Maryland's Commission on Child Custody Decision Making - Legislative Standstill 3 Sessions After

In March/April 2016, I co-authored an article about the Commission and the need for a child custody statute: The Commission on Child Custody Decision Making: From Theory to Practice (note, link takes you to MSBA’s website to download the articl… Read More
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How long is too long to wait for relationship improvement?

“When it comes to marriage, or long-term monogamy, we have to take the good with the bad, the weak with the strong. But what I’m not hearing here is a clear sense that your boyfriend is troubled by the inequalities in the relationship, that h… Read More
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Limited Scope Representation & Litigation

Limited scope representation means hiring an attorney to provide services for certain, but not all, tasks. It is “a la carte” representation, choosing from a menu of options that the attorney is willing to offer. Maryland Rule 19-301.2(c)… Read More
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Limited Scope Representation & Settlement

Limited scope representation means hiring an attorney to provide services for certain, but not all, tasks. It is “a la carte” representation, choosing from a menu of options. Maryland Rule 19-301.2(c) states: An attorney may limit the sco… Read More
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Unenforceable Agreements to Agree & Family Law

In Maryland, “agreements to agree” are generally unenforceable. For a contact to exist, the terms must be “sufficiently definite”. If the parties’ terms are too undefined, a court cannot make a contract for the parties.… Read More
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What Will Litigation Cost?

The question asked in every initial consultation when suit has been filed or when settlement seems uncertain. And, a question clients should ask throughout the attorney-client relationship. The truthful, but dissatisfying, answer: It depends. It depe… Read More
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Growing Support for Same Sex Marriage, But Why is Same Sex Adultery in Doubt?

A recent Pew Research study shows that support of same sex marriage is at an all time high. So, why is there still doubt in Maryland about whether a divorce can be granted based upon same sex adultery? Because that’s what we Maryland lawyers we… Read More
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Categories: Divorce, News

Relationship Contracts - A Paradigm Shift

A recent article in the New York Times, To Stay In Love, Sign on the Dotted Line, describes a more deliberate process – a written relationship contract – for what many (if not most) couples do instinctively. At its simplest, a relationshi… Read More
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Failed Legislative Effort to Presume Minimum Income for Child Support Purposes

The 2017 Maryland legislative session saw a failed effort to impose a rebuttable presumption that a parent is able to work 40 hours per week at minimum wage for child support purposes when a parent is found voluntarily impoverished. Specifically, HB1… Read More
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Bill Denying Clerks the Right to Rule on Motions Denied

The 2017 Maryland General Assembly Session saw a bill – SB378/HB1191 – which would have prevented court clerks from ruling on motions. This arose, apparently, due to a directive of the District Court of Maryland which would have allowed c… Read More
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