FAMILY 

We provide strong yet compassionate representation in all areas of family law in the state of Maryland. As experienced trial lawyers, we are ready to fight for you in court if necessary. We promise to aggressively advocate for your interests in a contested divorce, marital property division dispute or any other contentious family law matter.

Mother:

If you are a mother looking to establish fatherhood for your child, it is important to act as soon after the birth of your child as possible. Fatherhood is critical in establishing child support payments that you may need to meet the day-to-day living expenses of your child.

Father:

If you think you may be the father of a child, you need to establish fatherhood in order to obtain custody and visitation rights over your child. If you doubt that you are the father of a child born into your marriage, you may face significant legal challenges if you wish to avoid the obligation to support the child, as any child born into a marriage is legally presumed to be the child of the husband.

Paternity:

Whether you are seeking to establish, defend, or deny fatherhood, you must file a paternity petition, which is served upon the other party and filed in family court. Once the petition is filed, evidence will be sought and considered, including DNA blood tests. Our attorneys understand the important implications of paternity findings and will put our skill and experience to work for you to make sure all of the necessary legal details are properly handled. A paternity lawyer in Maryland can help you move through this process diligently and successfully. Contact us today.

Our family law attorneys have extensive experience helping Maryland couples with all of the legal details of establishing prenuptial agreements. A well-drafted prenuptial agreement can help you:

1. Protect your assets

2. Avoid costly disputes in the event of divorce

3. Define “marital” and “separate” property

4. Protect the interests of children from a previous marriage

5. Define future alimony, maintenance payments, and obligations

A postnuptial agreement can perform many of the same functions as a prenuptial agreement, but it is established after the marriage. Circumstances that may lead a couple to pursue a postmarital agreement include:

1. Significant change in financial status

2. Career change

3. Substantial inheritance

Whichever type of agreement you are considering, it is important to make sure it is detailed and without ambiguity. We can help you draft the best agreement possible. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

The issuance of an order of spousal support or spousal maintenance (formerly called alimony) is by no means a certainty in a Maryland divorce. The courts will consider a number of factors in determining whether, to what extent, and for what duration spousal support is appropriate. Some of these factors include:

1. Length of the marriage

2. Age and health of both parties

3. Presence of children of the marriage in the respective homes of the parties

4. The need to pay for exceptional additional expenses for the child/children, including but not limited to schooling, day care and medical treatment

5. The ability of the party seeking maintenance to become self-supporting and, if applicable, the period of time and training necessary

6. The equitable distribution of marital property

Establishing a fair and workable spousal support or alimony arrangement requires the assistance of an experienced Maryland family law attorney who understands the legal criteria and the subtle nuances that may come into play. In an effort to fully protect a client’s rights and interests, a good attorney will work hard to convince the judge to deviate or not deviate from the standard formula as may be in an individual client’s best interest.