Severna Park, MD Child Custody Lawyers

Knowledgeable Custody Attorneys for Parents in Severna Park, Maryland

Child custody is arguably one of the most sensitive family law issues. When parents cannot come to an agreement about their rights to their children, the resulting dispute may have to be settled in court. If you need help enforcing your parental rights, a skilled Severna Park child custody attorney can provide you with legal advice and advocacy.

At Zide Law Group, LLC, we deeply empathize with parents who want what is best for their children. Our attorneys have decades of experience representing parents in emotional, legally complex child custody disputes. In every case, we strive to reach a healthy long-term solution for your family.

Joint vs. Sole Custody

Many parenting agreements involve a joint custody agreement, wherein both parents share physical and/or legal custody rights to the child. Physical custody refers to the schedule of parenting time, while legal custody refers to decision-making responsibility entrusted to a parent.

If it is feasible for the child to maintain a relationship with both parents in a divorce, joint custody is often favored. Joint custody does not always mean both parents have equal responsibilities, however—depending on the final decree, one parent may have majority physical custody while both parents have equal say in legal custody, or vice-versa.

If one parent has a history of neglect, abuse, or is otherwise unfit to take care of the child, the other parent may be given sole custody rights to the child. Sole custody is not intended to punish the other parent, but instead to ensure that the child's best interests are upheld, promoting health and happiness.

A non-custodial parent can still petition for the right to visitation with their child. A judge may decide to grant visitation with adult supervision, unconditional visitation, or deny visitation altogether depending on whether it would serve the child's best interests.

Child Support

Child support is a court order that provides financial assistance to the custodial parent in a divorce. This assistance is intended to provide a child with the resources to grow up in a stable environment, covering necessary expenses like clothes, food, housing, and educational materials. The amount the non-custodial parent pays in monthly child support installments is based on both parents' combined income and the number of children between them.

If your co-parent does not pay the child support that they owe, you can take legal action against them. By petitioning the court, you can have your co-parent's wages garnished or have them held in contempt of court, among other possible remedies. At Zide Law Group, LLC, we can help you take swift action to get the child support you are owed.

Parental Relocation

In Maryland, you must take certain steps before you can move to a new address with your child after a divorce. To petition for parental relocation, you must give notice to your co-parent at least 90 days in advance. If the other parent objects to the move, you will both have to appear in court and propose arguments for or against the relocation.

Like any other child custody dispute, the court's main concern will be whether the relocation serves the child's best interests. A judge may consider the opportunities available to the child at the new location, whether the relocation would hurt the child's relationship with the non-moving parent, and the child's own wishes, among several other factors. At Zide Law Group, LLC, our lawyers can represent you in a relocation hearing and argue for your child's best interests.

Meet With a Severna Park Child Custody Lawyer Today

Our Severna Park family law attorneys are here to speak up for your rights as a parent. Call Zide Law Group, LLC at 410-760-9433 or contact us online today.