death, accident or disaster unless the event was more than 30 days before sending (Bus. Occ. & Prof. 10-605.1(b)). official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Claims and results | P primary source | A lawyer cannot make a false or misleading communication, including one that creates an unjustified expectation of results or compares services with other lawyers' services without factual support (19-307.1(b), (c)). official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Paying for referrals | P primary source | A lawyer cannot give anything of value for recommending the lawyer's services, except to pay the reasonable cost of advertising, the usual charges of a legal service plan or a not-for-profit attorney referral service, the price of a purchased practice, or a… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Call recording | P primary source | A party may intercept a communication lawfully only when all of the parties have given prior consent. official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Texting | P primary source | Telephone solicitations by automated dialing or recorded message need the called party's prior express written consent (§ 14-4502). An aggrieved called party may sue for up to $500 or actual damages, whichever is greater, and up to three times that amount for… official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28 |
| Ad filing or review | P primary source | Maryland: no filing or review of lawyer ads is required. official source · filing v1.2.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721409 · checked 2026-10-25 |
| Paying for referrals | P primary source | Attorneys in different firms may split a fee in proportion to the work each does, or if each assumes joint responsibility for the representation. official source · referral v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23747113 · checked 2026-10-27 |
Prices and pay (national)
| Measure | Value | Period | Place | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobs in legal services (seasonally adjusted) | 1,249 thousand jobs | 2026-09 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:CES6054110001:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| CPI-U: legal services | 230 index | 2026-09 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:CUUR0000SEGC01:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| PPI: offices of lawyers | 338 index | 2026-09 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:PCU541110541110:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
| PPI: family legal services | 116 index | 2020-12 | United States United States | legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854 record legal-prices:PCU5411105411108:2020-12 · status P · checked 2026-10-28 |
Download and cite
The rows behind this page, with every dataset, version, DOI, record id and check date.
Cite as: Probative Growth, The new-lawyer pipeline by jurisdiction: bar exam pass rates and new admissions, 2025 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443); Legal deserts: law offices and lawyers per resident in every U.S. county v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430); Spanish-speaking demand vs Spanish-speaking lawyer supply, by state and metro v1.1.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758); Law firm size, solos and receipts, by state: Census SUSB 2022, Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and Economic Census 2022 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997); Law offices, jobs and pay by county, with solo-practice counts: BLS QCEW, Census CBP and Nonemployer Statistics v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415); Lawyer, paralegal and legal-staff pay by state and metro (BLS OEWS) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840); Legal need by county: who may need a lawyer, from the American Community Survey v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886); Legal-services prices and jobs, monthly (BLS CPI, PPI and CES) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854); State trial-court case filings by county, court level and case type: Texas, Washington, Maryland, Indiana and Wisconsin (more states to follow) v1.1.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23753032); CC BY 4.0. https://probativegrowth.com/markets/maryland/family-law/
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How this page is built
Each figure is copied from one record of the dataset named with it, joined to this state and practice through the open practice and place crosswalk. Nothing is estimated. Methods, inputs and limits.