Editors: John J. Condliffe, Esq. & Debra B. Cruz, Esq.

Contributors: Shannon Boisseau, Esq., John J. Condliffe, Esq., Debra B. Cruz, Esq., Elizabeth R. Estephan, Esq., Brian K. Pearlstein, Esq., Samantha Pollin, Esq., Linda J. Ravdin, Esq., Thomas C. Ries, Esq., Christopher W. Roberts, Esq., Robert A. Rombro, Esq., and Wendy Widmann, Esq.

Updated in 2023, the Eleventh Edition of this definitive work is the Family Law practitioner’s comprehensive reference book and guide on divorce and separation law in Maryland. The book sets forth the legal principles and procedures for handling family law actions, from the initial contact with a potential client through appeal. Updated by expert practitioners, it provides tips and forms and is an easy-to-follow guide on Family Law.

2023 Updates include:

• Changes to the child support guidelines, including changes to the percentage of overnights for using shared physical custody and an increase to the upper limit of the Guidelines
• Overview of new Parenting Plan requirements
• Application of the Daubert standard to the admissibility of expert testimony by custody evaluators
• Impact of Tax Cuts & Jobs Act on parental tax exemptions
• Case law regarding the custody of pre-embryos

This comprehensive treatise continues to provide essential tools for any family law practitioner, including:

• Separate, detailed chapters on Alimony and Child Support
• An outline of the procedural requirements as set forth in the Maryland Rules, a summary of the Maryland Code’s Family Law title, and a discussion of available remedies, with practice tips and strategies
• Discussion of statutes and rules and case law governing legal principles that apply to all aspects of practice including grounds for divorce, child custody, child support, de facto parenting, property distribution, alimony, spousal support, settlement agreements, adoption, paternity, children in need of assistance (CINA), tax considerations, and employee benefits
• Pleading and litigation tactics in domestic cases
• Contains a form settlement agreement that enables you to choose from various provisions including those relating to custody, visitation, child support, alimony and property distribution, to enable you to select the ones that fit the particular circumstances of a case
• Includes sample forms (includes a sample Marital Settlement Agreement) and court orders for QDROs, QCOs, and WMCSOs, as well as a table of cases, table of authorities, and index
  AND MORE!

As of September 13, 2023, your purchase of the Eleventh Edition includes a downloadable Supplement to Chapter 1: Divorce, providing an update to the substantial changes to Maryland’s divorce laws effective October 1, 2023. These include

• The deletion of fault-based grounds for divorce such as adultery, desertion, and cruelty of treatment are deleted.
• The addition of the ground of “irreconcilable differences.” 
• The repeal of the section of the law that had permitted an individual to obtain a limited divorce.

Summary of Contents:

Chapter 1–Divorce Grounds and Defenses
Chapter 2–Alimony
Chapter 3–Child Support
Chapter 4–Property Disposition in Divorce & Annulment
Chapter 5–Marital Settlement Agreements (including Form Agreement)
Chapter 6–Child Custody Proceedings (including Visitation, Adoption and Paternity)
Chapter 7–Federal Income, Estate, and Gift Tax Aspects of Separation and Divorce
Chapter 9–Pleading and Litigation Tactics in Domestic Cases
Chapter 8–Employee Benefits

Click to view detailed Table of Contents.

This publication is available in Hardcopy. To purchase it in Hardcopy please click here.

Format: Electronic
Pub date: 2023
Pages: 1356