Laurel, MD Child Custody Attorney

Supportive Child Custody Lawyer for Parents in Laurel, Maryland

As a parent, you may have some real concerns about how you will sort out child custody in the event of a divorce. Whether you are dealing with the logistical problems of dividing up physical and legal custody or the stress of working with an uncooperative co-parent, you should strongly consider seeking out legal representation from a Laurel child custody attorney.

At DM Family Law, we empathize with the struggles of parents in a divorce. As a family law attorney with over two decades of legal experience, including successful trial results, David Marquardt is prepared to handle your case with compassion and care.

What Responsibilities Are Included With Legal Custody?

In Maryland, the term "legal custody" refers to a parent's right to make life choices on a child's behalf. These choices often center around critical issues, such as:

• Healthcare: These choices may involve consent for medical procedures and the choice of doctor for the child.
• Discipline: This governs what rules the child will be held to and how punishment will be handled.
• Schooling: These decisions may govern whether the child goes to public or private school and other education-related issues.
• Extracurricular activities: These decisions may concern what clubs or after-school activities the child is allowed to participate in.
• Religion: This may center around what faith the child is raised in, if any, and what traditions they will observe.

As a parent, you deserve to have a say in how your child is raised. Securing legal custody is important for making sure that you can provide input in the most important decisions.

You and your co-parent can share legal custody after your divorce. You might delegate certain choices to each other, or share input on all decisions with a predetermined method for dispute resolution.

Dividing Up Physical Custody in Maryland

"Physical custody" refers to the amount of time the child spends with each parent. The child may live in two separate households, or in one household with the other parent having visitation rights.

Figuring out how to split up physical custody can be a challenge. You and your co-parent may have conflicting schedules that could make a 50/50 split of parenting time unfeasible. A functioning joint physical custody agreement should account for the distance between the parents' residences, as well as the location of the child's school, friends, and family.

The judge may also give one parent sole physical and legal custody if the other parent poses a serious danger to the child, whether due to neglect or a past history of family violence. This decision is not made lightly, however, and sole custody is usually reserved for cases where the child's health and well-being are at risk.

How Are Custody Disputes Handled?

When parents disagree about how to divide up physical or legal custody, the matter can be handled in or outside of court. Oftentimes, judges will order parents in a custody battle to attend mediation to come up with a shared parenting plan. In mediation, a certified professional will work with both parents to try to help them reach an agreement. This third party, known as the mediator, does not take either parent's side in the dispute.

If mediation fails, the custody dispute may have to be handled through the courts. In this venue, the parents can argue their case to a judge, who will then give their final verdict based on the child's best interests.

Meet With a Laurel Child Custody Lawyer

Custody disputes can be exhausting to deal with on your own, as you try to balance your own needs with your child's. At DM Family Law, we can provide you with practical legal advice and strong representation to protect your parental rights. Call us at 443-545-8100 or contact our Laurel, MD child custody attorney to arrange your free consultation.