Chevy Chase Child Custody Lawyer

Experienced child custody attorneys serving Chevy Chase, MD, including work as a court-appointed advocate for children in contested cases.

If you are facing a custody dispute in Chevy Chase, you need an attorney who understands the stakes for your children and your place in their lives. The arrangement set now will govern your parenting time, your decisions, and your child’s stability for years to come.

At Fait & DiLima Family Law, our attorneys have guided Maryland parents through custody matters for decades, and our work has earned recognition from Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. Knowing what to expect from our Chevy Chase, MD child custody lawyer is the first step toward protecting that relationship. Please contact us today for a confidential consultation.

Child Custody Lawyer Chevy Chase, MD

A child custody lawyer represents a parent in deciding where a child will live and who will make the major decisions in the child’s life. The work covers both legal custody, which is decision-making authority, and physical custody, which is the parenting-time schedule. It involves negotiating an arrangement, drafting a parenting plan, and, when necessary, presenting the case to a judge.

A Chevy Chase child custody attorney also prepares a parent for the questions a court will ask about the child’s needs and each parent’s role. Some cases settle through agreement, while others are decided after a hearing. A thoughtful attorney reads the situation early and builds the case around the child’s interests rather than forcing a single strategy. The goal is rarely to win a contest; it is to arrive at a workable arrangement that the family can live with. Our aim is to secure an outcome that serves the child and preserves your relationship with them.

Types of Child Custody Cases We Handle in Chevy Chase

Custody questions take many shapes, from a first order at separation to a modification years later. Our attorneys handle the full range of these matters for parents in Chevy Chase. The cases below are the ones we see most often.

• Legal custody. Authority over major decisions such as schooling, health care, and religion, held by one parent or shared between both. When it is shared, the parents must be able to communicate and reach joint decisions.
• Physical custody. Where the child lives day to day and how parenting time is divided between the parents.
• Divorce. When parents divorce, custody is decided alongside the other terms, and we address it as part of the larger case.
• Initial determinations. The first order entered when parents separate, which sets the baseline for much of what follows.
• Modifications. A custody order can be revisited when a material change in circumstances affects the child or a parent’s ability to meet the child’s needs. We present the evidence that supports or opposes the change.
• Relocation and move-away. When one parent proposes to move, the court weighs the effect on the child and on the existing schedule.
• Enforcement and violations. When a parent disregards the order, we pursue the remedies available to restore the arrangement the court approved.
• Child support. Because overnight parenting time feeds the support calculation, the two questions are closely linked.
• Divorce mediation agreements. Many families resolve custody outside the courtroom, and we guide that process when it serves the child.
• Unmarried parents. Custody for parents who were never married often begins with establishing the legal parent-child relationship.

Why Choose Fait & DiLima Family Law as my Child Custody Lawyer in Chevy Chase, MD?

Local Knowledge and Recognized Experience

Our firm has represented parents across Chevy Chase and throughout Maryland in custody matters for decades, and the choice of a child custody attorney often shapes how a case unfolds. Marjorie DiLima leads that work at our firm. Courts have appointed her to serve as a Best Interest Attorney, representing the child directly and advising the court on the arrangement that best serves the child, and that vantage point informs how she handles every matter. She is equally at home in cases involving high-conflict personalities, where preparation and composure carry the day.

Super Lawyers has recognized her for ten consecutive years, she has been named to Best Lawyers, and she is admitted before the U.S. District Court, the Maryland appellate courts, and the U.S. Tax Court. She holds a lifetime position in the American Inns of Court, completed a Master of Laws in Taxation at Georgetown University Law, and teaches integrity and professionalism in the practice of law at Montgomery College. Her standing with Super Lawyers reflects sustained peer recognition.

A Track Record That Holds Up

Results matter in family law, and we bring thorough preparation to every custody matter. Marjorie maintains an appellate practice and has argued before Maryland’s appellate courts on the questions that often decide family disputes. That courtroom experience shapes how we build a record from the first filing. Whether your case settles through negotiation or proceeds to a hearing, that preparation is what allows us to present your role in your child’s life clearly and to protect the arrangement as circumstances change.

Understanding Child Custody Cases

Types of Custody and Best Interest Factors

Maryland recognizes two forms of custody, and a court may assign each to one parent or divide it between them. Legal custody concerns decision-making, while physical custody concerns where the child lives. Maryland does not start from a presumption of joint custody. Instead, in every case the court applies the best interests of the child standard and weighs a list of best interest factors.

• Legal custody. The authority to decide on education, health care, and religion, held alone or shared.
• Physical custody. Where the child lives from day to day, whether primarily with one parent or split between both.
• The best interests standard. The court’s guiding principle, applied without a preference for either parent.
• Stability and safety. The child’s security and protection from conflict weigh heavily in the analysis.
• Each parent’s role. The history of caregiving and each parent’s ability to meet the child’s needs.
• The child’s relationships. The bonds with each parent, siblings, and others important to the child.

What Are Important Aspects of a Child Custody Case?

A handful of considerations tend to carry the most weight in a custody case. Addressing them early gives a parent the steadiest footing and keeps the focus on the child. Each can become a point of contention if it is left unresolved.

• Demonstrating each parent’s involvement in day-to-day care and routines.
• Building a workable parenting plan that sets a clear schedule.
• Shielding the child from conflict between parents.
• Addressing any supervised visitation or safety concerns that arise.
• Handling a proposed relocation that would alter the schedule.

What Is The Child Custody Case Timeline?

Custody cases vary in how long they take, but most follow a similar set of steps. The pace depends on how much the parents agree and whether the court orders an evaluation.

• Filing a complaint or petition for custody.
• Attending a scheduling conference and exchanging information.
• Participating in mediation or a custody evaluation.
• Negotiating a parenting plan or preparing for a hearing.
• Entering the order and enforcing it if a parent does not comply.

What Should You Bring to Your Child Custody Consultation?

Bringing the right background helps us assess your case and map the next steps. Bring what you can locate, and we will help gather the rest.

• A summary of the current parenting schedule and living arrangements.
• School, medical, and activity records that reflect your involvement.
• Any existing custody order or written agreement between the parents.
• Notes on safety concerns or communication problems, if they apply.

During the consultation, we will review your goals, explain how Maryland applies the best interests standard, and outline the steps ahead. We will also identify the issues most likely to be contested so that you can plan for them. Taking time to prepare for your case in advance makes that first meeting more productive.

What Are Important Maryland Legal Resources for Child Custody Cases?

Reliable information supports better decisions during a custody case. The resources below come from the Maryland agencies responsible for custody law and court procedure.

• The Maryland Judiciary provides family court guidance on custody and visitation.
• The Maryland Judiciary also offers parenting plan resources for parents working out a schedule.
• The Maryland General Assembly lists the custody factors a court must weigh.
• The Maryland General Assembly sets out when a court may modify a custody order.
• The Maryland General Assembly establishes the custody jurisdiction rules for cases that cross state lines.

Reach Out to Fait & DiLima Family Law to Schedule a Consultation

A custody arrangement defines your time with your child and your part in raising them, and sound guidance makes a meaningful difference. Our Chevy Chase child custody attorneys are prepared to review your situation and explain the options before you. Fait & DiLima Family Law represents parents throughout Montgomery County with care and steady judgment. To begin, contact us to arrange a consultation, and we will respond promptly to find a workable time.