Family legal matters touch some of the most personal areas of life: marriage, children, finances, and the future of your household. When conflict arises or legal questions need to be resolved, the guidance of an experienced Severna Park family lawyer can provide both clarity and peace of mind.
At Jimeno & Gray, our Severna Park family law attorneys proudly serve clients throughout Anne Arundel County. Whether you live in neighborhoods like Chartwell, Round Bay, Ben Oaks, or Manhattan Beach, our team is committed to helping you protect your rights and your family’s well-being.
What Is Family Law?
Family law is a broad area of practice that covers legal issues arising from personal relationships and domestic matters. Unlike other areas of law, family law often combines legal procedures with sensitive emotional issues. Common family law cases in Maryland involve:
- Divorce and separation
- Child custody and visitation
- Child support and alimony
- Property and asset division
- Adoption and guardianship
- Domestic violence and protective orders
- Paternity and parental rights
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
Because these issues directly affect your daily life and future stability, working with our skilled family lawyers serving Severna Park ensures that your case is handled with care, professionalism, and a clear focus on your best interests.
Understanding Divorce and Separation in Maryland
An absolute divorce legally dissolves the marriage and resolves all related issues permanently.
Recent changes in Maryland law have simplified the grounds for divorce, allowing couples to pursue dissolution based on separation, irreconcilable differences, or mutual consent. This helps reduce unnecessary conflict and allows spouses in Severna Park neighborhoods like Berrywood or Severndale to focus on building a new chapter of their lives.
The Divorce Process
The divorce process typically includes:
- Filing a complaint with the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court
- Serving papers and filing responses
- Financial disclosures and discovery
- Negotiation, mediation, or settlement conferences
- Court hearings or trial, if needed
- Issuance of a final divorce decree
Hiring a family attorney from our firm ensures your rights are protected throughout each stage, from filing paperwork to negotiating favorable settlements.
Separation Agreements
Some couples choose to live apart before or instead of divorce. A separation agreement, drafted by an attorney, can outline responsibilities for child custody, support, property use, and debts. These agreements help prevent disputes and can serve as the basis for future divorce orders.
Child Custody and Visitation
Few issues are more emotional than determining where children will live and how time will be shared between parents. Maryland courts prioritize the best interests of the child in all custody decisions.
Types of Custody
- Legal Custody: The right to make major decisions about the child’s upbringing.
- Physical Custody: Where the child lives and who provides day-to-day care.
Custody may be joint (shared) or sole, depending on the family’s circumstances.
Some Factors Considered by the Court Include:
- Child’s age, health, and needs
- Parents’ ability to cooperate
- Stability of each home environment
- Work schedules and the availability of each parent
- History of abuse, neglect, or substance issues
Our Severna Park family lawyers help parents negotiate parenting plans and represent them in court when disputes cannot be resolved. Our goal is to protect your parental rights while ensuring your child’s needs remain front and center.
Child Support
Maryland uses the Child Support Guidelines to calculate payment amounts. These guidelines take into account both parents’ incomes, health insurance costs, childcare expenses, and the number of overnight visits each parent has with the child. Courts may adjust the amount if a child has extraordinary medical or educational needs.
Alimony (Spousal Support)
Alimony is designed to help a lower-earning spouse transition toward financial independence after divorce. Types include temporary, rehabilitative (short-term), and indefinite (rare, but awarded in some instances of long marriages or disability).
Courts consider factors such as length of marriage, standard of living, age and health, and the financial resources of each spouse. A Severna Park family attorney from our firm will ensure that support orders are fair and realistic, whether you are paying or receiving.
Property Division
Maryland follows the principle of equitable distribution, meaning marital property is divided fairly, though not always equally. Marital property includes assets acquired during the marriage, such as the family home, retirement accounts, investments, and debts.
Dividing property can be especially challenging in Severna Park, where many families own valuable real estate in waterfront neighborhoods like Round Bay, Linstead on the Severn, or Whitehurst. A family lawyer helps:
- Distinguish marital from non-marital property
- Value assets accurately
- Negotiate or litigate fair division of property and debts
Adoption and Guardianship
Expanding your family through adoption is a rewarding but often complicated legal process. Maryland law recognizes several types of adoption:
- Agency Adoption: Through public or private agencies
- Private Domestic Adoption: Arranged directly between birth and adoptive parents
- Stepparent Adoption: When a spouse legally adopts their partner’s child
- Kinship Adoption: By grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other relatives
- Adult Adoption: For individuals over 18
An adoption lawyer helps ensure that all consents, background checks, and court procedures are correctly completed. In cases where a child’s biological parents contest the adoption, hiring a seasoned family attorney to manage the challenges is vital.
Guardianship is another important area of family law, providing legal authority for someone to care for a minor or incapacitated adult. This can include decision-making power over finances, education, or healthcare. Representation from our family attorneys can help protect your loved ones.
Domestic Violence and Protective Orders
Family law is not limited to divorce and custody. Unfortunately, many families face issues involving domestic violence. Maryland courts provide protective orders (often called restraining orders) to safeguard victims from abuse, harassment, or threats.
A family attorney can help you:
- File for a protective order
- Represent you at hearings
- Enforce existing orders
- Seek emergency custody or housing protections
If you are falsely accused of domestic violence, a lawyer also ensures that your rights and reputation are protected.
Paternity and Parental Rights
Establishing legal paternity is imperative for child support, custody, and inheritance rights. Maryland law allows fathers to voluntarily acknowledge paternity or requires DNA testing when paternity is disputed. Our family attorneys assist both mothers and fathers in paternity cases, ensuring that children receive the support they need and that parents secure their rights to custody and visitation.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
In a community like Severna Park, where families often have significant assets, business interests, or inherited property, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements provide essential protection.
- Prenuptial agreements are created before marriage and outline how assets will be handled in the event of divorce.
- Postnuptial agreements are similar but are executed after the marriage has already begun.
Your family lawyer ensures these agreements are drafted fairly, transparently, and in compliance with Maryland law so that they stand up in court if challenged.
Alternatives to Litigation
While some family law disputes require courtroom intervention, many can be resolved more efficiently through alternative methods. Our family lawyers are well-versed in these methods, which can decrease the time and expense required to settle your legal family matter.
Family Law Mediation
Mediation allows parents or spouses to work with a neutral third party to negotiate agreements on custody, support, or property division. This approach is often less adversarial and can preserve family relationships.
Collaborative Family Law
In collaborative divorce or family law, both parties commit to resolving disputes outside of court, working with attorneys and other professionals (such as financial planners or child specialists) to reach a fair resolution.
These alternative dispute resolution methods often save time, money, and emotional strain, particularly for families who value maintaining a cooperative co-parenting relationship.
Why Local Experience Matters in Family Law Cases
Family law cases in Severna Park are heard in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, and local insight matters. A Severna Park family lawyer understands not only Maryland statutes but also the nuances of local court practices, judges, and mediators.
Local experience also helps in practical ways. Attorneys familiar with the community know how issues like housing values in Chartwell or access to schools in Ben Oaks may affect custody or property division decisions.
How Jimeno & Gray Supports Families in Severna Park
At Jimeno & Gray, we provide a full spectrum of family law services for residents in Severna Park and nearby neighborhoods. Our approach combines:
- Compassionate counsel for sensitive family issues
- Strong advocacy in negotiation and litigation
- Clear communication so you understand your rights and options
- Tailored strategies for complex cases involving children, property, or business interests
Our family attorneys recognize that no two families are alike. Whether you are going through a divorce in Round Bay, adopting a child in Whitehurst, or seeking custody arrangements in Manhattan Beach, we offer the legal knowledge and personal attention you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Family Law in Maryland
How long does a divorce take?
Uncontested divorces may take only a few months, particularly when both spouses agree on all major issues such as custody, child support, and property division. The process is quicker because there are fewer hearings and less need for extensive discovery. However, contested divorces, especially those involving disputes over parenting time, alimony, or high-value property such as waterfront homes in Round Bay or Chartwell, can take a year or longer. The timeline also depends on the Anne Arundel County court’s schedule, the challenges of any financial issues, and whether mediation or settlement negotiations are successful before trial.
Can custody agreements be modified after a divorce?
Yes. Maryland law allows custody orders to be modified if there has been a “material change in circumstances.” This can include one parent relocating out of Severna Park for work, changes in a child’s health or educational needs, or evidence that the existing arrangement is no longer in the child’s best interests.
A family lawyer helps file a petition to modify custody and presents evidence to the court. The court’s priority remains the child’s well-being, so any change must demonstrate how the modification better serves the child.
What if my partner stops paying child support?
Maryland courts have strong enforcement tools, including wage garnishment, bank account seizures, license suspension, and even contempt proceedings that can result in fines or jail. In some cases, tax refunds and lottery winnings may also be intercepted.
An attorney can act quickly by filing enforcement motions and working with the Child Support Administration (CSA). The sooner you take legal action, the sooner your child receives the financial support they are entitled to.
Is mediation required in Maryland family law cases?
In many custody disputes, the court may order mediation before a trial to encourage resolution. A neutral third party conducts mediation and helps parents or spouses reach mutually acceptable agreements on parenting time, support, and property division.
Even when not required, many couples voluntarily use mediation because it is often faster, less expensive, and less adversarial than litigation. Mediation also helps preserve co-parenting relationships, which is especially important when raising children together after separation.
Do I need a lawyer for adoption in Maryland?
Yes. Adoption is a detailed process involving strict legal requirements, including background checks, consents, home studies, and final approval by the court. A family attorney ensures every step is completed correctly and that your rights are protected.
If a biological parent contests the adoption or if interstate or international adoption rules apply, the process can become especially complicated. Having an adoption lawyer gives you peace of mind that your adoption will be finalized smoothly and without unnecessary delays.
Contact Our Severna Park Family Lawyer Today
Family legal matters can be stressful, but you do not have to face them alone. With the help of a skilled family attorney in Severna Park, MD, you can protect your rights, safeguard your children’s well-being, and make informed decisions about your future.
Whether you need guidance in divorce, custody, adoption, or any other family law issue, Jimeno & Gray is here to stand by your side. Contact us online today to schedule a consultation with a family lawyer who understands both the law and the local community.