Determining Child Custody in Maryland

There are many important things to consider when getting divorced. When children are involved, it is crucial to promote stability and consistency in their lives by letting them continue in the same schools and having the least amount of conflict possible. The children should not be subjected to either parent trying to alienate one another, as it can cause emotional trauma. Fortunately, a well-practiced child custody attorney could provide valuable insight during this process to help you protect your children throughout litigation.

It is also very important that neither parent tries to get the child to choose where they may want to live. The most important thing to consider is how parents can divorce with minimal harm coming to the children. At the end of the day, the more harm that parents do to each other, the more harm that may come to their kids. Local courts will keep these and other factors in mind when determining child custody in Maryland.

How is Child Custody Determined in Maryland?

Child custody is determined in Maryland according to what is in the best interest of the involved children. The courts are required by law to consider many different factors, such as:

• Caring capacity of both parents
• Ages and number of children
• Geographic proximity of the parents’ homes
• Relationship established between the child and both parents
• Economic circumstances of both parents
• Potential disruption of child’s school and/or social life

A local judge will make an appropriate ruling on what they think is in the best interests of the minor child, and both parties will be legally obligated to adhere to their court orders.

Most Maryland courts prefer to award both parents with equal rights to their children, and the law is foremost concerned with what is in their best interests. The law does not consider one parent’s goals more valid than the other’s, and a judge is not going to tell either party that they are a better parent or that they have a more appropriate home for the child. The standard in Maryland is that both parties have equal rights to their children, and it is important for kids to spend as much time as possible with both parents. If a custody decision must be made, a judge will look at and evaluate all the relevant factors and the evidence provided by the parties to determine what is in the best interests of the children.

Issues Associated with Divorces Involving Children

Common issues that arise when children are involved in a divorce include where they are going to live, how they will be transferred between the parties, who has access to them at what times, who can make day-to-day and long term decisions regarding their health and schooling, their extracurricular activities, how child-raising funds will be divided, and how the parents can minimize their own conflict. It is also common to ask whether the children need any kind of therapy or any kind of assistance to get through the divorce process.

Seeking Help from an Attorney

A family lawyer can play an important role in protecting children’s rights during a divorce. A legal representative could explain to parents the process of litigation and how this whole ordeal may affect their kids. A skilled Maryland attorney can assist parent in trying to reach an amicable agreement so that their children are not placed in the middle of a nasty legal battle.

If a lawyer believes that the children are in danger or are going to be harmed by this process, they can ask the court to appoint a best interest attorney to advocate for their best interests. Call our firm today to learn more about determining child custody in Maryland.