Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

CINA — Denial of Mother’s request for continuance — Best interest of child The Washington County Department of Social Services (the “Department”) filed, in the Circuit Court for Washington County, a petition alleging that J.P., child of H.P. (“Mother”), was ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Exceptional circumstances “Proceedings to terminate parental rights necessitate maintaining a delicate balance between a parent’s constitutional right to raise their children, the State’s interest in protecting children, and the child’s best interests.” In ...

Divorce — Marital separation agreement — Constructive civil contempt Appellant, Shiva Louie, requested the Circuit Court for Baltimore City enforce the terms of a marital separation agreement against her former husband, appellee, Amir Sharifi, by holding him in constructive civil ...

Estates and trusts — Personal representative — Motion to remove In the Orphans’ Court for Montgomery County, Edgar Bradford, the appellant, filed a motion to remove Helen Smith, Esquire, the appellee, as successor personal representative of the Estate of Christine ...

Estates and trusts — Court jurisdiction — Trust After the death of Marion Pisner in 2009, her children, appellant Gary Pisner and Marla Pisner Rubinstein, succeeded her as co-trustees of a revocable trust she had created in 2008. When “continuing ...

Alimony — Rehabilitative alimony — Self-supporting This is an appeal from a divorce case where the sole issue before the court is the award of alimony to appellee, Charon D. Davis-Thorpe (“Wife”), former wife of appellant, Carter Thorpe (“Husband”). Prior ...

Child custody — Legal custody — Holiday visitation schedule This appeal stems from an order of a trial judge sitting in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, who awarded appellant, Marva Cole (“Mother”), primary residential custody of Daughter, awarded appellee, ...

CINA — Termination of parental rights — Tasks for reunification The Circuit Court for Queen Anne’s County, on remand, terminated the parental rights of Ms. P. (“Mother”), the biological mother of J.C. Mother appeals and presents the following question for ...

Child support — Retroactivity — Final-judgment rule On September 26, 2018, Appellant Keesha Elliott filed a “Complaint for Absolute Divorce, Custody, Alimony and Other Relief” in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. In connection with the complaint, on May 21, ...