Ellicott City, MD Child Custody Lawyers

Skilled Custody Lawyers Representing Clients in Ellicott City, Maryland

Fighting for custodial rights over your child is undoubtedly a stressful experience. If you are not familiar with the laws surrounding child custody, you may be at a disadvantage during negotiations for parenting time and decision-making authority. With the legal assistance of an Ellicott City, MD child custody attorney, you can assert your rights as a parent in a court of family law.

The outcome of a custody case can have a significant impact on your child's upbringing. At Zide Law Group, LLC, we recognize how much it can mean to exercise your parental rights, and we are ready to fight for a favorable resolution.

Physical Custody

Physical custody encompasses everything related to parenting time, including the right to take care of your child in your own residence as well as the right of visitation for non-custodial parents.

If you are going through a divorce with children, figuring out physical custody may be one of the first problems you have to resolve. You and your co-parent might agree on a schedule of joint physical custody where you transport the child between houses on a regular basis. If 50/50 joint custody is not feasible, there are other flexible arrangements you can make with your co-parent, like summer visits or visitation on a few weekends per month.

Parental relocation can reshape an existing custody schedule. If one parent petitions to move so far that it would affect the other parent's ability to exercise their custodial rights, the non-moving parent can object to the relocation in court. The court will hear both sides for a custody agreement before making a decision in the child's best interests.

Legal Custody

Legal custody gives a parent the authority to make certain decisions for the child, including opting into medical procedures, choosing where the child will go to school, and more.

Legal custody and physical custody rights can be awarded separately or together. This means that you could be awarded physical custody rights, but not legal custody, and vice-versa. In many cases, both parents are given legal custody, but this is not always a given. The court will consider several different factors before awarding legal custody to a parent, such as:

• The parent's level of involvement in the child's life
• The parent's physical and mental health
• The child's own wishes
• Whether or not the parent is the child's primary caregiver

Having a say in your child's life is an important right for a parent to exercise. At Zide Law Group, LLC, we can advocate for you in disputes surrounding legal custody, making sure that your concerns are heard in court.

Child Support

The issue of child support is closely related to custody. In most cases, the parent who does not have primary physical custody over the child will be responsible for paying support for the child's needs, such as education, housing, clothing, and food. This is a measure to ensure that the child still gets access to the same amount of resources as if the parents still lived in one household.

Failing to pay child support can come with serious penalties, including wage garnishment and other penalties in contempt of court. However, you cannot withhold custody or visitation as a means of getting your co-parent to pay child support. At Zide Law Group, LLC, our lawyers can help you petition the court for an appropriate remedy for any missed or late payments.

Contact an Ellicott City Child Custody Lawyer Today

At Zide Law Group, LLC, we stand as dedicated advocates for the rights of parents across Maryland. Our attorneys can provide you with legal guidance throughout your case and argue for your child's best interests. To schedule an initial consultation, call us at 410-760-9433 or contact us online today.