Bethesda Family Lawyer

Trusted family law attorneys with decades of experience serving Bethesda County.

Family law disputes affect every part of your life, from your financial security to your living situation to the time you spend with your children. When legal issues involve the people closest to you, the margin for error is narrow. Decisions made early in the process carry long-term consequences that are difficult to reverse.

Our Bethesda, MD family lawyer has decades of experience representing clients in Montgomery County family court. At Fait & DiLima Family Law, LLC, we handle contested divorce, custody litigation, prenuptial agreements, protective orders, and every matter in between. Contact our firm to schedule a consultation.

Family Lawyer Bethesda, MD

A Bethesda family lawyer represents clients in legal disputes that involve domestic relationships. That could mean ending a marriage, resolving a custody disagreement, or enforcing a support order that one party has stopped honoring.

The scope of Maryland family law is broad, and the procedural rules shift depending on the type of case. Custody matters follow a different track than property disputes. Domestic violence cases move on an accelerated timeline that has nothing to do with the pace of a standard divorce. A family attorney in Bethesda, MD who appears regularly in Montgomery County Circuit Court knows those differences, and that working familiarity matters a great deal when your family’s future depends on the outcome.

Types of Family Law Cases We Handle in Bethesda

Family law encompasses a collection of distinct legal matters, each with its own rules and range of outcomes. At Fait & DiLima Family Law, LLC, we represent clients across all of these disputes in Bethesda, MD.

• Divorce. Contested or uncontested, every divorce requires careful handling of property division, support, and custody when children are involved. The level of complexity varies enormously from one case to the next.
• Child custody. Maryland courts decide custody based on the child’s best interests, but parents frequently disagree about what that standard means in practice. We work to build arrangements that protect both your parental relationship and your child’s stability.
• Child support. The state uses a statutory formula to calculate support obligations. What matters most is the accuracy of the financial inputs. We make sure income figures reflect reality, not guesswork or deliberate underreporting.
• Alimony. Spousal support in Maryland turns on several factors: how long the marriage lasted, the gap between the spouses’ incomes, their respective ages and health, and what each person contributed to the household over the years. Every case is fact-specific.
• High asset divorce. Business ownership, stock portfolios, executive compensation, trusts, inherited wealth. These cases require forensic-level financial analysis and careful tracing to determine what qualifies as marital property and what doesn’t.
• High conflict divorce. When one spouse manipulates the process, defies court orders, or escalates conflict at every stage, the case requires an attorney who can keep things under control without getting pulled into the disorder.
• Domestic violence. Protective orders, safety planning, and emergency custody changes are not optional when abuse is present. We handle these matters with the urgency they demand.
• Divorce mediation. For couples willing to negotiate, mediation can resolve disputes outside of court at a fraction of the cost and time that litigation requires. It is not right for every case. But when both parties engage in good faith, the results tend to hold up better over time. We are certified in both mediation and collaborative law.
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. These contracts spell out how property, debts, and spousal support will be handled if a marriage ends. A well-drafted agreement removes ambiguity and often prevents the most expensive disputes from ever arising.
• Business owner divorce. Dividing or valuing a business during a divorce raises questions that simply do not come up in a typical case. We coordinate with financial professionals to protect the company’s operations while achieving a fair division for both parties.

Why Choose Fait & DiLima Family Law for Family Law in Bethesda, MD?

A Record of Courtroom Results and Appellate Advocacy

Fait & DiLima Family Law, LLC built its reputation through outcomes. The firm has appeared on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Firms list multiple years and received Best Lawyers recognition in both 2023 and 2024. On the appellate side, the firm prepared Richard v. Richards, 166 Md. App. 263 (2005), which addressed how courts distinguish marital from non-marital property, and Mills v. Mills, 178 Md. App. 728 (2008), which dealt with the court’s revisory authority over Qualified Domestic Relations Orders. Both decisions continue to influence Maryland divorce litigation.

Marjorie G. DiLima: Managing Partner

Before entering law, Marjorie G. DiLima earned an M.B.A. alongside her J.D., graduating with honors in 1994. She then completed a Masters in Taxation (LL.M.) at Georgetown University Law. That combination of legal and financial training has proven particularly valuable in cases involving hidden assets, deferred compensation, and disputed business valuations. She is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, and the U.S. Tax Court.

Marjorie has held a Maryland Super Lawyer designation for 10 years, was named a Bethesda Magazine Top Attorney for 2025, and maintains a lifetime membership in the American Inns of Court. She is certified in both collaborative law and mediation, and she teaches family law and professional ethics at Montgomery College.

Family Law Case Overview

Key Areas of Maryland Family Law

Maryland’s family law statutes cover a broad set of legal issues. The areas that arise most frequently in our Bethesda practice include:

• Divorce. The state recognizes absolute divorce on grounds of six-month separation, irreconcilable differences, and mutual consent. Procedural requirements differ for each.
• Custody and access. Courts evaluate both legal custody (who makes major decisions for the child) and physical custody (where the child lives) using a set of factors centered on the child’s best interests. Knowing how custody is determined before you begin negotiating is essential.
• Child support. Maryland’s formula accounts for each parent’s gross income, childcare costs, health insurance premiums, and the number of overnights spent with each parent. The Maryland DHS website offers online tools for estimating obligations under the current guidelines.
• Alimony. Courts may award rehabilitative alimony for a fixed period or, in rarer circumstances, indefinite support. The length of the marriage, the income disparity, and each spouse’s capacity to become self-supporting all factor into the analysis.
• Property division. Maryland uses equitable distribution. That means courts divide marital property based on statutory factors aimed at fairness, though the result is not always a fifty-fifty split.
• Protective orders. Individuals who have experienced domestic violence, stalking, or abuse can petition for emergency and final protective orders in either the District Court or Circuit Court.

Important Aspects in Your Family Law Case

Most family law cases in Bethesda, MD share a core set of procedural elements worth understanding early:

• Jurisdiction. Maryland imposes residency requirements that must be satisfied before the court can hear your case. Those requirements vary by case type.
• Temporary orders. Pendente lite relief can establish custody, support obligations, and exclusive use of the family home while the case works its way through the system. These interim orders frequently shape the terms of the final agreement.
• Financial disclosure. Each party must submit sworn financial statements. Incomplete or dishonest disclosures can result in sanctions and lasting damage to credibility with the court.
• Parental rights. Under Maryland law, both parents serve as joint natural guardians of their children. Understanding your parental rights at the outset helps you set realistic goals before litigation begins.

Family Law Case Timeline

The duration of a family law case depends on the type of matter involved and the willingness of both parties to negotiate in good faith. General timeframes:

• An uncontested divorce with a signed settlement agreement can be finalized in roughly two to three months.
• Contested divorce cases usually run eight to fourteen months, though high-asset or high-conflict matters can extend further.
• Custody modifications and enforcement actions tend to take three to six months. Emergency motions, however, can be heard within days of filing.
• Protective order cases move quickly by design. A temporary order is typically issued the same day or the next business day, with a final hearing within seven days.
• Mediation timelines vary by case, but most sessions wrap up within two to four months once both parties commit to participating.

Montgomery County Circuit Court’s docket controls scheduling more than anything else. Cases with extensive discovery and multiple hearings will take longer.

What to Bring to Your Family Law Consultation

Arriving at your first meeting with a family attorney in Bethesda with the right documentation allows us to provide more precise guidance from the outset. We recommend gathering:

• At least two years of tax returns, along with W-2s, 1099s, or recent pay stubs
• Bank statements, investment records, and retirement account statements covering the past three to six months
• Copies of any existing court orders, separation agreements, or prenuptial and postnuptial contracts
• Records related to your children: school enrollment, medical history, and any prior custody arrangements
• A full list of marital debts and liabilities, including mortgages, credit cards, and outstanding loans

We will review your circumstances during the consultation, explain the legal process that applies, and outline what to expect in terms of timeline and next steps.

Maryland Legal Resources for Family Law

Maryland provides several publicly accessible resources for individuals involved in family law proceedings. These will not replace legal counsel, but they are useful for understanding procedures and locating court forms:

• The Maryland Judiciary family portal covers custody, support, domestic violence, and court procedures, with downloadable forms and instructional videos.
• The Maryland Courts support page explains how child support is calculated under the state guidelines and where to find the official worksheets.
• Family Help Centers operate in most Maryland circuit courts, providing free guidance from attorneys and paralegals to people without representation.
• The Montgomery County Self-Help Center is a free walk-in clinic at the Montgomery County Circuit Court staffed by attorneys who help with family law forms and general legal questions.
• The Maryland Courts divorce page outlines filing requirements, recognized grounds for divorce, and the differences between limited and absolute divorce.

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

Family legal matters call for attention, strategy, and an attorney who understands what is at stake. Fait & DiLima Family Law, LLC has spent decades representing Bethesda families through divorce, custody disputes, support enforcement, and every other area of Maryland family law. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.