Maryland Lawyer Blog

A question that our family law clients often ask is whether the court is likely to award them (or their spouse) indefinite alimony. At least in Maryland, courts aim to limit the duration of alimony. The general approach is to only award spousal support for the amount of time that the court deems necessary for the party to attend school …
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One of the most important points to address in an appeal is the applicable standard of review. It determines the amount of deference the appellate court will give to the lower court’s decision. As a result, it can sometimes be the most important consideration regarding your chances of prevailing on appeal. Stated otherwise, the standard of review can mean the …
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It is unfortunate for both the parent and the child when the other parent engages in illegal interference with child custody and visitation. Many parents in this situation wonder what they can do. As outlined below, there are two main ways to deal with this type of child abduction. Maryland recognizes a tort action for damages if the interference is …
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One of the strongest and most well-known privileges is the confidential marital communications privilege, also known as the husband-wife privilege or spousal privilege. Generally, one spouse cannot be compelled to testify about any confidential communication with the other spouse occurring during their marriage. However, there are exceptions. Confidential Marital Communications Privilege There are actually two privileges shared by spouses in …
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Although appellate law may be the most difficult and complex practice area in terms of the requisite degree of legal scholarship, the preliminary act of filing papers to commence an appeal is relatively simple. This article focuses on how to file an appeal. But first, a word of caution. Appellate Practice Appellate advocacy demands the utmost legal skill and competence. …
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Imagine a scenario where you lose access to your child due to a procedural technicality (of which you may not have been aware), and the court does not even give you a chance to be heard as to what constitutes the best interest of the child. This is what can sometimes happen in the case of an order of default …
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Laws v. Singh, Case No. 24-C-17-000409 (Circuit Court for Baltimore City): Trial from March 7, 2018 – March 9, 2018 Although the main areas of practice I handle are foreclosure defense, divorce & family law, and appeals, when Glenda Laws came into my office, I felt very strongly about her case, and wanted to make sure she received justice. On …
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Child custody disputes are perhaps the only court proceedings that are more emotionally draining than a contested divorce. Tempers flare and distrust abounds as the parents desperately fight for custody. Under these circumstances, only an experienced child custody lawyer is able to provide an objective outlook and protect a parent’s access to their child. This article analyzes the case law …
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Dual tracking is an illegal practice where the mortgage servicer attempts to proceed with a foreclosure sale while a complete loan modification application (which was submitted at least 37 days before the scheduled sale) is still under review. A homeowner can stop foreclosure if the servicer engages in dual tracking. However, a homeowner cannot indefinitely avoid foreclosure by simply submitting …
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A homeowner can stop foreclosure when the lender does not grant a loan modification that should be granted. This situation often arises when the homeowner makes the required payments under a temporary loan modification agreement with the lender, but the lender then refuses to offer a permanent modification. In Maryland (and most jurisdictions), if the homeowner files an appropriate motion …
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