Get free answers to your Child Support legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I have a situation where my ex-partner, who willingly signed the birth certificate after acknowledging the child was not biologically his, now wants to be removed from it. The biological father is deceased, and my ex has been involved in the child's life. There are text messages indicating his... View More 
I live in Maryland. The custodial parent has full parental rights, and the non-custodial parent (father) has court-ordered visitations on Sundays. He’s required to pick up the child for visits, and the custodial parent picks the child up afterward. The father is $17,000 in arrears for child... View More
I have children with their father who has not contacted me or our children in over a year. There is no custody agreement, he does not pay child support, and they spend no time together. He has stated to "keep your kids" and asked me not to contact him. Is this considered legally giving up... View More
I'm currently in the process of a divorce and need to draft a marital settlement agreement. My spouse and I have five children, and we have discussed all the custody and support arrangements, as well as the division of assets and debts. How should I proceed with drafting the agreement to... View More
answered on Mar 6, 2025
Please hire a lawyer to do this. This is not a do-it-yourself project. You do not know what you do not know, and leaving necessary provisions out, or putting in the wrong provisions or wording, will cost a fortune in future litigation to try and reverse or correct, and potentially without... View More
I am currently pregnant and separated from the father, with a full protective order against him until October. I wish to begin the child support process before the child is born. The father has not acknowledged paternity and is trying to avoid contact, having changed his phone number and address.... View More
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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
There is no court order for custody, visitation, nor support - never has been. I paid 18 years and 14 1/2 years on my own. We were both military, I'm now retired and she's still active. She makes more money.
answered on Dec 2, 2023
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
Child’s mother only put child in daycare right before hearing to make child support payment higher. Afraid she will take child out of daycare after hearing.
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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’m the defendant. The plaintiff was granted motion to compel documents from me. They also requested sanction, asking that I pay his attorney fees. If I turn the documents in the time the they request (5 days), can I still be sanctioned?
answered on Aug 4, 2023
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
I was compelled to meet in a zoom meeting for mediation for child support in CA. But I already initiated a complaint for divorce, child support and custody in Maryland. Do I have to attend it? what is going to happen with the action in Maryland?
answered on Jul 12, 2023
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
He lives in MD, I live in CA. I'm passing for his airfare to come out per the agreement. She's expecting me to travel with him to take him back. I'll need that money for food and other expenses during his visit. The agreement was processed through a Maryland court so I'm sure it... View More
answered on Jul 2, 2023
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
He started working under the table, moved so I cannot find his address, and has Virginia license tags. He has social media showing that he is working and stated in text messages that he is working his own business under the table. He gets him during the summer, and I get to see him during my... View More
answered on Apr 27, 2023
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
I am currently Homeless I have two small toddlers, and I am currently pregnant. The father of my children refuses to provide any help and does not pick the children up one days he said he supposed to. He does not send financial help, and he is verbally, and sometimes physically abusive to me. What... View More
answered on Apr 17, 2023
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
I gave away all my rights so the mother has full sole custody. In the paperwork she chose to not put me on child support at the time. If she ever wanted to could she put me on child support even though I’m not responsible for the child at all?
answered on Apr 5, 2023
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
Will the dear colleague letter help me
answered on Mar 15, 2023
The right to drive is a privilege and not a right. There is no constitutional right to drive.
I'm current on my child support payments. My ex-wife has sent Income withholdings for support to my current employer and Military pension. Both forms are asking for the same support amount. Will I be double tapped on child support?
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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
answered on Feb 28, 2023
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.
He has a debt because he had an injury and stop working, that formed into a debt. My mom is trying everything she can to not let me see him and now has an arrest warrant towards him. Since we live in different states if he were to travel to see me he will get arrested. I don’t want to live with... View More
answered on Jan 27, 2023
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
Also, how to report child support application fraud?
answered on Jan 26, 2023
(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
answered on Jan 16, 2023
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
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