HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2167

The Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act (URESA)
was first promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners
on Uniform State Laws in 1950. Amendments to the act were
promulgated in 1952 and 1958. A Revised URESA was promulgated to
the states in 1968. Maryland adopted the original URESA in 1951.
All of the states have adopted URESA in some form, and 29 have
enacted the 1968 Act.

Various amendments to URESA have been enacted in Maryland.
These amendments relate primarily to local procedure. Although
the Maryland Act was amended several times since promulgation of
the 1968 Act, it has not been enacted in this State.

The Commission to Revise the Annotated Code usually makes
only minimal changes in revising Uniform Acts. However, in
revising the Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act, the
Commission has made a considerable number of stylistic changes.
Most of these changes conform to the language of the 1968 Act,
which, in fact, is the law in a majority of jurisdictions.
Wherever following the 1968 Act might work a substantive change,
the Commission has kept the wording of the former law.

TITLE 11. ALIMONY.

11-101. AWARD -- IN GENERAL.

(A)  WHEN COURT MAY AWARD.
THE COURT MAY AWARD ALIMONY:

(1)  ON A BILL OF COMPLAINT FOR ALIMONY; OR

(2)  AS A PART OF A DECREE THAT GRANTS:

(I)  AN ANNULMENT;

(II)  A LIMITED DIVORCE; OR

(III)  AN ABSOLUTE DIVORCE.

(B)  AWARD TO EITHER PARTY.

THE COURT MAY AWARD ALIMONY TO EITHER PARTY.

(C)  EFFECT OF AGREEMENT.

IF A FINAL DISPOSITION AS TO ALIMONY HAS BEEN MADE IN AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, THE COURT IS BOUND BY THAT
AGREEMENT AS THE AGREEMENT RELATES TO ALIMONY.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section is new language derived
without substantive change from the first clause of
the first sentence and the entire second sentence of
former Article 16, § 1(a).