No one should ever have to deal with the threat of being abused or subjected to any form of domestic violence. Unfortunately, many men and women face such threats on a daily basis. Regardless of whether the individuals are married or unmarried, your Baltimore and Towson family law attorney will tell you that Maryland has domestic violence laws in place to protect those who are being abused by loved ones.
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Many people use the words "divorce" and "separation" interchangeably when they discuss couples who are choosing to go their separate ways. But your Baltimore and Towson family law attorney knows that under Maryland law, separation and divorce have two different and distinct meanings that should not be confused. It is important for parting couples to understand that separation is not the same as divorce. Rather, separation is a reason for divorce.
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From both a business and personal standpoint, social media plays a major role in the lives of thousands of people. As sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube become more popular, the legal community is starting to realize social media can be used for more than just chatting with friends and keeping up with what is going on with Hollywood celebrities.
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Victims of domestic violence may be entitled to a protective order if they have been "abused," as defined by statute. Under Maryland law, abuse includes acts of assault; rape, attempted rape or some other sexual offense; stalking; false imprisonment, or any act that puts an individual either in fear of serious bodily injury or causes serious harm.
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There are distinct differences between civilian and military divorces, particularly when it comes to dealing with the division of retirement benefits. With respect to the division of assets in a divorce proceeding, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling in 1981 that state courts were not allowed to divide military retired pay; however, the law changed after Congress passed the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA) the following year.
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Whenever a spouse or partner sustains injuries or dies because of someone else's negligence, the non-injured spouse or partner may be entitled to seek certain damages under the law. Your Baltimore and Towson family law attorney knows that individuals who are found legally liable for their negligence are typically required to pay an injured person and/or his or her family for the damages sustained.
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For many years, spouses were prohibited from suing each other in the state of Maryland. This was because of a common law doctrine known as "interspousal immunity." Initially back in the early '80s, the doctrine was abrogated in the state with respect to negligence cases, but spouses were still allowed to use the doctrine as a defense in intentional tort cases. However, as your Baltimore and Towson divorce lawyer will tell you, interspousal immunity has since been abolished in all cases. Now under Maryland law, spouses are no longer barred from suing each other.
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The divorce process can be quite long and extensive. In fact, depending on the parties and the complexity of their particular wants and needs, a divorce can drag on for months--especially if the parties are unable to agree on various divorce terms. Generally speaking, courts do not issue divorce decrees until the end of the process; however, there are times when certain issues arise that will cause the parties to seek a temporary order prior to the finalization of the divorce.
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Generally speaking, child support awards are income-based. That being the case, it is imperative for parents to have an understanding of what can be deemed income for purposes of child support. The state of Maryland follows certain guidelines with respect to computing child support obligations. Both parents' incomes will be considered and adjusted accordingly if they are currently making child support and/or alimony payments and if they are paying health insurance premiums for the child.
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Anyone who has read a newspaper or watched the news on TV has undoubtedly heard of the many horror stories regarding children being left in hot automobiles. Each year during the summer season, heart-wrenching (and preventable) deaths take place when kids are left by themselves in cars. Still, as your Baltimore and Towson family law attorney knows, some parents and caregivers are leaving children alone in vehicles for a variety of reasons. A recent news story has once again highlighted the seriousness of the issue.
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