James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Dec 31, 2023

In Maryland, if you have been caring for a child for seven years without legal paperwork, you may consider filing for legal guardianship or custody. This is especially pertinent if you have been the primary caregiver and the biological parents are not involved or unable to care for the child.... View More

If she has primary custody of the 14 year old, there would still be a legal obligation on your part to pay child support. How much depends both parents’ incomes and an application of the child support guidelines in the state where the child primarily resides. You should obtain a private... View More

T. Augustus Claus Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Nov 27, 2023

The court can order that the child care portion of child support be paid directly to the daycare provider. This is called an income withholding order for child care expenses. The income withholding order will direct the non-custodial parent's employer to withhold a portion of their wages and... View More

I see you're in Prince George's County. Although I'm a [Baltimore County child custody lawyer](https://www.ostendorflaw.com/practice_areas/maryland-child-custody-lawyer.php), the same principles would apply in your jurisdiction as we are discussing Maryland law generally.... View More

You need a lawyer to review the jurisdictional issues. The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act has been codified in both CA and MD (and every other state, I believe) and there must be a hearing first to determine which state court will hear the case and exercise jurisdiction... View More

If your child support order does not already include a waiver of child support while your child is with you exclusively for a month or whatever period of time you have him, then no, you cannot unilaterally withhold child support or take it to defray your costs. Only another court order modifying... View More

You need to file contempt. Deliberate failure to follow a court order could cause a judge to hold him in contempt. Contempt is to secure future compliance with an order -- so yes, the court can actually make him follow it. Or face severe consequences up to and including jail.

For... View More

First, if you are homeless with children the immediate need would seem to be to secure housing for your family. A variety of government and non-government agencies are available to help. The local Department of Social Services may be a good place to start, or you may want to reach out to an... View More

Yes. Both parents ALWAYS remain legally responsble to support their minor children. That legal obligation cannot be waived and "contracted" away, except through legal adoption (where another person adopts your child and you relinquish your parental rights). Absent a legal adoption, if... View More

The right to drive is a privilege and not a right. There is no constitutional right to drive.

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Mar 15, 2023

It's possible that your ex-wife has sent income withholding orders to both your current employer and your military pension to ensure that she receives the full amount of child support owed to her on a timely basis. This is a common practice to ensure that child support payments are made... View More

Either parent in a custody/child support case can request paternity DNA testing to prove whether the alleged father is in fact the father of the child. This motion and request is how that is done.

If you are a minor child, so you are limited in what you can do. Your father's child support arrearage is not a bar to his having primary residential custody. Judges will start to take into consideration the wishes of the minor child at around age 12, and by 15 or 16, the child's... View More

(1) Take your court order for child support to the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) in the county in Maryland or City of Baltimore where the order was entered, and have them open a case. If the child support order was entered in another state (you list Washngton DC in your question but... View More

That section simply sets forth the appropriate court venue (the county or City of Baltimore) where a suit may be filed for various types of actions. In the case of a custody matter, that Section states, "[T]the following actions may be brought in the indicated county: ... (5) Action relating... View More

The Circuit Court in the jurisdiction in Maryland where your child resides may have a self-help programs for self-represented litigants in domestic/family law cases. Most common legal motions, comlaints and petitions are available as fill-in-the-bank forms for family law cases, including... View More

Yes

By law, in the absence of an agreement by the parents to the contrary, child support ceases once the child turns 18, or if the child is still enrolled in high school and not yet reached graduation, then through completion of high school --whichever is later (but not past the child's 19th... View More

You do not "file" for legal separation. You either file for divorce (if you meet the statutory grounds), or you and your spouse can sign a marital separation and property settlement agreement that resolves all your marital rights. Alternatively, you can just sign an agreement to... View More

An award of attorney's fees is an available remedy when filing a motion to enforce a support obligation and for contempt of a court order requiring the payment. The decision to award fees, and how much, is in the discretion of the judge.