Category Archives: Family Law
Determing the Equity in the Marital Home
In many divorce cases, one of the most valuable assets to be determined and divided is the equity developed in the marital home. For those individuals who have been making years and years of mortgage payments, a substantial amount of equity may have been acquired over time. But even those couples who have not… Read More »
But Who Gets The Dog?
I recently had a client walk into an initial consult and tell me she was willing to give her soon-to-be-ex everything he wanted as long as she got custody of their fur-baby. The fur-baby in question was a beautiful 70 pound Goldendoodle she and her husband had adopted several years ago, during happier times…. Read More »
How Old Does My Child Have to be to Decide Where They Will Live?
Any attorney who regularly practices family law has heard some version of the question: how old does my child have to be to decide which parent they will live with? The answer, not surprisingly, can depend very much on the circumstances facing the particular family. Ultimately, the child’s preference is one factor in the… Read More »
How to Get the Most Out of Your Divorce/Custody Consult
If you are having a divorce or custody consult, generally your situation has already started to deteriorate. While people consult divorce attorneys at different times (just trying to learn about your rights, wanting to separate and start the process, or the process has already started and you need representation), chances are talking about the… Read More »
Can I Get a Legal Separation?
Can I get a legal separation? The short answer is “no”, but that’s because in Maryland, there is no such thing as a “legal separation”. So what constitutes a separation? You and your spouse living separate and apart with the intention of ending your marriage, and without cohabitation or sexual intercourse during that time…. Read More »
The Divorce Pandemic and Hope for 2021
No one will dispute that this is probably one of the hardest years in decades. It’s not that there haven’t been tough years in the past, it is just in most of our lifetimes, this year has been grueling. It is tough partly because we miss our lives: hugs & affection, our friends, having… Read More »
Mediation or a Hollywood Nightmare
By now everyone has seen The War of the Roses, Kramer v. Kramer, or, most recently, Marriage Story. It seems Hollywood likes to illustrate divorce as being highly adversarial, uncontrollably emotional, and exceedingly expensive. The reality is that most couples are able to achieve a divorce from one another without those negative aspects, especially… Read More »
Maryland Parenting Plans and What They Mean to Parents
Parenting Plans are now a requirement for litigants going through the Maryland court system. A Parenting Plan is a written agreement between parents that sets forth their plan for raising their child(ren) in the child(ren)’s best interest. The courts throughout the state now require parents to work on a Parenting Plan either with the… Read More »
