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Maryland Family Law Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody, Child Support and Domestic Violence for Maryland on
Q: Can I move out of state with my 6 month old?

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

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
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

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Products Liability, Gaming and Social Security for Maryland on
Q: Can my parents take my phone

Can my parents take my phone if I am 15 and I bought the phone under my own name and with my own money. If they take it away is that stolen prop

Griffin Klema
Griffin Klema
answered on May 3, 2019

Whether it is "stolen" or not, I'm guessing there's at least a fair reason the phone was taken from you, even though you seem to disagree with that reason. At 15 years old, you are probably still considered a "minor" which means you are too immature to have certain... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Education Law, Family Law, Personal Injury and Civil Litigation for Maryland on
Q: Can I file charges against the school for not protecting my son?

5 documented cases of events like spitting in my sons lunch, hitting him with a chair, slamming a door in his face and punching him in the face. all documented cases show the same child instigated an unprovoked attack on my son. at no time did my son provoke or even respond.

Ashley VanCleef
Ashley VanCleef
answered on Apr 18, 2019

Bullying should be taken very seriously by schools. It is important to report and document the bullying on the school bullying and reporting forms. The laws vary by states but Federal guidance can be found here... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Maryland on
Q: What rights do grandparents have?

My grandchildren were removed by CPS and they were placed with my daughters niece . What rights as grandparents do we have since we do not live in the same state. The children are in Oklahoma and we are in Maryland

Bennett James Wills
Bennett James Wills
answered on Apr 17, 2019

You should ask this question to an attorney in Oklahoma to determine what, if any, visitation rights grandparents have since that state's laws would control.

1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation, Family Law, Child Support and Civil Rights for Maryland on
Q: Prof. licenses were requested to be suspended before a background check for new job offer completed. Now what?

OCSE requested the MBON suspend my licenses for non-compliance. One of the problems with this is, I was in compliance. This is the second time the OCSE has caused me to lose a job opportunity because of inaccurate information and an unwillingness to resolve the balance of the support order. I... View More

Elizabeth Pugliese
Elizabeth Pugliese
answered on Apr 17, 2019

You need to file in the child support case and request an audit of your case. this will ensure they correct your record.

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: Can they garnish me and my husband's bank account in MD for a debt against my husband alone 8 years before we married

This is my account, and I want to add my husband, but do not want his past creditors to garnish the account.

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Mar 30, 2019

Yes, they may be able to do that if his name is added. If your bank offers the ability to title the account as “tenants by the entireties” then that would prevent attachment. In Maryland ordinarily only titles to real property are held that way, unlike DC where all property jointly held by... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Maryland on
Q: we have joint custody but the mother has physical custody. Can you move out of state with our 8 year old?
Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
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

1 Answer | Asked in Child Support and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: can childsupport be increased if child no longer lives with father, who had joint custody. (kicked child out his house)

child is now 15, was living between two households weekly due to joint custody agreement. Father was paying reduced child support due to joint custody. Father kicked child out his house and child has been living fulltime only (with mom) for over 6 months. Can child-support be re-evaluated and... View More

Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
answered on Mar 18, 2019

Yes. You can file a motion to modify child support but be prepared to prove with evidence that the child is no longer staying the requisite overnights. As a cautionary measure, I would also file a motion to modify custody. The courts may very well not modify child support until the custody is... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: My ex- husband has sole and physical custody of my kid in MD. who is responsible for the child medical expenses ?

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

Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
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

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: In court last week there was a new court order made but has not been signed yet. Is the previous court order in place?
Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
answered on Feb 23, 2019

If the Judge ruled on the record then that ruling is an Order. However, your question is very vague. The ruling could've been only a ruling on a certain issue which means that all other orders are still valid regarding other issues. Your question is lacking too much information to truly tell... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Adoption and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: Can I get my son’s bio fathers right revoked so my fiancé can adopt him?

I’ve had full legal and physical custody of my son always. His bio father never met him, never contributed anything. He was a drug user and a criminal and he scammed me. It’s been almost 5 years with no contact. My fiancé is the only dad my son has ever known. My ex is vindictive and violent... View More

Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
answered on Feb 23, 2019

No, he will have to be served. He has a right to a hearing on terminating his parental rights, which must be done prior to a hearing on adoption.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: Default hearing for custody

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

Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
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.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Divorce and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: I’m separating from my husband &want to move out of Maryland to another state and there’s no custody arrangement

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

Dawn Renee Gould
Dawn Renee Gould
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

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: If a Principal is violating Court Orders, can her POA violate them too on her behalf?

1. The Principal signed a Marital Separation Agreement incorporated into a Judgment for Absolute Divorce signed by the Principal, Magistrate, and Judge.

2. The Principal failed to cooperate in the execution of these Court Orders against the advice of her former attorney so a Contempt of... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Feb 17, 2019

The contempt is against the principal, not the agent, unless the principal is mentally incompetent.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for Maryland on
Q: can I serve a show cause order via Facebook if I’m having problems serving the person in person and mail and the sherif

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.

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
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

2 Answers | Asked in Family Law and Estate Planning for Maryland on
Q: My father, no will & my grandmother went before him, no will. There r only 3 blood relative my Aunt Amy brother and me
Cheryl Sellers Johnson
Cheryl Sellers Johnson
answered on Feb 17, 2019

I am sorry to hear about the passing of your father and grandmother. You have presented some bare facts but not really a question. If your grandmother and father had valid Wills, their estates would be distributed according to the provisions of their Wills. If neither had a Will, just based on... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: I have a bankruptcy chapter 13 question please?

I have a chapter 13 that I finished paying in April 2018 and one of the creditors has been unreachable and they cannot send the payment to them so the Trustee will not close the case or discharge it until this happens, but in the meantime I am in need of buying a new car and nobody will give me... View More

Stuart Nachbar
PREMIUM
Stuart Nachbar
answered on Feb 8, 2019

The Chapter 13 Trustee could escrow the funds with the Court, and allow your Discharge. I would look into that option

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2 Answers | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: In Maryland, can I obtain child support while pregnant or at least begin the process before the child is born?

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.

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Jan 31, 2019

No. You must wait until after birth.

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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law for Maryland on
Q: My son is 17 and my ex wife kicked him out. What is my recourse regarding his safety and my support?
Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Jan 31, 2019

His safety? You can provide him a home, and you can immediately file to change custody from her to you and modify/terminate child support from the date you file the motion. In fact, if custody is switched to you, you would be entitled to child support from her. Your motion would have to... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Maryland on
Q: When filing for separation does the other party have to moved. There are no children between the two.

There is tension between us and I can afford the mortgage on my own and I want to buy him out but I need a year to do it.

Nyasha A. West
Nyasha A. West
answered on Jan 9, 2019

Unlike an Absolute Divorce on the ground of Voluntary Separation, when parties seek to divorce on the ground of Mutual Consent, there is no requirement that they live separate and apart prior to seeking to dissolve the marriage.

In Maryland, a divorce may be granted on the ground of Mutual...
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