In May of this year, we wrote a blog alerting you to the fact that several bills seeking to change certain divorce laws in Maryland were making their way through the state legislature. At the time, the changes had not taken effect; however, according to the Baltimore Sun, certain new divorce laws took effect as of October 1, 2015.
Continue Reading »
Many people know of or have heard the phrase "common law marriage." But what exactly is a common law marriage--and more importantly, does it exist for those who live in Maryland? Undoubtedly, for individuals who have been in relationships for long periods of time, the answer to that question is a very important one. So, let's take a look at what a common law marriage is in Maryland.
Continue Reading »
There are a variety of reasons why someone would want to have his or her name changed. Some choose to do so after they get married, while others might want to change their names for religious or personal reasons. Whatever the reason, it is important to know that there are several steps that must be taken in order to have your name changed -- but there are also steps that will need to be taken if you object to someone changing his or her name.
Continue Reading »
According to a recent Washington Post article, Washington County's Board of Education recently adopted new child abuse reporting policies, diversity initiatives and superintendent evaluations. More specifically, in a unanimous vote, the school system noted that all employees will be expected and required to report all incidents of suspected neglect and/or abuse as soon as possible -- but only if it can be done without risking the safety of the child.
Continue Reading »
If you have never dealt with an attorney, it is highly likely that you have many questions and/or concerns about what is going to take place and how he or she is going to handle your case.
Continue Reading »
When couples decide to separate or divorce, some of them will face periods of anger, confusion and sadness. Each of these emotions can lead individuals to make rushed judgments that, from a legal standpoint, can do them more harm than good.
Continue Reading »
The Office of Legislative Audits (OLA) recently conducted an audit of Maryland’s Child Support Enforcement Administration (CSEA) and found that the issues discovered four years ago have all been corrected and the number of child support payments in arrears has decreased considerably -- but there’s still room for improvement.
Continue Reading »
Over the last few weeks, we have heard numerous stories related to the Ashley Madison hack --some of which have not had happy endings. However, as your Towson divorce lawyer knows, the Ashley Madison website has brought about the need for a candid conversation about the role adultery can play in a Maryland divorce.
Continue Reading »
According to a recent story in The Baltimore Sun, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh has written a legal opinion discussing whether infidelity in same-sex marriages qualifies as adultery for divorce purposes. Unfortunately, many couples deal with the issue of infidelity and cheating regardless of their marital status. But for those who are married, the issue may spark thoughts of divorce and for those in same-sex marriages, the resolution may not be as clear as it is for a husband and wife -- at least not as currently defined.
Continue Reading »
Many parents in Maryland and all across the United States struggle with obtaining child support payments in a timely fashion. When a noncustodial parent is ordered to make such payments on a monthly basis and those payments are late or never sent, the custodial parent may be tempted to retaliate by keeping the child away from the nonpaying parent or using some other form of “punishment,” so to speak.
Continue Reading »
