Child Custody Attorney

Annapolis Maryland Child Custody

When a marriage or a relationship ends, there is nothing more important than your child. A battle over child custody is one of the most contentious and emotional facets of family law. When it comes to the custody of your children, a family court judge in Maryland will ultimately have the final say and because of that, it is of the utmost importance that you have a competent and experienced attorney to represent you.  The judge presiding over your child custody case will have to consider what is in the best interest of the child and having your case properly presented is important.

There are two types of child custody in Maryland, legal custody and physical custody.  Legal custody if the legal right to make major decisions affecting the minor child, to include but not limited to education, medical and or religion.  Legal custody is shared, shared with one parent having final decision making authority or sole legal custody to one parent.

Physical custody refers to where the children primarily reside. The physical is either shared or primary. If shared, one parent has 128 or more overnight. If primary, one parent has less than 128 overnights. When one parent is awarded primary physical custody, the other parent, absent extraordinary circumstance, will be awarded visitation rights. 

In determining the issue of child custody and visitation, the main concern of the court is the best interest of the child. Many factors are considered by the court in determining the best interest of the child, to include but not limited to:

• The fitness of the parents
• The willingness of the parents to share custody
• The relationship established between the child and each parent
• Any possibility for disruption in the child's social and educational life
• The demands of parental employment
• The sincerity of the parents' request
• The age, health, and sex of the child
• The proximity of the parents homes to one another
• The preference of the child (if age appropriate)
• The existing custodial/visitation schedule
• And any other factors the court considers relevant 

If circumstances change, our child custody lawyers can also handle child custody and child support modifications.

There Are Two Types of Child Custody In Maryland

The dedicated attorneys at our Maryland family law firm will explain what your custody options are. There are two types of custody:

• Legal custody
• Physical custody

Legal custody is the legal right to make major decisions affecting the minor child(ren), to include, but not be limited to education, medical care, and religion. Legal custody is shared, shared with one parent having final decision-making authority, or awarded solely to one parent.

Physical custody refers to where the child(ren) resides. This can also be either shared or granted exclusively to one parent. When one parent is granted sole physical custody, the other parent, absent extraordinary circumstances, will be awarded visitation rights. These rights vary significantly depending on each case. We will help you understand your goals, interests, and most importantly, what is in the best interests of your child(ren).

Child Custody and Support Modifications

We have experience handling modification cases involving:

• Child relocations, move-aways
• Modification of child custody, both legal and physical
• Modification of child support obligations

We can help you determine what steps to take in order to pursue a modification of custody or support.

Call For An Appointment

You do not have to navigate the complicated legal procedures involved with divorce, custody, visitation and/or child support on your own. At the Law Office of Charlotte K. Weinstein, we devote a majority of our practice exclusively in areas related to Maryland family law. We will listen to your needs to better understand your situation, inform you of your options, and make sure your rights are protected. Contact Annapolis divorce lawyer Charlotte K. Weinstein today at (410) 263-6301 to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.