Get free answers to your Child Custody legal questions from lawyers in your area.
My children’s father/estranged husband abused me for 18 yrs. My bones have been broken, & I’ve been covered in lumps & bruises. His violent alcoholic abuse turned into countless death threats & he started threatening & physically abusing the boys & my disabled Mother. Which... View More 
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answered on Jul 4, 2019
Your situation needs a lawyer to ask you questions and get more information in order to advise you. So, please contact an attorney experienced in divorce and domestic violence.
I’m 17 and have been asking my mom multiple times if I could go live with my father because she is constantly getting home late from work where she works from 8:00am - 4:30 but gets home at a lot of times 9pm or even sometime 12am at night. When she isn’t home always have to take care of my... View More
answered on Jul 3, 2019
Your father can file to modify custody. He does not need your mother's permission to do so. Also in the state of Maryland, you can petition the court in your own right to modify YOUR custody. If your sister is under 16, she cannot do it herself.
Mom and child are maryland residents. Dad lives in Philadelphia. Mom is the only one on the birth certificate but dad did Establish paternity. We have been to court but the case was dismissed without prejudice because dad didn’t show up. So now I’m face with boundaries being cross confuses as... View More
answered on Jun 13, 2019
Unless there is an order specifying otherwise, both parents have equal rights to have the care of the child and to make decisions about the child.
My daughter has been under my sole care until she was 4 months old, but due to an abusive situation at my parents, we had to move in with her father( the only other person we know in Maryland.) Me and my child's father were never married but he signed an Affidavit of Paternity after she was... View More
answered on May 26, 2019
It’s a complicated question. With no court order in effect, either parent has legal authority to have physical custody and can move out of state. However, because this is the child’s home state of residence, Maryland courts have jurisdiction to hear a custody dispute under the Uniform Child... View More
He was abusive to me and got arrested when i finally called 911 and i have a protective order and through that protective order i made sure he could see our daughter this happened 5 months ago she is now 8 months but he sees her tuesday,thursday 4-9pm on those days and monday, Wednesday, 4-9pm and... View More
answered on Apr 28, 2019
If he actually said that in court, he is not getting joint custody. One of the factors in determining custody is sincerity of request. The parent has to want to have the child, not just want to get out of child support.
The court will consider the totality of the situation in... View More
She refuses to switch his school or stop the child support because it helps her pay her bills. But I feed him clothe him take and pick up from school what can I do? I have plenty of text messages and people who have witnessed this who stated they would go to court for me
answered on Mar 20, 2019
You MUST file to modify the child support. As long as the order is in place, it must be followed. If she will not modify it, you must.
answered on Mar 20, 2019
It depends upon what your court order states regarding custody/access and moving. If you have custody/access and her move disrupts/hinders it, then you can file contempt because your access/custody rights have been violated. Carefully read your court order. If you don't have a court order,... View More
Sons father wanted an abortion, was verbally suicidal, showed no interest, hasn’t seen son in over a year and recently contacted said he was okay if things stayed the same. He admitted to looking on social media to see sons up bringing but no contact when in state (and at same work place) to see... View More
answered on Mar 20, 2019
No attorney can guarantee what a court will do. Custody involves many factors and it also depends upon what is testified to at trial by you, him, and witnesses, if there is a trial. Much more information would be needed to assess the probability of you getting court ordered physical and legal... View More
We have our child for a holiday coming up and then have them for a family event the next week. Their mother wants us to bring back from out of state for just 2 days of school. Then pay to fly them out again for the family event. It’s a lot of unnecessary travel for 2 school days. Do we have to do... View More
answered on Mar 20, 2019
That's really a loaded question. It depends upon what your custody agreement states regarding access/visitation. If the mother of the child has tie-breaker regarding access/visitation then yes, she can file contempt if you don't bring the child back, again, depending upon what your... View More
My ex- husband has sole and physical custody of my kid in MD. who is responsible for the child medical expenses ?
Sole legal and physical custody/ The custodial and non-custodial parent : Who is responsible for medical expenses ?My son is hospitalized and the insurance requires a co-pay, my... View More
answered on Feb 23, 2019
If a Judge didn't sign an Order, then you don't have an Order at all. If you signed an agreement with your ex, then whatever the agreement states, is what you need to abide by unless you file to strike the agreement. If you don't abide by it or even if he doesn't abide it, one... View More
Were scheduled for a default hearing for custody, visitation and support for my child. We had a private processing server serve him but he didn’t respond in the time frame (30 days). An order of default was granted and a default hearing is scheduled, what should I expect at this hearing.What... View More
answered on Feb 23, 2019
Typically, an Order of Default is granted in these types of scenarios but also the other parent may show up for the hearing, even though the other parent didn't file an Answer. Regardless, testimony will be taken a the hearing and the Judge will make a ruling based on the testimony and evidence.
Our relationship isn’t healthy and my daughter isn’t close with him. I have proof of him leaving her in the dark for 30 minutes when I went to work. He cheats on me and for the first 4 months of when our youngest was born, he wasn’t there at all. CPS came and did an investigation and told me... View More
answered on Feb 23, 2019
It's probably prudent to file for custody prior to moving. However, without a custody agreement, you are free to move anywhere. The risk that you run if you move with your daughter is your husband filing for custody and then you'll have to return to MD to defend the suit. You said that... View More
I have made several attempts too have the defendant served with a show cause order I have mailed certified 7 times went too her job contacted friends and family and been too her home in which she was home looking out the window while my friend was knocking on the door. She refused too answer.
answered on Feb 17, 2019
No. Pay $50-75 to have a private professional process server make service, and if the defendant continues to evade service, the process server will prepare an affidavit of the attempts to serve and reasons why they believe the defendant is deliberately avoiding service. Based on that affidavit, you... View More
I was a virgin at the time of conception, so paternity is not in question. My ex stopped communicating as soon as he learned I was pregnant, so I am hoping the courts can hold him accountable as soon as possible.
My son lives with me and goes to his fathers house every other weekend(Friday night and returns home Sundays) he has threaten to claim him as a dependent he also pays child support and we split child care expenses
answered on Dec 19, 2018
He can claim him, but he will not be doing so legally. Your son does not live with him the requisite number of overnights per year to claim him; only you have the right. If you both claim him, the IRS will inquire as to these facts. Parties can, by agreement, split or alternate, by year,... View More
Nobody is listed as the father on the birth certificate. I didn’t file for “legal” separation. Husband lives out of state and no contact. Child is not my estranged husband’s baby.
answered on Nov 17, 2018
You can always file to establish paternity, custody and child support against the biological father. It is possible to just file for child support by going to the Office of Child Support Enforcement in your county (or City of Baltimore), but you will need to have the name and current address of... View More
answered on Nov 10, 2018
Custody is determined by a number of factors based on the best interest of the children. Sexual orientation is not one of the factors. If she has a new partner, the character of the new partner may matter -- regardless of gender of the new partner.
My ex moved out of state but is un willing to give me an address. She has not told me when and how she wants to arrange visitation. Do I still need to pay child support according to Maryland law?
answered on Sep 28, 2018
If there is a court order in effect, you must continue to follow the Order. However, if your daughter is actually living with you, you need to go to court and get that order modified so that you can stop paying child support.
She has been in and out of jail/rehab and lives with her boyfriend and his mother. I have 2 other children with my new wife, and we have all beem together as a family for 3 years.
answered on Aug 29, 2018
The concern for the court is -- will this affect the current custody arrangement. If she is supposed to see the kids every other weekend, well that's harder from California. But if it won't affect the current arrangement, unlikely to be able to actually stop it.
However,... View More
Its been 2years still no job or place of her own can she get my son back
answered on Aug 15, 2018
Supervised visitation means that she cannot be alone with her son when seeing him, but requires the presence of a responsible adult who will be available to act to protect the child in the event of inappropriate behavior. A parent’s custodial and visitation rights that have been taken away or... View More
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