Family Lawyers Helping You Divorce With Dignity

Non-custodial parents have limited rights over how the money from child support payments is used. Child support is intended to benefit the child by covering expenses such as clothing, food, housing, medical care, school fees, and extracurricular activities. While the receiving parent may indirectly benefit when using these funds for shared household expenses like rent or utilities, the money should not be used for their personal indulgences.

In Maryland, courts do not require the receiving parent to provide an accounting of how child support is spent. If you believe your child isn’t benefiting from the support you provide or suspect the funds are being misused, please contact our child support lawyers.

The divorce process in Maryland can follow different paths depending on your circumstances and goals. Fait & DiLima Family Law offers both litigation and alternative dispute resolution options, including divorce mediation, which empowers couples to resolve matters without protracted court battles. Our attorneys guide clients through every stage, from initial consultations and filing paperwork to negotiations, courtroom appearances, and post-divorce modifications. Maryland family law addresses critical issues such as grounds for divorce, equitable distribution of marital property, spousal support determination, child custody arrangements, and child support calculations. The experienced team at Fait & DiLima Family Law combines over 120 years of legal knowledge with understanding of family dynamics and psychology to develop strategies tailored to each client’s unique situation, always prioritizing the best interests of children involved.

Fait & DiLima Family Law stands out as an award-winning family law firm that combines large firm capabilities with personalized, empathy-driven service. We’ve been recognized by U.S. News, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers, earning over 25 top attorney awards and 10 best law firms designations. Our attorneys bring over 120 years of combined experience and have helped more than 2,500 families navigate difficult legal situations. What truly distinguishes the firm is our compassionate approach that integrates legal expertise with understanding of family systems, psychology, and human interactions. We serve clients in both English and Spanish and offer multiple service options including skilled litigation when necessary and alternative dispute resolution when appropriate, always focusing on helping families “divorce with dignity.”

Unlike many other states, Maryland does not have “common law” marriage, in which couples cohabiting for a certain period of time have the same property and other marital rights as a married couple. So, while you do not need to take legal action to end this relationship, there may be issues dividing jointly owned property and debts.

If you have a valid common-law marriage created in another state, one which does assign property rights to common-law spouses, then you will need to take legal action to dissolve the marriage and work through the courts to divide joint liabilities and assets. Our family lawyers can help with this.

If you have concerns about your child’s safety while they’re spending visitation time with the other parent, you may petition the judge to require that each visit be supervised. Our visitation attorneys can explain your options to have a neutral third party supervise the interactions between your child and their parent.

Maryland’s courts generally only order supervised visitation if the judge has a reasonable belief that the child has been abused or neglected by the parent in the past or that abuse or neglect could occur during unsupervised visits. Bear in mind, though, that supervised visitation likely won’t be approved if you disagree with the other parent’s parenting choices, only if the child could be in danger.

Maryland family courts may deem a parent unfit if they fail to provide proper care, support, and guidance for their child, putting the child at risk or otherwise not acting in the child’s best interests. This can include situations involving physical abuse, neglect, substance abuse, domestic violence, or a history of criminal behavior.

Our attorneys can help you gather the necessary evidence to support your petition, such as photos, videos, police reports, medical records, and witness testimony. We will present this evidence according to the state’s rules to advocate for your child’s well-being.