Get free answers to your Child Support legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I have a 50/50 custody agreement with my child's other parent, where we have 3 days on and 3 days off. The child's mother uses daycare for her custodial days because of her work requirements. However, I do not need daycare during my custodial days. There is no provision in our custody... View More 
answered on Mar 31, 2025
A court can always modify a child support agreement in accordance with the Maryland Child Support Guidelines, which are mandated by statute and generally cannot be waived by agreement of the parents. So either parent can go to court to modify an agreed child support arrangement using the... 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
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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
In my child support case, my ex-spouse's lawyer is also my child's step-parent. I am concerned that this close relationship may lead to unfair treatment in the case. Although I haven't noticed specific biased actions yet, nor have I raised the issue with the court, I am unsure of any... View More
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answered on Apr 16, 2025
You have every right to be concerned when the opposing attorney is closely tied to your child’s life, especially as a step-parent. While this relationship alone does not disqualify them from representing your ex-spouse, it does raise potential issues around impartiality, influence, and boundaries... View More
In 1992, a court ordered the father of my two children to pay child support, but I have not received any payments for over 30 years, except for a one-time payment of $300 when he was released from jail to avoid losing his driver's license. He's recently inherited money from his parents.... View More
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answered on Apr 16, 2025
You can still collect the unpaid support; Maryland treats child‑support arrears as a continuing obligation with **no statute of limitations on enforcement** citeturn1search1. Even though the original order dates to 1992, each missed payment became a separate judgment, and the state or... View More
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
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answered on Apr 13, 2025
When someone signs a birth certificate knowing they’re not the biological parent, they’re still legally presumed to be the parent unless a court says otherwise. Your ex may now want to be removed, but since he acknowledged the child and acted as a parent, the court will look at the best... View More
I am a divorced father in Maryland and have been paying child support for over 13 years, with shared 50/50 physical custody of my two children. My eldest child is 19 and in college, while my youngest will turn 18 and graduate high school in May 2025. The other parent is aware of my intention to... View More
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answered on Apr 12, 2025
In Maryland, child support typically ends when the child turns 18 or graduates high school, whichever comes later. Since your youngest child will graduate in May 2025, you can file a petition to stop payments before then, but it’s best to file a few months in advance. This allows enough time for... 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
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answered on Apr 12, 2025
No, a parent cannot simply stop paying child support in Maryland just because they are unemployed or not working a traditional job. A child support order remains legally enforceable until it is modified by the court. If the father is not meeting his child support obligation, even due to... 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
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
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.
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
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