Cockeysville Child Custody Attorneys

Compassionate Custody Attorneys Supporting Parents in Cockeysville, Maryland

Figuring out a solution for child custody can be quite difficult, especially if you and your co-parent have critical disagreements about who the child should live with or who has the right to make decisions on the child's behalf. If you are involved in a legal battle over parental rights to your child, a Cockeysville custody lawyer can provide you with dedicated counsel and advocacy.

At Zide Law Group, LLC, we represent parents throughout Maryland in child custody disputes. With over 50 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys can help you through your case, working toward a solution that puts your child's needs first while also respecting your own needs.

Physical Custody

In Maryland, physical custody is a term that describes a parent's right to reasonable time with their child. In a joint physical custody arrangement, the parents might share possession of the child, swapping residences on set days of the week. This is not the only viable arrangement for joint custody, however. In other cases, one parent might have a majority of physical custody throughout the year, while the other parent gets visitation at regular intervals.

A judge in a court of family law can consider different factors in the child's best interests before ruling on physical custody. One of the biggest factors in an award of physical custody is parental fitness. Your ability to hold down a steady job and provide your child with a safe, stable environment will be factored into the allotment of parenting time.

At Zide Law Group, LLC, we can advocate for your parental fitness, presenting evidence that shows that you can take care of your child on your own.

Legal Custody

Legal custody gives a parent a right to make certain life choices on behalf of their child. Although this may not seem as important as the responsibility of taking care of a child day-to-day, getting legal custody is crucial for enforcing your parental rights. With legal custody, you can decide where your child goes to school, what activities they will participate in, and what faith they will be brought up in, if any. Additionally, securing legal custody allows you to give consent for medical procedures on the child's behalf.

You and your co-parent can share the responsibilities of legal custody, but you must also include provisions for how disagreements will be resolved. This might mean dividing up certain decisions between each parent to avoid any legal debates ahead of time.

When Can Custody Be Modified?

Once a custody order goes into effect, it cannot be modified unless it is necessary to protect the child's best interests. This is intended to promote stability, as constant changes to a custody order can cause unnecessary stress and disruption in the child's life.

A custody order could be modified on short notice if the child is in clear danger in the care of one parent. For instance, if a parent ends up incarcerated due to a criminal conviction, a modification of physical custody may be necessary. The same applies for a child living in an abusive household with one parent.

If you have concerns about your child's welfare, we can help you petition for a modification of custody. We can also defend your parental rights if you are accused of putting your child at risk.

Meet With a Cockeysville, MD Child Custody Attorney Today

If you are going through a dispute involving your children, our legal team is ready to help. At Zide Law Group, LLC, our custody lawyers can provide you with clear legal guidance and aggressive representation to safeguard your parental rights. Call us at 410-760-9433 or contact us online to set up a consultation today.