Family Law

Christopher W. Nicholson, Esq.
Kaufman, Ries & Elgin, P.A.
Towson, Maryland

Stacy LeBow Siegel, Esq.

Towson, Maryland

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................... 11

II. INITIAL INTERVIEW ............................................................... 11

III. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE .......................................................... 11

A. Definition ........................................................................... 11

B. An Attorney Should Understand Domestic Violence ............. 12

C. Protective Orders and the Protective Order Process ............. 13

1. Interim Protective Orders (IPO) ................................... 14

2. Temporary Protective Orders (TPO) ............................ 15

3. Final Protective Order (FPO) ....................................... 16

4. Help is available .......................................................... 16

5. Dismissal or Transfer of Action — Rule 3-326 .............. 19

6. Transfer of Action — Rule 2-327 ................................. 20

7. Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law §§ 4-501–4-513 .................. 22

9. Courts & Judicial Proceedings §§ 9-109–9-110,
9-114 .......................................................................... 38

10. Maryland Civil Pattern Jury Instruction 1:9 —
Burden of Proof — Clear and Convincing
Evidence Standard ....................................................... 43

IV. PENDENTE LITE RELIEF (TEMPORARY RELIEF) ............... 44

V. GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE ..................................................... 44

A. Maryland Code Annotated, Family Law Article .................... 45

1. § 7-102 — Limited divorce .......................................... 45

2. § 7-103 — Absolute divorce ........................................ 45

B. Reference Code in Prayer for Relief .................................... 47

VI. DISCOVERY IN CHILD SUPPORT CASES ........................... 49

A. Introduction ........................................................................ 49

B. Discovery Methods ............................................................. 50

1. General ....................................................................... 50

2. Interrogatories ............................................................. 50

3. Request for production of documents ............................ 50

4. Depositions ................................................................. 51

5. Subpoenas .................................................................. 51

C. Particular Situations Under the Guidelines ............................ 52

1. Self-employment income .............................................. 52

2. Modification cases ....................................................... 53

3. Voluntarily impoverished parent .................................... 54

4. Combined income exceeding $10,000 per month ............ 55

5. Discovery materials ..................................................... 56

VII. CHILD CUSTODY .................................................................... 56

A. Twelve Things to Know about Custody
Determinations ................................................................... 57

1. Commonly used terms — definitions ............................. 57

a. “Legal custody” .................................................. 57

b. “Joint legal custody” ............................................ 57

c. “Physical or residential custody” .......................... 58

d. “Joint physical custody” ....................................... 58

e. “Shared custody” ................................................ 58

2. Judicial standard in deciding custody cases .................... 58

a. “Best interests” .................................................. 58

b. Factors considered in a judicial determination
of custody .......................................................... 58

3. Representation of a child by court —
appointed counsel ........................................................ 60

4. Impact of custody and visitation on child
support guidelines ........................................................ 60

a. Shared custody cases .......................................... 60

b. Split custody cases .............................................. 61

5. Modifying custody agreements and orders ..................... 61

6. In futuro change in custody .......................................... 62

7. Prohibition against relocation beyond a
specific area ............................................................... 63

8. Requirement that parents maintain custody
diaries ......................................................................... 63

9. Rights of third parties in custody issues ......................... 63

10. Grandparent visitation issues ........................................ 64

11. Correct standard to be applied when restricting
visitation and prohibiting contact with a
non-marital partner ...................................................... 66

12. The impact of adultery on child custody
determinations ............................................................................. 67

13. Sex of a parent as a factor in determining custody ......... 67

14. Gay-lesbian custody issues ........................................... 67

15. Gay-lesbian visitation issues ......................................... 69

16. The impact of domestic violence petitions
on custody .................................................................. 69

17. Change in custody by order for protection
against domestic violence ............................................. 70

18. Guardianship v. Custody .............................................. 70

19. Role of the attorney representing parents in
child custody disputes .................................................. 72

VIII...................................................................  CHILD SUPPORT 73

A. Overtime Income is Actual Income under Guidelines ............ 73

B. Child Support Assessment for Parent Who is
Incarcerated Without Income .............................................. 73

C. Bonus Included as Income .................................................. 74

D. Credit Against Child Support for the Receipt by
Child of Social Security Disability Benefits ........................... 74

E. Failure to Impute Income to Wife Based on Her
Highest Level of Earning Capacity ....................................... 74

F. Equalization of Income by Award of Alimony ....................... 74

G. No Requirement, Under Threat of Contempt, for
Obligor to Incur Debt in Satisfaction of That Order ............... 74

H. Non-Parent with Physical Custody of a Child
Has Standing to Sue the Child’s Father for Child
Support Arrearages. ........................................................... 75

I. Suit Against Tortfeasor Who Injures Adult Child ................... 75

J. Equitable Estoppel in Denying to Support Children ................ 75

K. Obligation to Pay Child Support While Residing
with Obligor ....................................................................... 75

L. Child Support Calculation .................................................... 75

M. Constructive Civil Contempt ................................................ 76

N. Constructive Criminal Contempt .......................................... 76

O. Paternity Testing ................................................................ 76

P. Guardian ad Litem Fees ...................................................... 77

IX. ALIMONY ................................................................................ 77

A. Introduction ........................................................................ 77

B. An Award of Alimony ........................................................ 78

1. The statute .................................................................. 78

C. Alimony Pendente Lite ........................................................ 78

1. The statute .................................................................. 78

2. The cases ................................................................... 79

3. Pendente Lite alimony while case on appeal
from dismissal of divorce case ...................................... 81

D. Existence of Ground for Divorce ......................................... 81

1. The statute .................................................................. 81

E. Award Against Non-Resident Defendant ............................. 81

1. The statute .................................................................. 81

2. The cases ................................................................... 81

F. Decree of Foreign Jurisdiction ............................................. 82

1. The statute .................................................................. 82

G. Rehabilitation and Indefinite Alimony ................................... 82

1. The statute .................................................................. 82

2. The cases ................................................................... 84

a. The policy of rehabilitative alimony ....................... 84

b. Compound alimony .............................................. 85

c. Standards for award for indefinite alimony ............ 85

d. Awards of indefinite spousal support
affirmed on appeal .............................................. 85

e. Denials of indefinite spousal support
affirmed on appeal .............................................. 87

f. Denials of indefinite spousal support
reversed on appeal .............................................. 87

H. Extension/Modification of Alimony ....................................... 88

1. The statute .................................................................. 88

2. The cases ................................................................... 89

3. Reservation of alimony ................................................ 90

I. Termination of Alimony ....................................................... 91

1. The statute .................................................................. 91

2. Flagrant misconduct ..................................................... 91

3. Remarriage and cohabitation ........................................ 92

J. Payment to Designee .......................................................... 93

1. The statute .................................................................. 93

K. Expenses and Counsel Fees ................................................ 94

1. The statute .................................................................. 94

2. The cases ................................................................... 95

L. Health Insurance and Benefits ............................................. 95

1. The statute .................................................................. 95

M. Tax Issues ......................................................................... 95

1. Deductibility of alimony ................................................ 95

2. Deductibility of counsel fee .......................................... 96

X. PROPERTY ............................................................................... 96

A. Rights to IRA Proceeds ...................................................... 97

B. Prenuptial Agreements ........................................................ 97

C. QDRO ............................................................................... 97

D. Stock Options ..................................................................... 97

XI. APPENDIX ................................................................................ 97

Form 1. Sample Interrogatories ................................................. 98

Form 2. Sample Documents Request ......................................... 104

Form 3. Sample Schedule to Subpoena ...................................... 108

Form 4. Petition for Protection from Domestic
............ Violence/Child Abuse/Vulnerable Adult Abuse 111

Form 5. Dictionary of Terms .................................................... 114

Form 6. Financial Statement ..................................................... 116

Form 7. Interim Protective Order .............................................. 117

Form 8. Temporary Protective Order (Judge’s
Worksheet) ................................................................. 120

Form 9. Final Protective Order (Judge’s Worksheet) .................. 122

Form 10. Emergency Family Maintenance Earnings
Withholding Order ....................................................... 126

Form 11. Petition for Peace Order .............................................. 127

Form 12. Addendum to Peace Order Petition .............................. 128

Form 13. Petition for Waiver of Costs ......................................... 129

Form 14. Interim Peace Order .................................................... 130

Form 15. Temporary Peace Order .............................................. 132

Form 16. Final Peace Order ....................................................... 134

Form 17. Comparison of Protective Order and Peace
Order Statutes and Relief ............................................. 135

Form 18. Complaint for Limited Divorce ..................................... 138