Several bills that affect family law are making their way through the Maryland Senate. Bills involving divorce, youth marriage and adultery are being heard and could soon be made into law. Here is a brief rundown of what is happening. Divorce – Mutual Consent A bill passed in the Senate that will allow courts to…
Details
It can be heartbreaking when you find out that your spouse has committed adultery. The person that you trusted most betrayed you. For many people, infidelity is a marriage-breaker. It remains one of the top reasons that people give for filing for separation or divorce. In Maryland, adultery is still grounds for divorce and will…
Details
We have discussed the fact that Maryland rape victims may not currently terminate the parental rights of their attackers should that attack result in a pregnancy. New legislation is set to pass that will allow rape victims to terminate the parental rights of their attackers. The bill passed through the Senate last week with a…
Details
Maryland is currently dealing with an issue that some may not be aware of: Shared parenting during and after divorce. While some people believe that shared parenting shouldn’t be the status quo, others hold the opinion that it is the best arrangement for children. In a recent editorial, Dr. Neil Holstein weighed in with his…
Details
When you decide to get a divorce in Maryland, there are a lot of issues that need to be dealt with. Outside of dealing with child custody and other family dynamics involving minor children, most of the issues involved in dissolving a marriage are financial. Essentially, you must reach agreement with your spouse on who…
Details
In a small number of states, women who become pregnant following a rape have to deal with the parental rights of their rapist, causing them to have to fight for custody and adoption decisions with their attacker. Maryland is one of these states, having failed to pass legislation nine times in order to take away…
Details
In 2013, lawmakers in Maryland put together a special commission in order to study how the state’s courts come to decisions regarding child custody. Over an 18-month period of time, the commission listened to judges, mental health professionals and family law attorneys. The commission’s final report was issued in 2014. Despite this, state reforms have…
Details
If you are of a certain age, your picture of post-divorce parenting is one parent with primary custody, typically the mother, with the other parent having weekend visitation or, in some cases, every-other-weekend visitation. In more recent years, custody has changed. More parents are trying co-parenting, with the support of their state. In 2017, 20…
Details
Below is an example of a frequently asked question relating to bankruptcy after divorce. Unfortunately, the situation described below occurs all too frequently in post-divorce cases. However, the good news is that by seeking professional advice early in the divorce process, you are often able to minimize the risks of these nightmare situations from happening…
Details
In Maryland and throughout the country, January has become known as “divorce month.” Statistics show that most divorces happen in March and August, but filings spike in January. Legal experts believe that the rise in filings after the New Year is due to one reason: People don’t want to file during the holidays. It is…
Details