Author Archives: Amos Whitney
How do you serve the Opposing Party?
In some cases, the first real hurdle that a litigant needs to clear comes after they have filed their complaint with the appropriate clerk’s office in the correct jurisdiction. In most Maryland jurisdictions, after the Complaint or Petition has been filed, the clerk’s office will then mail a summons to the party that filed… Read More »
A Commentary on Protective Orders
The sword and shield of family law, a protective order, is a misunderstood tool that will cause immense harm to a party when abused. A protective order is one of two forms of restraining order available under Maryland Law. Unlike its cousin, the peace order, a protective order is the only avenue available… Read More »
Can my QDRO get denied?
You’ve retained a lawyer to draft a QDRO; you’ve signed; your former spouse has signed; the Court has signed; a certified copy has been served on the Plan and you’re eagerly waiting for confirmation that the money you’re owed has been transferred to your name. And then you get that dreaded letter: DENIED. Denied?!… Read More »
Tips for Finding the Right Family Law Attorney
Going through a divorce can already be one of the most stressful times of a person’s life. During these hard times, many people begin the difficult process of trying to find representation. Finding the right attorney for you may be a huge factor in achieving your ultimate goals, but how do you know which… Read More »
Should I Litigate My Divorce or Try to Settle?
In Maryland, you can get divorced in one of two ways – an uncontested divorce or a contested divorce. An uncontested divorce involves getting an agreement between you and your spouse and submitting the settlement agreement to the court, which will then incorporate your agreement into your Judgment of Divorce. While you are still… Read More »
Welcome to our Newest Attorney – Scudder Sodergreen
Our firm recently expanded and we are very happy to announce that we have added a new attorney – Scudder Sodergreen. Whenever our firm is considering hiring a new person – for any position – we consider many factors. Of course we are looking for professionals who excel at their jobs, but we also… Read More »
Human Lawyer vs. Chat GPT: is it advisable to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to draft a Marital Settlement Agreement? (Part II)
Human Lawyer vs. Chat GPT: is it advisable to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to draft a Marital Settlement Agreement? (Part II) On May 13, 2024, Google unveiled its newest AI Tool, Chat GBT 4.0. As a follow up to the experiment contained in the prior Blog on this topic, the directions, below, were typed… Read More »
QDROs: 401k? 403b? 457b? What’s the Difference?
It’s time to get a QDRO drafted. But, there are many different types of retirement accounts: 401k, Roth 401k, 401a, 403b, 457b, IRAs and more. All these numbers and letters can begin to blur. What’s the difference between them? Let’s begin with how they are similar. First, they are all forms of deferred income,… Read More »
Custody/Access Schedules for Children
One of the biggest concerns of parents during a divorce or custody action is the custody/access schedule for their children. For many parents who live together with their children, the thought of not seeing their children every day is overwhelming. So, most parents meeting with an attorney are going to ask, “what type of… Read More »
Top Ten Tips for Filling out your Long Form Financial Statement
If you are involved in a divorce case in which alimony (and possibly child support) is being sought, you may be required to fill out something called a Long Form Financial Statement. While the required form is set forth in Maryland Family Law Subsection 9-203, there is no guidance provided as to how best… Read More »
