Maryland Custody Law is the same for all Courts in Maryland, however, the policies regarding specific requirements and how and when things are scheduled for Custody cases vary from County to County.   For example, some Courts do not allow what they call "Hybrid Hearings" (where some people are in the courtroom and others are online) for Scheduling Conferences.


The Circuit Court for Charles County MD will may possibly allow Hybrid Hearings, with only some persons involved appearing by Zoom, and the others appearing in-person, if the Motion requesting this is granted.   Since they will allow hybrid hearings, you don't have to coordinate with the Other Party to be able to do, but you must file a Motion requesting this for each Party and each Attoney wanting this, and this Motion must be filed ahead of time and granted.


After the Defendant in the case files their Answer to a Complaint For Custody in the Circuit Court for Charles County MD, the clerk will usually issue a date for a Settlement Conference.   This is where both parties and the Attorrney for each (if they have) must appear in Court.


Most other Courts in Maryland call this first meeting, where dates are set, a "Scheduling Conference," with a later date set for what they call a "Settlement Conference," but Charles County calls this first hearing a "Settlement Conference."


All Settlement Conferences in the Circuit Court for Charles County are usually set to be remote via Zoom.


This Settlement Conference is required for the purpose of setting dates that will apply in the case, such as a pendente lite Hearing, if desired and Merits Trial.


An Order from a pendente lite hearing can only be a Temporary Order.   For an Order to be a "Final" Order, it must be issued from a "Merits" Trial.


The Settlement Conference is also the time to reiterate a request in a Motion filed requesting a court-appointed Best-Interest Attorney for the child involved in the case, if desired, and reiterate a Motion filed requesting an Order for Supervised Visitation if desired.


The Settlement Conference is also the time to reiterate a Motion filed requesting an Order for Supervised Visitation if desired.


Some resources for Supervised Visitation in Charles County are Center For Children, CRC Kids, and True Blue Health for Therapeutic Supervised Visitation.


The Circuit Court For Charles County, MD does not provide Custody Evaluations from within the Court at this time.   This may change at any time.   Some Courts in Maryland do no provide this service.   The Court may also order Mediation at this time.


At this time (December of 2025), the Circuit Court For Charles County requires a $750.00 for a deposit from each of the parties for the service of a Best-Interest Attorney for the Child involved in the case, if one is appointed.   The deposit that would be required for a Best-Interest Attorney is determined on a case-by-case basis.   Best-Interest Attorneys appointed by the Circuit Court For Baltimore County, MD can charge their normal hourly rate, and if/when the initial deposit is used up, the parties will be required to pay an additional amount.   This could change at any time.   Not all Custody cases have Best-Interest Attorneys appointed.


Scheduling Conferences in the Charles County MD Circuit Court can be set on any day of the week.


The procedure to request a particular date for your Scheduling Conference in the Circuit Court for Charles County is you must file a Motion requestig another date.


This Court may, as a matter of course, also set an additional Settlement Conference date you must attend before your Trial date.


The purpose of a pendente lite hearing is to maintain the Family status quo when the other party has done something to disrupt this status quo and expedited relief is needed due to a Merits Trial date not being available for several more months.


Pendente Lite Hearings and Merits Trials in the Circuit Court for Charles County, MD can be set for any day of the week.   The Circuit Court for Charles County does not usually allow more than 3 hours, to be divided equally, for a pendente lite hearing.   You can file a Motion asking for a full-day pendente lite hearing, which might be granted if you explain why a full day is needed.


*If you do not request a pendente lite hearing at your initial Settlement/Scheduling Conference, then it is possible that you may not be allowed to have one later if you request one.


Uncontested and Contempt Hearings may also be set any day of the week in this Court.


After the Scheduling Conference, a Scheduling Order will usually be issued.   This will contain important Deadlines and other Requirements.   Some Courts in Maryland have more deadlines and requirements in their Scheduling Orders than others.


Here are some examples of dealines and requirements of Scheduling Orders issued from the Circuit Court For Charles County MD (Scheduling Orders issued from other Courts may be very different) and what the Court issues could change at any time:


All Discovery and ALL Motions regarding Discovery must be completed (including resolution of Discovery disputes) within 5 months of the date of the initial Settlement/Scheduling Conference.


No undisclosed documents or Witnesses shall be introduced at Trial or Hearing.


Parties shall provide at the hearing their three most recent paystubs, proof and cost of health insurance for the minor child, and any work-related child care expenses.   Parties shall also bring tax returns for the last 3 years.


They do not usually set the Trial date until the Settlement Conference date, if the parties fail to Settle their case.   They say they like to schedule Trial dates to be within 30 days of the Settlement Conference date, but if the docket is full, and/or the attorneys cannot do it within that time, then the date for Trial may be set farther away than this.


*It is very important for you to read the Scheduling Order issued in your case because it could have different deadlines and requirements in it.


*The information on this page is general, could change at any time without Notice, and is not meant to replace Legal Advice.

Click HERE to request an appointment Maryland Custody Attorney, Laura Matney, who has obtained many Custody Orders desired by her Clients Maryland Circuit Courts


*As each Custody case is different, past success can never be a prediction of future success.

Matney Law Firm
2255 Crain Hwy
Waldorf, MD 20601