Maryland Family Law Maryland family law opinions and commentary

Divorce — Constructive civil contempt — Right to counsel We are asked to determine whether the Circuit Court for Baltimore County erred when it held the appellant, Melissa Jerro-Hencken, in constructive civil contempt for failing to make five items of ...

Estates and trusts — Inheritance provisions — Statute of limitations Following the death of his father, M. Abraham Ahmad (“Abraham”) brought suit against his mother and siblings, seeking to have his father’s revocable trust declared invalid and his father’s estate ...

Adoption — Notice of appeal — Timeliness On May 1, 2019, Allen Bailey filed a petition for independent adoption of his stepdaughter, T.C. T.C. is an adult, born in 1978. Sharon Bailey is T.C.’s biological mother and Mr. Bailey’s wife. ...

Child custody — Modification — Tie-breaking authority Appellant Blyden Davis (“Father”) and appellee Toni Turner (“Mother”) are the parents of two children, Sa. and So. Father appeals from two orders of the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County modifying a ...

Divorce — Marital property — Retirement funds The principal issue in this case is whether the Circuit Court for Montgomery County erred in granting appellee Saskia Inwood (“Wife”) a $25,000 monetary award against appellant Michael Levengood (“Husband”). Husband also challenges ...

CINA — Decision to close case — Parent’s understanding of child’s condition In February 2019, the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, sitting as a juvenile court, declared S.M. a child in need of assistance (“CINA”) due to medical neglect ...

Estates and trusts — Straw purchaser — Sufficiency of evidence The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County entered a judgment granting relief to the Estate of Waltraut Ciccone (“the Estate”), appellee and cross appellant, in a case in which the ...

Child custody — Motion to change — Mental-health evidence Alonzo Jackson appeals from the orders entered by the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County denying his contempt petition against Natasha Stepney, the mother of his three children, and his motion ...

Divorce — Judicial sale of marital home — Motion to vacate Following the judicial sale of the parties’ marital home, Bill Mattocks, appellant, moved for the sale to be vacated pursuant to Maryland Rule 2-535(b). Mr. Mattocks also submitted a ...

Child custody — Motion to modify — Mootness This appeal arises from the dismissal by the Circuit Court for Montgomery County of an Amended Motion to Modify Custody and Visitation or for Access to Minor Child (the Amended Motion) filed ...