Child Custody & Visitation
Lawyers
We Help Families With Their Challenging Family Law Matters
and Joyful Marriages
Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Why File for Custody?
Child custody orders help avoid conflict, ambiguity, or uncertainty with a legally enforceable child custody order.
When you have an informal arrangement to co-parent you have no way to hold the other parent accountable for when they have the child, when they bring the child back to you, or how often they see the child.
Some parents encounter conflict like the following: not having enough notice when the other parent wants to pick up the child, not knowing where the other parent will bring your child back to you, the other parent not visiting the child at agreed upon times, not knowing where their child is staying when they are with the other parent. A child custody order is a legal decision that the parents are legally required to follow.
When to File for Custody
To Establish Child Custody
When you are seeking a legally enforceable custody arrangement for parenting time, visitation, and decision-making you can ask the court for a child custody order. The order will establish details like: who has parenting time, when, and where; how each parent may travel with the child; who has access to information and how; how extracurricular activities will be handle. Decision-making details include how and by whom decisions about the child’s education, religion, activities, and health will be made. Child support may be requested. We handle child support cases that are part of child custody orders or divorces.
To Modify a Court Order
Generally, when you already have an established child custody order that you want to have modified, you can ask the court to have the court modify the order. There are limited instances when this is possible. Under the law there must be a material change in circumstances that affect the welfare of your child and changing the order must be in the best interests of your child.
