Pasadena, MD Child Custody Attorney

Skilled Child Custody Lawyer Representing Parents in Pasadena, Maryland

As a parent, the issue of child custody may be at the forefront of your mind during a divorce. If you have any concerns about where your children will live or who will get to make important choices on their behalf, consider working with a Pasadena child custody attorney to ease your worries.

Child custody cases often demand special attention, especially when the well-being of a younger child is at stake. At DM Family Law, we recognize just how sensitive these cases can be. Attorney David Marquardt can provide you with the counsel and advocacy you need, speaking up for your rights while doing what is best for your child.

What Is Considered in Determining the Child's Best Interests in Maryland?

In a court of family law, the judge will always base a custody decision on the child's best interests. In keeping with this standard, the judge may consider:

• The child's physical and emotional wellness
• The child's relationship with both parents
• The parents' ability to cooperate and work together
• The child's age and maturity
• The fitness of both parents
• The child's own preferences regarding custody

In some cases, the courts may appoint a guardian ad litem to investigate the child's home life and conduct multiple interviews before making an informed recommendation to the court.

Understanding the principle of the child's best interests can help you make informed decisions regarding child custody. At DM Family Law, we can work with you one-on-one to help you come up with a solution that serves your child's needs.

What Is a Parenting Plan?

The court will not be content with a simple verbal agreement between parents regarding custody. Instead, parents are expected to have the details sorted out in writing in a legal document known as a parenting plan. In a parenting plan, you should decide how custody will be divided, including:

• Physical Custody: This refers to the amount of time the child spends with each parent throughout the year. Parents with physical custody are expected to take care of their children and provide for their everyday needs.
• Legal Custody: This refers to a parent's authority to make choices in the child's life.

Physical and legal custody can be shared between the parents in whatever way they see fit, as long as it does not conflict with the child's best interests. However, if the parents cannot agree on a shared parenting plan, they may have to submit a joint statement to the court outlining the areas of contention. At DM Family Law, we can assist with the drafting and review of a parenting plan, making sure it respects your rights.

What Is a Parental Relocation?

When the primary custodial parent seeks to move with their child, it is referred to as a relocation. The non-custodial parent has the right to object to the proposed move if they feel it is not in the child's best interests or if it infringes on their parental rights.

Parents tend to seek relocations for different reasons, but in all cases, the court expects that the move will benefit the child in some way. For instance, a parent with a new job opportunity away from their current home may be able to provide a better quality of life for the child at the new location. At DM Family Law, we can represent you in a hearing for a relocation and state your case to the judge.

Contact a Pasadena Child Custody Lawyer Today

If you need help asserting your parental rights, consider working with our Pasadena, MD child custody attorney at DM Family Law. We offer free consultations. To get in contact with our firm, call us at 443-545-8100 or reach out to our Pasadena, MD child custody attorney.