Today's Maryland Family Law Law (i.e., Child Support, Custody, Visitation, and Divorce Law) is very different than it used to be and is different than many people think.


Maryland law no longer allows Family Law judges to favor the mother over the father, as favoring either parent based solely on sex has been held to be sexual discrimination in Maryland.

Maryland Child Support Law is based on a formula which is based on the factors of how many overnights the child spends with each parent, the average monthly income of each parent (or possibly how much either of them could make if either one is "voluntarily underemploying" "or voluntarily impoverishing" himself or herself), daycare expenses, medical expenses, and some other factors.


Maryland Divorce, Child Support, and Custody laws apply to mothers as well as to fathers.


Maryland Abuse laws and protections apply equally to both sexes.


Individual laws regarding Custody, Visitation, Child Support, Alimony, and Divorce cannot be fully comprehended without understanding how they interact with each other and within the elaborate Maryland Family Law Court system, and trying to interpret individual laws without understanding this could decrease the chance of achieving an outcome favorable to you in your case.


While there are specific factors the Maryland Courts must consider when deciding Custody cases, these various factors are not assigned any particular weight or priority, and there are no specific formulas for determining the schedule the child will have with the parents.   The status of custody and the particular visitation schedule of the child is decided based on what is "in the best interest of the child," which is up for argument based on the individual circumstances involved in each case.


There are no specific formulas in Maryland for determining Alimony or Monetary Award in Maryland Divorce Law.   While there are certain factors the Courts must consider when deciding alimony and monetary award cases, like the factors listed for determining Custody, they are not assigned any particular weight or priority.   These matters of Alimony and Monetary Award in Divorce are determined based on what the Maryland Courts find to be "equitable," considering the circumstances of the parties and the unique factors involved in each case.


Another issue to be considered in Divorce cases is "use and possession."   In a Limited Divorce or an Absolute Divorce, Maryland Courts may award immediate exclusive "use and possession" of the "family home" and "family use personal property," such as automobiles, furniture, family leisure equipment, etc., to either spouse, and this can be ordered to last for up to three years." See our page on "Use and Possession" for details.


Maryland Family Law Court procedure is continually evolving to manage the increasing volume of Family Law cases.   The procedures involved in the Maryland Family Law Court system are very different from Maryland general Civil Courts, Maryland Criminal Courts, and the Federal Courts.


It is in your best interest to consult an Attorney with recent and frequent experience in the Maryland Family Law Courts to get specific legal advice regarding your individual case or situation before making any agreements or filing anything regarding a Maryland Divorce, Custody, or Domestic Violence/Abuse case.


The actions you take and/or the Agreements you make, if any, during the initial stages of your Maryland Custody case and in the Maryland Family Court early procedures before Trial, could have a significant impact on your ability to acheive a favorable outcome in your Maryland Family Law case.