Category Archives: Child Support
Can a Parent Avoid Paying Maryland Child Support by Quitting Their Job?
Maryland courts calculate child support based on the income of both parents. In most cases this means looking at a parent’s actual income, i.e., how much they earn per year at their job or profession. So what happens if a parent quits their job? Does this reduce their child support obligation? The answer to… Read More »
Can You Be Held in Contempt for Failing to Pay Child Support in Maryland?
Child support is a legal obligation. Among other things, this means that a parent who willfully defies a court order to pay child support can be found in contempt of court. Maryland law classifies contempt as either “direct” or “constructive.” The former, direct contempt, refers to acts of contempt committed directly in the presence… Read More »
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 »