Where to file for custody in baltimore county

If you live outside the U. The person who filed the initial Complaint may ask for a finding of default. If the court is convinced that service of process was proper, it will issue an Order of Default.

That permits the custody case to be heard and concluded without the participation of the other party. The first court event is often a scheduling conference with a judge or magistrate where all parties talk about programs that may help you reach a settlement.

The court will also schedule hearings, set deadlines, and provide you with information on creating a parenting plan. Learn about Parenting Plans. Another common court event is the pre-trial settlement conference, where the court will identify the issues on which you and the other party cannot agree.

Those are the issues that the court will decide at trial. The court requires a parenting plan in any case involving custody of a minor child. Learn more at mdcourts. Every county has a family services coordinator who knows about programs available in your jurisdiction.

Find that person in your area. The other parent must then be made aware of the proceedings, and the parties can attempt to reach an agreement. If no agreement is reached, the court will make a determination based on what the judge believes is in the child's best interest. Maryland law distinguishes between legal and physical custody. Legal custody refers to which parent makes major long-term decisions for the child, such as issues surrounding education or health care.

Conversely, physical custody refers to where the child lives, and the physical care and supervision of the child. When one parent has both legal and physical custody, that parent has sole custody. However, the court may also award shared custody where both parents have physical and legal custody, or one parent may have sole physical custody while legal custody is shared, or vice versa. Either parent may file for sole custody, either as part of the divorce process or separate from a divorce action.

Prepare your forms for filing. Once complete, you will need to prepare your forms for filing with the Court. To do this: Print and sign all appropriate forms. Call the Clerk of Courts in the county where you will file, and ask how many copies of each form they need, what your filing fee will be, and what forms of payment are accepted.

Make the appropriate number of copies. Staple together any forms that are more than one page long. Be sure not to staple two different forms together. Each form should have a case caption at the top of the first page. The case caption is the part that lists the state, county, and court, the parties, and states the case or cause number.

File your forms. The Clerk will assist you with stamping your forms and filing them. Be sure that you get a stamped copy of each form that you file, so you have a record of what was filed and when.

You can do this by mailing the copies via Certified Mail or by hiring the county Sheriff or a process server to serve the copies personally. If you are having trouble locating the other parent, then check out the information at Serve-Court-Papers for more details.

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. This can help you avoid problems later, if he or she claims to have been unaware of your lawsuit or desire to have custody of the child. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. You should never sign anything that may affect your legal or financial rights or obligations without first consulting with a licensed attorney.

Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0. You Might Also Like How to. How to. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: March 29, Categories: Child Custody and Legal Guardianship. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 66, times. Reader Success Stories A.