As a firm dedicated solely to family law representation, we manage numerous child support matters for clients in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Whether it’s an initial child support claim as part of a custody matter, modification of child support, or attempts to collect child support, our attorneys are experienced and prepared to help you navigate the child support processes.
Child Support
Each parent has an absolute duty to support a minor child. The job of your child support attorney is to ensure that the children are adequately provided for relative to the financial resources of the parents. Expenses must be measured against income to determine an appropriate child support payment. It’s a complex process that requires experience and knowledge. Our sole focus on family law is just one of the factors that make us exceptional child support attorneys for Maryland & Washington, D.C.
Child Support Payment
Maryland and Washington, D.C. differ in how child support is calculated. While Maryland, as do most states, use child support guidelines enacted by their respective legislature; Washington, D.C. is at the discretion of the court. Even with the Maryland child support guidelines, individuals may exceed the income matrix which then becomes a discretionary decision for the Court, employing either a needs based analysis or an extrapolation methodology. Whether for an individual that is a W-2 earner or a business owner with complicated finances, our child support attorneys have extensive experience in analyzing income, assets, expenses, and other factors that are crucial to a child support calculation.
Child Support Modification & Enforcement
Child support payments can evolve over time. A child support attorney is often involved in more than just initial payment awards. Your child support lawyer plays a crucial role in modification of child support when circumstances change. Your attorney is also central to the process when there are issues with child support enforcement. Our family law attorneys handle issues related to modification and enforcement of child support in both Maryland (both before the Court and the Office of Child Support Enforcement) and Washington, D.C.
Child Custody
How you handle day to day situations and contact with the opposing parent during a divorce is critical to child custody proceedings. The role of your child custody lawyer is to not only uncover evidence from past actions to support your custody petition but also to advise you on what to do and, most importantly, what not to do during the divorce. Since we only handle family law matters, our attorneys have significant experience in D.C. and Maryland child custody litigation. We effectively and efficiently use discovery to obtain the evidence necessary to present your case. In the unfortunate and extremely serious situation of child abuse or child endangerment, we take immediate steps to protect you and the children. We can advise you on the best path forward and discover or control the evidence to support your petition.
Custody Laws & Custody Types
There are many different types of custody and visitation. We represent clients in a wide range of custody disputes from the initial custody hearing during a separation to modification disputes. Some of the proceedings in which our child custody attorneys act as your advocate include:
Legal Custody– This means you have the right as a parent to continue to make major decisions regarding the welfare of the child including health, education, and other important decisions.
Sole Legal Custody– This is a form of legal custody but where only one parent has the right to make major decisions related to the child and the other parent’s right to make such decisions has been terminated.
Joint Legal Custody– In this form of legal custody the parents share the decision-making. There is also joint custody with tiebreaker which gives one parent additional decision-making capabilities.
Physical Custody– This is simply the time-sharing between parents. It may be defined as Primary Physical Custody with one parent having more time with the children and the other parent having less time with the children. (i.e. primary custody to one parent and an evening per week and alternate weekends and alternate holidays with the other parent). It could also be Equal Time Sharing where the parties share the children equally. For example, it could consist of alternating weeks or one parent has the children on Monday and Tuesdays and the other on Wednesday and Thursdays and then alternating weekends from Friday until Monday mornings. (2-2-5-5 schedule).
Of course, these are just a few of the areas of child custody in which we assist clients. Our firm is experienced and intricately involved in custody disputes on a daily basis. Our systems, resources, and attorneys are committed to diligent and efficient representation in your family law matters in Maryland or Washington, D.C.
