Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

Protective order — Final protective order — Preponderance of the evidence This appeal stems from the entry of a final protective order by the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County. Read the opinion

Protective order — Final protective order — Burden of proof This case comes as an appeal from a Final Protective Order, granted to Appellee (Sarah Hornbeck) against Appellant (Jeffrey Reichert). Read the opinion

Final protective order — Sufficiency of evidence — Police officer testimony On March 5, 2021, the Circuit Court for Montgomery County held a Protective Order Hearing between the petitioner, Xochitl Gamez (“Mother”), and the respondent, David Lopez (“Father”). Read the ...

Domestic violence — Sexual abuse of child — Sufficiency of the evidence Brittney Hughes appeals the Circuit Court for Wicomico County’s grant of a final protective order against her, requested by Cynthia Cephas, on behalf of Hughes’s fouryear-old daughter, K.W. ...

Protective order — Hearing — Adequacy of notice This appeal arises from appellant Joshua Ruby’s (“J. Ruby”) motion to vacate a domestic violence protection order filed against him by his then-wife, appellee Shawna Ruby (“S. Ruby”). On March 31, 2017, ...

Domestic violence — Protective order — Corporal punishment Phillippe DeRosier appeals the Circuit Court for Harford County’s grant of a final protective order against him ordering him not to abuse, threaten to abuse, harass, or contact his wife, Aretha DeRosier, ...

Domestic violence — Petition for protection — Judicial notice In a domestic violence case, the Circuit Court for Frederick County entered a final protective order in favor of Kristina Schmidt (“Kristina”), the appellee, and against Matthew Schmidt (“Matthew”), her husband, ...

Domestic violence — De minimis conduct — Raising of hand and voice The Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland, on April 29, 2016, entered a final protective order in favor of Miyuki Beringer (“Mrs. Beringer”) and against Robert Beringer (“Mr. ...

Domestic violence — Order of protection — Granted to wife but denied for husband The parties, Francisco Gali (“Appellant”) and Titi Hadila Gali (“Appellee”) are married and have two minor children in common, F.G. and I.G. On September 19, 2016, ...

Temporary restraining order — Motion to rescind — Deference to district court Colvin Bert’s ex-girlfriend sought a temporary protective order against him in the District Court for Howard County. The court granted a temporary order pending a hearing on a ...