I have a frame in my office that reads: “Your job is not to judge. Your job is to lift the fallen, to restore the broken, and to heal the hurting.” This is my guiding philosophy. My goal with this blog is to share brief overviews about the many aspects of family law in Maryland. Before…
Read MoreAs a family law attorney, it is essential for me to explain the legal process to my clients. This may sound easy, but with so many myths and piles of misinformation out there, it’s actually quite hard to separate expectations from reality. I’ve found this is particularly true for the legal divorce process. Divorce in the…
Read MoreIn Maryland, grandparents, a non-biologically related adult (third party) or non-adopted adult has an extremely uphill battle to guarantee any access to a minor child they may have a relationship with if the parent prohibits them. Even if prohibiting the relationship is not in the best interest of the child. If you are prohibited from…
Read MoreOnly on rare occasions does anyone besides attorneys win when going to court. Do not get me wrong, there are family law cases out there that really do not have a choice but to go to court (the most common is because one party is being so unreasonable that the other party should not settle).…
Read MoreAll parents worry about their children, and for parents who are separated, the worrying is exacerbated. Would the children have been better off if they had “stuck it out” until the children are out of the house? Are the children being denied a “happy childhood”? The list of worries goes on and on. The truth…
Read MoreI’ve written about the legal issues you should consider when preparing to separate from your significant other, and this post will concentrate on how to coordinate your affairs and look out for your interests whether or not you’re the one petitioning for divorce. Here are some top tips if you’re considering divorce or preparing for…
Read MoreTwo things I see most often from my clients in custody related matters: 1. focusing on what’s happening RIGHT NOW and 2. dwelling on the negative actions by the other parent. If you’ve been in a custody battle, perhaps you have said one of these complaints: “the kids didn’t call before bedtime when they are…
Read MoreThe cost of a divorce/custody matter is entirely based on how reasonable, fair and honest the couple is with each other. If both parties can communicate calmly, not lie about assets or income and not fight about inconsequential things, I can do a divorce for $1,500 and have it finalized in a matter of weeks.…
Read MoreDespite feverish disputes over pet custody during divorce, courts consider pets property of a marriage rather than beings deserving of shared parenting time. According to a 2008 survey by the American Pet Products Association, 63 percent, or 71.1 million of U.S. households include pets – mostly dogs. Statistics also show that couples are having fewer…
Read MoreYou might have heard about the Judge in Michigan who put three children in juvenile detention for refusing to visit with their father. Well now the same Judge has ordered the children to attend reunification therapy with their father. What is reunification therapy? When children grow up in an atmosphere of parental alienation, their primary…
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