What is AA v. Ab D? AA v. Ab D is a 2020 Court of Special Appeals opinion involving these important concepts in child custody cases: The court’s obligation to children when deciding child custody. Children’s rights to have their best interests fu…
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November 17, 2021, and its Breona C. v. Rodney D. decision from the Court of Special Appeals, may mark the end of contempt as a meaningful tool for seeking compliance with child custody orders. The case involved a constructive civil contempt action f…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Rule 9-205 Introduction The new year brings with it new and updated Rules of Civil Procedure in Maryland’s child custody cases. Starting January 1, 2020, for cases filed on or after that date and “insofar as practicable” to all cases pending th…
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Rule 9-204.2 Introduction The new year brings with it new and updated Rules of Civil Procedure in Maryland’s child custody cases. Starting January 1, 2020, for cases filed on or after that date and “insofar as practicable” to all cases pending…
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Rule 9-204.1 Introduction The new year brings with it new and updated Rules of Civil Procedure in Maryland’s child custody cases. Starting January 1, 2020, for cases filed on or after that date and “insofar as practicable” to all cases pending…
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Divorce litigation is rarely simple. The emotional stakes are high, the facts are often complicated, and the courtroom can be unpredictable. But having the best chance to achieve your goals at trial almost always comes down to the same thing: prepara… Read More
When an adult becomes unable to make decisions for themselves or a disabled child reaches the age of majority, families often face emotional and legal uncertainty. Whether because of illness, injury, or disability, it’s not unusual that the need fo… Read More
What Maryland Litigators Need to Know When a divorce involves significant wealth, everything becomes more complicated— especially property division in divorce. Maryland’s equitable distribution model gives the court discretion to divide marital a… Read More
In Maryland, remarriage directly affects alimony – but how it affects things depends on whether you receive or pay alimony. Maryland law has clear rules about when alimony stops after remarriage and other life changes. Careful consideration nee… Read More