You may be wondering whether you can count on the family law court to help you if you have suffered non-physical abuse. Family courts agree that exposure to abuse – both physical and verbal can be harmful for children. Such exposure includes hearing a violent event, witnessing the abuse of a parent or sibling, intervening,…
Read MoreIf you are thinking about a separation or divorce in the State of Maryland, you must know what your rights are and what the possible consequences and benefits are before you even consider a separation or negotiate an agreement. It does not matter whether your issues relate to custody, visitation, support, property distribution, grounds for…
Read MoreI have written several blogs about custody in Maryland. This blog post is focused on the fact that Maryland currently does not have a presumption that joint custody is in a child’s best interest and both parties have to prove to the court why he or she is requesting a specific custody arrangement and why that…
Read MoreIf your or your ex violated a provision in your court order (or an agreement that was incorporated into a court order) after attempting to address and resolve the issue with the other side, if the issue has not been resolved, the grieved party can file what the court calls a Petition for Contempt against…
Read MoreIn family law cases (divorce, custody, child support, etc.) unless you practice in a county that only has one judge, you will not know who your judge will be until the day before the merits hearing (the final hearing) which is approximately 9 months to a year after you file. While in theory each judge…
Read MoreOne of the most frequently asked questions I receive from clients during the divorce process (especially a long, drawn out process) is “when can I start dating again?” My answer, like many answers, is “it depends.” It depends on a lot of different factors, such as: • how long have you been separated? • are…
Read MoreAfter the Lower Court makes a final decision on your family court case, either party has a right to appeal that decision to the Appellate Court. A Notice of Appeal must be filed, along with any relevant documents, within 30 days of the date of the entry of the Judgment (which is not necessarily the…
Read MoreInstead of having a court decide what custody arrangement is in the best interest of your children and/or how your assets should be divided, did you know that you can enter into a Marital Settlement Agreement? With a Marital Settlement Agreement, the parties can put in any and all terms they want, even reach agreements that the court…
Read MoreSixteen years after Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57 (2000), grandparent visitation is alive and well in Maryland. In Troxel, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor noted, “The demographic changes of the past century makes it difficult to speak of an average American family. The composition of families varies greatly from household to household.” Indeed, the last…
Read MoreSometimes parents are unable to agree upon where their children should primarily reside (or which parent their children should live with) when they have separated or have filed for divorce. When there is no agreement and the issue of custody/parenting time cannot be settled, litigation ensues. Custody litigation is an emotional process for all involved.…
Read More