Frederick Legal Blog

When you decided to file for divorce in a Maryland court, you knew that your decision was going to have an impact on your children's lives. However, you also knew that you would build a strong support system around your kids to help them cope and move on in life. You adamantly believed that with the right amount of cooperation and compromise between you and your spouse, your children would be okay.

That's before you realized that your future former spouse had a different plan in mind, one that would attempt to alienate your children from you, to make you the bad guy, to impede your parent/child relationships and to flat-out undermine your parental authority and disregard your rights. Parental alienation causes serious contention and legal problems in many divorce situations. There are ways to rectify this type of problem.

In many marriages, it is not uncommon for one spouse to be financially dependent on the other. Maybe one is the breadwinner while the other stays at home or maybe both spouses work, but one's income is simply more than the other's is. When couples in this position divorce, the financially dependent spouse may need some support as he or she works toward achieving a solid economic standing. This is why alimony exists.

Maryland defines alimony as periodic payments to a former spouse. It is not a benefit awarded in all divorce cases. If it is included in your dissolution settlement, the amount you receive and the duration you receive it will depend on a number of factors.

Child custody is one of the most complex issues in any divorce, but it can be particularly difficult for Maryland military families. Service in the military can have a significant impact on how custody and visitation arrangements will work after the divorce is final. Families with one or two military members would be prudent to seek assistance as they address these sensitive issues.

As an active and loving parent, you have the right to play an important role in the life of your child. Children benefit when they have regular access to both parents after divorce. While military service can make custody and visitation difficult, it is possible to secure an arrangement that reflects both your rights as a parent and the best interests of your children.

A new school year will soon begin in Maryland. If you're currently navigating divorce, you may be anxious and worried about child custody arrangements and how your children will handle school work while adapting to their new lifestyle. If things are fairly amicable between you and your former spouse, the school year may progress without much difficulty. In fact, when you're both willing to compromise and cooperate where necessary for the sake of your children, there may be options available to keep stress levels very low.

Have you heard of nesting in divorce? This is a fairly new trend designed to help children retain a sense of stability and routine while coming to terms with their parents' divorce. It's definitely not for everyone, but it may be an option if you're able to work together with your children's other parent and you want to minimize stress in their lives as you all adapt to no longer living together under one roof.