Monthly Archives: July 2025
Understanding “De Facto Parenthood” in Maryland Family Law
In 2016, the Maryland Court of Appeals–now the Supreme Court of Maryland–recognized a legal concept known as “de facto parenthood.” A de facto parent is someone who claims custody or visitation rights with a non-biological, non-adopted child. The case before the Court, Conover v. Conover, addressed a same-sex couple who conceived a child through… Read More »
Can You Waive Child Support in a Maryland Divorce Case?
Child support is often one of the most contentious issues in a Maryland divorce case. One way that Maryland law tries to reduce potential conflict is through enforcing a set of mandatory child support guidelines. These guidelines determine a non-custodial parent’s support obligations. If the parents’ combined monthly income exceeds a certain threshold, however,… Read More »
Can You Ask for Temporary Child Support or Alimony in Your Maryland Divorce Case?
While some Maryland divorce cases are resolved amicably and relatively quickly, many others are contested and take some time to complete. While a divorce case is pending in the courts, one spouse may be at a substantial financial disadvantage if the other spouse is the primary wage-earner for the family. This raises the question:… Read More »