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Maryland Family Law



An Understanding of Maryland Family Law

1. Marriage
2. Civil Unions
3. Domestic Partnerships
4. Spousal Abuse
5. Child Abuse
6. Legitimacy
7. Adoption
8. Surrogacy
9. Child Abduction
10. Divorce
11. Annulment
12. Property Settlements
13. Alimony
14. Parental Rights
15. Child Custody
16. Parenting Time
17. Child Support
18. Paternity
19. Juvenile Adjudication

You have any of these issues in the state of Maryland? You’re dealing with Maryland Family Law. That’s a niche within the legal industry.

You’ll notice that all of these Maryland family laws deal with the family and the home, basically. That’s why they call it Maryland ‘family’ laws.

Marriage Is a Legal Issue?

Yes, it can be. You don’t necessarily even have to get married in a church. You can get married in a courthouse. And there are certain Maryland family laws pertaining to marriage that you would have to know about – such as residency, legal age, witnesses, and valid certificate.

Moreover, there’s the issue of civil unions and domestic partnerships. They’re kind of like marriages, but without some benefits of marriage.

So it’s important to understand what’s involved when it comes to the Maryland Family Law.

Abuse Is a Maryland Family Law Issue?

Sometimes it might cross into the Criminal Law niche, but in general anything involving abuse or even domestic violence remains in the home. That’s the basis for all Maryland family laws.

Therefore it’s under the realm of Maryland Family Law – the reason being that generally there would be no charges filed (until the point that they are filed and then it becomes a criminal case).

Maryland Family Law Also Deals With Divorce

It’s a big deal in a family when a line gets drawn right in the middle, splitting a family in two. It then becomes a tremendous legal issue for several reasons –

1. Who Gets the Property?
2. Who Gets the Children?
3. Who Gets the Money?

The Maryland family laws are designed to make it as smooth as possible. When a family has been so contained, sometimes it can be difficult. The MD Family Law helps facilitate everything that needs to be made legal, made ordered so that there’s no violation (and if there is, the appropriate actions are taken).

Adoption and Surrogacy under MD Family Law

When you think about it, adopting a child isn’t a haphazard thing. You’re basically taking a child as your own. It becomes a legal issue, because you don’t know what the entire situation is.

1. Is the Child an Orphan?
2. Are the Birth Parents Willing?
3. Are You Reputable as an Adopting Parent?

And there are many other concerns that would require the mediation of an attorney in a court of MD Family Law.

The same goes for surrogacy under MD Family Law. A woman carrying a baby for another woman can be an intense and powerful event. Having a contract laid out would benefit both parties.

There are several issues involved in MD Family Law for Surrogacy:

1. Surrogate Parent Taking Fees
2. Surrogate Parent Signing Contract to Hand Over Rights
3. Health Concerns

Juvenile Adjudication

Although juveniles could commit crimes, there are certain cases where they simply endanger themselves – such as suicide attempts, running away, mental disorder, truancy.

This is where Family Law in Maryland steps in to handle the issue appropriately through the use of social services and other resources. Typically the Family Court would pay for such services when the issue can potentially be extreme.

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