Does a Maryland Custody Order Allow Out-of-State Travel?
Before you book a flight to see family in another state this winter, pull out your custody order and read it. The wording matters more than the airline’s change policy. Maryland’s 90-day notice statute applies to only two situations, moving a permanent residence and leaving the country. A drive to Pennsylvania or a flight to […]
Maryland Grandparent Rights Start With Visitation or Custody
Grandparent Rights in Maryland During the Holidays The holidays can make a missing grandchild feel even more missed after a divorce or falling-out has shut you out. Grandparent rights in Maryland come down to two requests, visitation and custody. Holiday schedules sit in a different place, because Maryland asks parents to work them out in […]
Exceptions in Maryland’s Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
You were hurt, the medical bills are arriving, and an insurance adjuster keeps calling to ask how you’re feeling. Somewhere in the middle of it, you searched for how long you have to sue. Under Section 5-101 of Maryland’s Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, the Maryland personal injury statute of limitations gives you three years […]
Filing a QDRO Is the Final Step in a Maryland Divorce
You finally signed the papers. The judge signed off. For the first time in months, you let yourself breathe. It feels like the divorce is over. But if your settlement included a share of your ex’s 401(k), pension, or other retirement account, one step is still waiting. It’s easy to miss entirely. Until you file […]
For Marylanders Facing a Domestic Violence Felony Charge
The word “felony” changes a conversation. One minute, a family is dealing with a police report and a confusing set of next steps. The next, someone uses that word, and everything feels heavier. If you’re in that position right now, you deserve a straight answer. Maybe you’re the person facing the charge, or perhaps you’re […]
How to Tell If Mediation Fits Your Maryland Family
Your ex mentioned mediation. Maybe a friend brought it up, or your attorney did. Now you’re turning it over in your head, wondering whether it’s a smart way to handle things or a way to lose ground before you’ve even started. Mediation is a process where a trained, neutral third party helps you and your […]
In Maryland, It’s a Protective Order, Not a Restraining One
Something just happened, a threat, a scary encounter, or a pattern of behavior you cannot ignore anymore. You are probably searching for a restraining order right now. That is the term almost everyone reaches for first, the one you have heard on television and in conversations with friends. It is the general cultural shorthand for […]
What Happens When You Violate a Protective Order in Maryland
You just found out someone believes you violated a protective order already filed against you. Maybe an officer showed up at your door. Maybe your attorney called with the news. Either way, the fear hits fast, and the questions come faster. Is this a crime? Could you go to jail? What happens next? A single […]
Why Maryland Guardianship Petitions Get Denied
Families who contact a Maryland guardianship attorney for the first time almost always arrive with the same assumption. They picture a brief court appearance and a judge who nods in agreement because everyone in the room wants what is best for their loved one. That picture is wrong. The gap between what families expect and […]
Grandparents Rights in Maryland Are Not What Most People Think
Most grandparents who search for this topic do so after a door has already been closed. A conversation went wrong, a custody dispute pushed them to the outside, or a parent decided to cut off contact without warning. The instinct is to assume the law provides some floor of protection for that relationship. The reality […]