Q: What are the requirements to gain full custody of your child?
A: Maryland follows the “best interests of the child” standard in deciding whether to award one parent primary legal or residential custody, or shared legal, or shared residential, and the extent of each. You file a complaint for custody, serve it on the other parent, and follow the court procedure. There’s a whole lot more to this, but you ask such an open-ended question, it is not possible to set forth everything you have to do, and all the issues that may or may not arise as part of such a case. Hire a lawyer if you can afford one. If not, apply for legal aid or contact the local bar association for pro bono services. You can also go to the circuit court and access the self-help forms for self-represented litigants. If you already are the primary custodian of your child, you can also go the of Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and make an appointment to start a case to establish child support. They should also assist you in filing for a custody order. If the other parent contests custody, OCSE will not get involved with the proceedings to decide who should have custody.
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