Child Custody Attorneys in Bowie & Crofton, Maryland

Aggressively Defending Your Parental Rights

During divorce proceedings, many legal agreements are written. One of the most important is your child custody agreement. Maryland’s courts use a best-interest standard toward child custody. That means that the court looks at many factors that can affect your children’s overall fundamental needs.

At the Law Office of Kari Holm Fawcett, we have focused my practice on legal advice that benefits you and your children. We have over 25 years of experience as child custody attorneys. As your advocate, we will work diligently to protect your parental rights and to achieve your goals.

Call for a low-cost consultation. From our offices, we represent people in Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County, Howard County, and throughout Maryland.

Family Dynamics

When looking at child custody, the court often considers family dynamics. The court wants your children to be able to maintain important family relationships, whether through custody or visitation rights.

For instance, if grandparents or other relatives have strong bonds with your children, those relationships may influence custody arrangements.

The courts look at all significant bonding issues. Your family dynamics might include stepparents and other relationships that may affect custody agreements.

Fitness Evaluations

Your physical and psychological fitness can impact custody as well as your character and reputation. Basically, any condition or situation that can affect your relationship with your children or your ability to raise them can be evaluated. Such conditions may include:

• Mental health issues

• Drug addictions

• Criminal records

• Domestic violence allegations or convictions

• Child abuse convictions

• Prior abandonment or surrender of custody

Other Factors

In addition to those already mentioned, other factors are considered when filing child custody agreements. These may include:

• Your child’s preference, depending on his or her age

• Financial resources of both parents

• Your child’s age, health and gender

• Your residences

• Opportunities for visitation

• Your religious views, and how they may affect your child

Modifications to Custody

Provisions regarding your child custody agreement generally stay in place until your child has reached 18 years of age (or until he or she graduates from high school), but may still be effective concerning issues such as college tuition or health insurance. You can have your agreement modified before then, so long as a significant material change of circumstances has occurred, or if you and the other parent have mutually agreed to change it.

The court system tries not to relitigate custody based on one parent’s unhappiness or over any petty conflict. As your lawyers, we can gather the appropriate support to show that your child’s custody situation may or may not be in his or her best interest.

Our law firm provides results-oriented representation in cases involving proposed child relocations. We will work tirelessly to protect your parental rights.

Low Cost Consultation

To discuss your child custody concerns with a low cost consultation, please call or send a message.