What is the Future of Thi…

What is the Future of Third Party Custody?

(OR Questions (Mostly) Unanswered) Updated October 2021: This series discusses: What is Third Party Custody? What’s a De Facto Parent? Exceptional Circumstances Unfit Parents Participating as a Third Party in a Custody Case Step-Parents De Fact… Read More
Read More
What About Grandparent Vi…

What About Grandparent Visitation Rights? (Sigh.)

“Parents and grandparents do not stand on the same legal footing with respect to visitation.” Brandenburg v. LaBarre, 193 Md.App. 178 (2010). Third party custody is one of the fastest developing areas of Maryland law, seeing many major changes si… Read More
Read More
Maryland Third Party Cust…

Maryland Third Party Custody – What is third party custody?

Third party custody is one of the fastest developing areas of Maryland law, seeing many major changes since 2016. This series of articles explores these developments and raises questions about where this area of the law is heading. This series discus… Read More
Read More
COVID's Impact on Familie…

COVID's Impact on Families

If you’re wondering why there’s no discussion of COVID on my site, that’s because what I’ve written on this topic appears on my firm’s – Joseph, Greenwald & Laake’s – website. Well, look no further… Here’s a quick index so… Read More
Read More
Maryland Child Support Gu…

Maryland Child Support Guidelines Updates – Combined Income of $15,001-$30,000/month 2022

UPDATE: During the 2021 Session, the Maryland General Assembly changed the effective date of this law change from October 1, 2021 (as originally passed in the 2020 Session) to July 1, 2022. 2022 will see 5 major changes to the child support guideline… Read More
Read More
Maryland Child Support Gu…

Maryland Child Support Guidelines Updates – Updated Economic Data 2022

UPDATE: During the 2021 Session, the Maryland General Assembly changed the effective date of this law change from October 1, 2021 (as originally passed in the 2020 Session) to July 1, 2022. 2022 will see 5 major changes to the child support guideline… Read More
Read More
Maryland Child Support Gu…

Maryland Child Support Guidelines Updates – Shared Physical Custody 2020

For child support purposes, “shared physical custody” is the minimum number of overnights a parent must have in order for the number of overnights to be included in the child support guidelines calculation. Shared physical custody child support i… Read More
Read More
Maryland Child Support Gu…

Maryland Child Support Guidelines Updates - 2020 & 2022

UPDATE: During the 2021 Session, the Maryland General Assembly changed the effective date of this law change from October 1, 2021 (as originally passed in the 2020 Session) to July 1, 2022. The 2020 Session of the Maryland General Assembly saw severa… Read More
Read More
Maryland Child Custody …

Maryland Child Custody – What ARE the Best Interests of the Child? (2020 Update)

When it comes to where a child of separated parents lives, the child’s schedule for spending time with each parent, and decision-making about a child, the guiding principle is the child’s best interests. In settlement, this means the parents put… Read More
Read More
When Parents' Constitutio…

When Parents' Constitutional Rights & Children's Best Interests Collide

How are parents’ constitutionally protected beliefs and behaviors weighed against children’s best interests in child custody decisions? The Fourteenth Amendment of the United States’ Constitution protects against the state’s t… Read More
Read More