Maybe, the law or rule makers thought that anybody that didn't have money needed protection against getting themselves into sophisticated investments and losing it all.

My fiancé is about to graduate law school and we will finally have a second income.

The great thing about it though is you can apply it to nearly everything in work life...whether it be actual business or strictly management.

In Virginia, it's actually written into the landlord tenant laws that landlord can require a renter's insurance policy and actually purchase one and charge the tenant if tenant chooses not to purchase one, as long as total cost of security deposit and renter's policy equals less than 2 months' rent.  

I had always thought that making a public record of personal debt might violate credit laws but the clerk's office didn't know anything about that.I'm kind of stuck here and unsure which way to go.

Does this still work or have there been changes in the law around this?

I am based in Florida, so I'm not sure if the laws would be different in Maryland, but again, the title company or attorney could advise you on that.  

This is strictly to meet code requirements.

My daughter and son-in-law are selling their condo in Arlington, Va. asking price $399,000.

sounds like your local abandonment laws will be in effect.