Frederick Legal Blog

As a member of the U.S. military in Maryland who also happens to be a parent, you likely already have a military family care plan in place. If not, you'll no doubt want to research the topic and execute a plan for instructions regarding financial care, medical care and other important aspects relating to your children for times that you must leave them while serving on active duty.

Life is generally somewhat more different for military families than it is for those in strictly civilian households. If you are contemplating filing or have recently filed for divorce (or received papers after your spouse has filed) you may want to think about how divorce may impact your existing family care plan. If you don't have a care plan in place, now's a good time to create one and incorporate various divorce-related matters into your plan.

When you and your spouse were first dating, you may have spent hours in deep conversation. You likely shared your favorite movies, books and music, and you probably revealed your tastes in food and clothing. Maybe your talks went deeper, touching on religion, career and your preferences for children.

Where did all that go? Now that you and your spouse are considering divorce, you may be spending time wondering what went wrong. While many people say that they simply drifted apart, psychologists say it is often more than that. Most couples go through tough times, but the way they handle those challenges may decide if they divorce or stay together.

Child custody is one of the most commonly contested issues in a divorce. Parents do not ever want to feel like they are giving up their relationship with their kids, and this desire can lead to lengthy court battles and costly litigation. However, for some Maryland families, there may be a better way to approach child custody.

With a joint custody agreement, parents can share both parenting time and legal responsibility of their children. This type of arrangement can allow children to have a strong relationship with both of their parents, even after a divorce is final, which is certainly in the best interests of the youngest members of your family.

You may have already noticed stores gearing up for the holiday season ahead. Perhaps you're among those who like to get ready as early as possible to avoid the stress and chaos that often accompany last-minute preparations.

If you also happen to be going through a divorce, then no doubt one of your main planning goals this year is to avoid any conflict that may put a damper on family celebrations.