As lively as the 2022 Maryland General Assembly was with so many bills, few family law bills passed. Below is an update about those bills which may be relevant to your practice or impact your family. Bills in italics passed. The rest did not. May 31,…
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Whether to stay in an unhappy, unhealthy relationship or breakup and move on is a tough decision. Change is hard and I’m a believer that people aren’t ready until they are ready. Even so, instead of decision through indecision, be intentional. Wh…
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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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(Or, finding the better path – a divorce lawyer’s perspective.) “Marriage Story” might more accurately (though less invitingly) be titled “Divorce Story”. It’s a tale about the divorce experience. While that…
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Divorce is a globally traumatic experience. For spouses over the death of their relationship. For parents and children over the unraveling of their family, structure, responsibilities, and routines. For their extended families, friends, and community…
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Part 3 This blog, the third and last in a multi-part series, considering Maryland’s trends and other states’ grounds from Part 1 and Part 2, discusses whether it is time for Maryland to overhaul its grounds for divorce. I welcome hearing from rea…
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Part 1 This blog, the first in a multi-part series, poses the question of whether it’s time to update Maryland’s grounds for divorce and starts to answer that question by looking at developments in Maryland over the last several years. We’ll th…
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Divorce invites isolation. This happens with the separation. From one home into two. From an intact marriage into two estranged spouses. From an intact family into splitting time with the children. Suddenly. This happens with extended family and frie…
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In Maryland, child custody has two main parts: physical custody and legal custody. Physical custody involves where a child lives, when a child spends time with each parent, and any conditions. Physical custody is also called residential custody or pa…
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For even the most amicable of ex-spouses-to-be, undoing “I do” is undoubtedly an emotionally complex process. But when a spouse cheats, walks out, or is cruel, you’re left holding a bag of feelings that are even more complex. People in situatio… Read More
If you’re facing an alimony issue or child support matter, you may be wondering what your options are if your spouse or the other parent is alleging income that doesn’t seem to add up to what they used to earn or could be earning. Importantly, co… Read More
In a Maryland divorce, assets are classified as either marital property, non-marital property, or partly both, if each part can be identified. Only marital property is subject to division in divorce. Read More
How to Make Confident Legal Decisions When Emotions Run High in Divorce Divorce often comes with a flood of emotions, and those feelings can easily cloud judgment when you have to make legal decisions. When the path ahead feels uncertain, knowing how… Read More