Silver Springs, MD Family Law Attorney
Family law cases can be extremely contentious for all parties involved. The areas family law covers are often incredibly important to belligerents, and proceedings can quickly become embittered and nasty between the parties if things are not kept in check. It can be extremely difficult to handle these cases impartially because the parties often feel so incredibly strongly about what is going on.
Because family law matters can get so nasty so fast, it is important to have good legal counsel in your corner. That is where we can help. Our attorneys have experience representing people in divorce proceedings; child custody matters, alimony hearings, and more. Let us handle your family law legal needs so that you have the best chance possible at getting the outcome you want.
Have our family law lawyers go over your situation confidentially and free by contacting Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s office at the number (410) 694-7291.
Divorce Proceedings in Silver Springs, MD
Divorce refers to the legal dissolution of a marriage. In Maryland, you can only file an “absolute” divorce. This completely ends a marriage, with no legal attachments or obligations between the parties afterward – at least in theory.
Divorce law in Maryland is governed by Md. Code, Family Law Art., § 7-103. You need what is called “grounds” for the divorce to file for one in Maryland. Grounds for divorce are the reasons why the court should dissolve a marriage through a divorce. The three most commonly cited grounds for divorce in the state of Maryland are irreconcilable differences, separation for at least six months, and consent.
Irreconcilable differences can mean a lot of different things. For example, a couple who have strongly conflicting religious or political views may cite irreconcilable differences for divorce. A six-month separation can be easier to understand. Essentially, if the couple has not been living as spouses “should” for six months or more, they can get a divorce. Finally, if both spouses tell the court that they consent to separating, the court can give them a divorce.
Child Custody Agreements in Silver Springs, MD
Child custody disputes are another large area of family law that our family law attorneys can handle. Child custody agreements can become especially heated when divorce is also involved. These two proceedings often go hand in hand, as divorcing spouses are likely to think that their former partner is a bad fit for their children.
Child custody refers to both physical and legal custody. Physical custody means that parents are actually living with or can be around their child, while legal custody refers to the ability to make decisions about the child’s future, including education, religious or secular upbringing, and other things.
Child custody proceedings always take into account the best interest of the child as the most important thing and can result in split custody between parents or only awarding custody to one parent. You should go over your situation with our attorneys to figure out the best way to go through these proceedings.
Alimony in Silver Springs, MD
Alimony refers to payments between spouses in order to fulfill a specific purpose. The court requires these payments when they want to ensure that one spouse who is not as financially well off as another still has a decent quality of life until the alimony is no longer needed.
There are many different kinds of alimony payments and reasons for alimony. Sometimes, alimony is required while a divorce is underway so that one spouse can still have respectable living conditions during that process. Other times, alimony will be indefinite, especially if one spouse has health issues or other things that prevent them from supporting themselves. Yet other times, alimony serves a specific purpose. For example, a court could order alimony payments until one spouse completes a certification course to better their career.
Prenuptial Agreements in Silver Springs, MD
Prenuptial agreements, or “prenups,” are documents detailing how a couple will divide assets in the event that they get a divorce. This way, there is less confusion and fighting in the event that a marriage does not work out and a couple does not want to be together anymore.
Do not be worried about going into our office to get a prenup if you think your relationship with your spouse is good. Countless couples who are perfectly happy living their lives together get prenuptial agreements as a way to be prepared for unexpected eventualities. Additionally, prenups can help spouses keep track of various assets in an effective way, so they can be used for things other than facilitating divorce.
Adoption in Silver Springs, MD
Adoption is the process by which individuals elect to be parents of a child in need. The state takes adoption incredibly seriously, as it would be truly bad to send a child into a bad situation. Accordingly, the adoption process can be incredibly lengthy and exacting. If you are looking to adopt, you will likely have to gather a lot of information and stand before judges, experts, and adoption agencies to prove that you are fit to be the parent to a child. While this may seem unfair compared to people who simply have biological children, going through the adoption process is worth it to both the adoptive parent and the child. Of course, our family law lawyers will be with you every step of the way and will work hard to make sure you put your best foot forward to adoption agencies, courts, and other entities you will need to interact with during the process.
Contact our Family Law Attorneys for Silver Springs, MD, and Discuss Your Case
Get a totally confidential and free analysis of your situation from our family law attorneys when you contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.