Child Custody & Parenting Time
A Child Custody Lawyer Focused on What Matters
In cases of divorce or other family law matters, few things are as crucial as child custody. Dealing with child custody can be challenging and emotional. During this time, you need to focus on your child's best interests.That's why you need a skilled child custody lawyer in Rockville, MD and the surrounding areas, who shares your approach and can help you navigate your child custody case.
Z Family Law is experienced in handling the complex factors that can lead to child custody issues, such as substance use disorder, infidelity, bankruptcy, domestic violence, or mental health challenges. Our compassionate family law attorneys are on your side. When it comes to maximizing quality time with your child, our family law attorneys support your interests by prioritizing what you believe is best for your kids.
Understanding Child Custody
Child custody is a catch-all legal term that encompasses the rights and responsibilities of each parent in caring for their child(ren). There are two types of custody in Maryland: legal custody and physical custody. Under Maryland law, both decision-making authority (legal custody) and access (physical custody) determinations are evaluated against a “best interest” analysis. Aptly named, this analysis is applied to each child custody case to determine an outcome that’s in your child's best interest.
Legal Custody
Having legal custody, which is based on decision-making, would give you the responsibility of making important choices in your child's life. To illustrate, legal custody offers you the authority to make decisions in the following realms:
- School Attendance
- Religious Affiliation
- Medical Care and Doctor's Visits
- Mental Health Care Decisions
These significant aspects of a child's life can influence their quality of life, so it’s crucial that these decisions are entrusted to the parent(s) best equipped to safeguard their child’s interests.
Physical Custody
Physical custody determines where your child will live and spend their time. This involves their actual presence and the day-to-day child care they receive. It's a legal matter that a child custody lawyer from our firm can handle. When it comes to physical custody, there are different arrangements to consider:
- Joint Physical Custody: Joint custody is when both you and your co-parent play a roughly equal role in your child's life. Your child will alternate living with each parent on a regular basis.
- Sole Physical Custody: Sole physical custody is when one parent is granted physical custody, and your child primarily resides with that parent and infrequently sees their other parent (example: supervised access).. Your child's life and main home will be with the custodial parent.
- Primary Physical Custody with Access: This child custody arrangement grants one parent primary physical custody, while the other parent has scheduled access periods. Your child will primarily live with the custodial parent, and the non-custodial parent will have designated access times. These access times are typically substantial.
Remember, the specific arrangement will depend on your unique circumstances and what's in the best interests of your child.
When Legal and Physical Custody Intertwine
Legal custody and physical custody may seem clean-cut. However, it's not always so simple. Depending on the custody matter and your child's needs, Maryland courts may combine these two types of custody in various ways.
For example, co-parents under Maryland Law can have both joint legal custody and joint physical custody. Alternatively, one parent can have sole legal custody but share physical custody. These are just two possible scenarios. Regardless, the ultimate priority in custody cases is always your child's best interest.
Case In Point: You have options when it comes to child custody arrangements, a child custody lawyer from Z Family Law in Rockville, MD can help you weigh the benefits of each to ensure you get the best outcome for your child custody case.
Child Custody Considerations in Maryland Courts
The Maryland court will take numerous factors into account when making custody and visitation arrangements for your family, including but not limited to the following:
- The physical distance between you and your co-parent
- Past disagreements with your co-parent
- Your child's age and health
- Each parent’s income
- Each parent’s employment
- Your ability to co-parent with your co-parent
- Your family members' involvement and proximity
- Your child’s community involvement
The Best Interest Analysis
In the world of child custody, your child's best interest is always the legal priority in Maryland courts. That’s why the factors above will be carefully analyzed in family court to craft a picture of your child’s ideal living situation. Whether sole or shared custody is determined to be the best match, your parenting schedule is designed to reflect an enduring emphasis on the child’s specific needs, lifestyle, and future.
Parenting Plan Requirements
The best way to maintain your child's routine when navigating child custody changes is to have a clear, actionable plan. That’s where parenting plans come in—an agreement that helps keep your child's life stable while minimizing miscommunication with your co-parent. If child custody issues impair the process, the family court system will order that each of you submit your own plan; once submitted, the two will then be compared. Parenting plans must address issues such as:
- Time-sharing
- Decision-making
- Special occasions (e.g., holidays)
- Extraneous child-rearing choices
If you find developing a parenting plan with your co-parent a difficult process, setting up an initial consultation with a child custody lawyer in Rockville, MD and the surrounding areas at our firm may be the remedy you're looking for.
Finding the Right Child Custody Attorney in Maryland
As you navigate this challenging time, a trusted child custody attorney who can help you make rational, well-guided decisions is essential. At Z Family Law, we believe that the best attorney for you is usually the one that feels right from the start. When it comes to child custody issues, our strategic and compassionate legal counsel is focused solely on family law and should not be overlooked. By combining our vast legal experience, our tenured team can design a tailored strategy to help you take back your power and build the new beginning you deserve.