Under Maryland law, retirement plans are considered marital property while Social Security benefits are considered non-contractual benefits and thus non-marital property. Previously, Social Security benefits could not be distributed or assigned in a divorce proceeding but could be utilized to pay child support and alimony. In Jackson v. Sollie, a trial judge of the Circuit…
Permitting Underage Drinking Just Became More Costly For the last two decades in Maryland, it has been considered a crime for adults to allow underage drinking in their homes. But, in the past, the Court of Appeals has been reluctant to hold third parties (such as bar owners) legally accountable for intoxicated people’s actions. However, on July 5th, the highest…
Maryland’s Highest Court Overturns 2008 Decision Regarding the Parental Rights of a De Facto Parent (Columbia, MD) A de facto parent is a person considered by the court to have assumed the role of parent to a non-biological child. To qualify as a de facto parent, the person must prove that they have lived with, raised…
The Impact of Rising Health Insurance Costs on Child Support For most people, health insurance is a significant expense. For some people, including many separated/divorced families already struggling to maintain the expenses of two households, health insurance payments can be financially crippling. So, what happens to child support in the event that this large expense becomes even larger?…
We all know the familiar saying that “A House is not a Home”. The structure that we humans live in becomes a “home” when there is family, security and love that exists within the walls. A “home” is where one feels secure and cared for, where it is ok to close the door and shut out the…
Do It Yourself Divorce in Maryland: Short Term Convenience, Long Term Problems? | Howard County, MD Divorce Lawyer Until September 2015, if you wanted to avoid a fault-based divorce in Columbia, MD (adultery, extreme emotional duress, etc), you had to live separately for a full year before you could get an absolute divorce – the…
Divorce marks the end of a chapter in one’s life, as well as the beginning of a new chapter. Outside of the considerations made for children, divorce is essentially about finances and the division of property. Marital property is defined as all of the “stuff”, however titled, that is accumulated during the length of a…
For most fathers, there is very little in this world more important than the wellbeing of his child(ren). Issues of child custody and parental rights arise when the wellbeing of the child needs to be protected. For dads facing this situation, having knowledge about fathers rights under Maryland law – along with a firm understanding of his…
(Columbia, MD) Most people will tell you that going through a divorce was one of the most vulnerable and stressful times in their lives – emotionally, mentally and financially. The divorce process becomes even more difficult when there are children involved, and custody and visitation is an issue. Selecting the best divorce lawyer for you and your…
What Does “Legal Separation” Mean in Howard County, Maryland? Many jurisdictions consider a husband and wife “separated” if they refrain from having sexual relations and are not living together. Some couples with irreconcilable differences choose to remain separated with no immediate plans to seek an absolute or “final” divorce for moral, religious, or financial reasons.…