Truck Accidents michigan lawyer


No one wants to imagine being in any motor vehicle accident. Perhaps the most frightening prospect is a highway crash involving a large truck or tractor-trailer.

The facts are shocking. In the United States, accidents involving large trucks kill about 5,000 accident victims every year. Highway crashes injure another 2.8 million Americans annually.

At the Sam Bernstein Law Firm, we understand that many survivors of truck crashes suffer such serious injuries that they require hospitalization, surgery, and long-term medical treatment. Often, truck accident victims never fully regain their ability to return to work or resume family responsibilities and personal relationships.

The experienced Michigan truck accident attorneys at the Sam Bernstein Law Firm often represent truck accident victims who require help with personal care and other normal activities of daily living for the rest of their lives.

Even if a Michigan truck accident victim recovers, a truck crash takes its toll. An individual may lose time and income from work, need help with household chores, and have to cope with the pain of injuries and necessary medical treatments.

After Michigan truck accidents, victims and their families frequently concentrate on their physical, emotional, or financial challenges. However, the time that Michigan truck accident law allows an adult or child to act to preserve their legal rights starts to run from the day of the Michigan truck accident.

It is not unusual for a Michigan truck accident victim who is struggling to deal with a disabling injury, to forget that time is running out, or to overlook other steps necessary to secure benefits.

Do not let this happen to you. If you or a family member is involved in a Michigan truck accident, be sure to contact an experienced Michigan truck accident lawyer before you talk with the insurance company of the person at fault. If you sign the wrong papers, you may give up all your legal claims and settle for far less than you deserve.

Video: Michigan truck accident attorney Mark Bernstein talks about protecting your legal rights after a Michigan Truck Accident

If you or a loved one was injured in a Michigan truck accident, contact an experienced Michigan truck accident lawyer. Please submit a simple, free, and confidential legal consultation about your potential Michigan truck accident claim form now

Pedestrian Accidents michigan lawyer

o one wants to imagine being in any motor vehicle accident. Perhaps the most frightening is the prospect of being a pedestrian hit by an automobile.
The facts are shocking. In the United States, car accidents kill about 4,600 pedestrians, and injure another 70,000 people every year.

Tragically, children are at the greatest risk of becoming the victims of careless drivers.

If a pedestrian survives an automobile accident, he or she may suffer extremely serious injuries, requiring hospitalization, surgery, and long-term medical treatment. Often, victims never fully regain their ability to return to school or work or to resume previous personal activities. Some individuals require help with personal care and other normal activities of daily living for the rest of their lives.
In short, a serious motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian can significantly change the pedestrian accident victim's life -- temporarily or even permanently.

That is why, if you or a family member is a pedestrian involved in an automobile accident, you need to protect your legal rights. Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer, before you talk with the insurance company of the person at fault. If you sign the wrong papers, you may give up all your legal claims and settle for far less than you deserve.

After motor vehicle accidents, victims and their families frequently concentrate on their physical, emotional, or financial challenges. However, the time that the law allows for an adult or child to act to preserve their legal rights starts to run from the day of the collision.

It is not unusual for an accident victim who is struggling to deal with a disabling injury, to forget that time is running out to take the steps necessary to secure benefits.
Protect your rights.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a Michigan pedestrian accident, talk with an experienced Michigan pedestrian accident lawyer. Please submit a simple, free, and confidential legal consultation form now.

michigan law Bicycle Accidents


 frightening is the prospect of being a bicycle rider hit by an automobile.

The facts are shocking. In the United States, a bicyclist is fatally injured every 6 hours. Nearly one million children are hurt every year in bicycle-related accidents.

Only one-third of all bicycle accidents involve collisions with automobiles. However, these accidents account for the majority of the catastrophic injuries and 75% of these are head injuries.

Although children are at the greatest risk of becoming the victims of careless drivers, every one of us is vulnerable, as we go about our day-to-day activities. A bicycle accident victim may lose income from work, time from school, or have to cope with the pain of injuries and necessary medical treatments.

In short, a serious accident can significantly change a victim's life -- temporarily or even permanently.

If you or a family member is a bicyclist involved in an automobile accident, you need to protect your legal rights. Consult with an experienced personal injury attorney, before you talk with the insurance company of the person at fault. If you sign the wrong papers, you may give up all your legal claims and settle for far less than you deserve.

After bicycle accidents, bicycle accident victims and their families frequently concentrate on their physical, emotional, or financial challenges. However, the time that the law allows for an adult or child to act to preserve their legal rights starts to run from the day of the bicycle accident.

It is not unusual for a bike accident victim who is struggling to deal with a disabling injury, to forget that time is running out to take the steps necessary to secure benefits.

If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury in a bicycle accident, talk with an experienced Michigan bicycle accident lawyer today. Please submit a simple, free, and confidential legal consultation form now.

Get the Bernstein Advantage today

Slip and Fall Accidents



Two common types of injury claims are Slip & Fall and Trip & Fall cases. In legal terms, these are Premises Liability legal actions.

A Michigan slip and fall liability case can be filed by a victim who is hurt because of the negligence or carelessness of someone else. Unfortunately, thousands of Michigan slip and fall accident victims are eligible to make these claims every year, after suffering injuries caused by property owners who failed to use reasonable care to warn of hazards or remove dangerous conditions from their property.The following are some of the dangerous conditions that can cause injury and may be the basis for a premises liability claim:

Standing puddles of water
Uncleared snow
Clear ice
Black ice
Inadequate lighting
Defective flooring
Improperly secured mats
Stairways and steps that violate building safety codes
Hidden drop-offs
Concealed holes
It is doubtful that any area of Michigan personal injury law has undergone more change than premises liability. Unfortunately, recent Michigan Supreme Court decisions have placed stricter limits on the ability of an injured party to bring a claim.

If you or a loved one suffered an injury as a result of a Michigan slip and fall accident, talk with an experienced Michigan slip and fall lawyer. Please submit a simple, free and confidential legal consultation form now.

Protect your rights. Get the Bernstein Advantage today

California Law family law


contrast with American states, but most especially with California, could not be more extreme. Section 721 of California's Family Code requires each spouse to make full disclosure to the other spouse of all material facts and information regarding the existence, characterization, and valuation of all assets and to provide equal access to information. This duty persists until each asset has been divided by the trial court. Section 2100(c) mandates full disclosure of all assets and liabilities of each party in the early stages of a divorce proceeding, regardless of whether a party believes them to be community or separate property. Furthermore, the information must be updated when changes occur. The parties are required to exchange preliminary and final declarations of disclosure (Family Code, Sec. 2103). In order to deter nondisclosure, Section 2107(c) of the Code requires the trial court impose monetary sanctions if a party fails to comply with disclosure obligations. Sanctions shall be in an amount sufficient to deter repetition of the conduct or comparable conduct, and shall include reasonable attorney's fees, costs incurred, or both, unless the court finds that the non-complying party acted with substantial justification or that other circumstances make the imposition of the sanction unjust. In In re Marriage of Feldman, 153 Cal.App.4th 1470, 64 Cal.Rptr.3d 29 (Cal.App. Dist.4 July 20, 2007), the California courts have made it clear that, not only must a spouse respond fully to requests by the other spouse for documents and information about assets, but it is no longer necessary for a spouse to take the initiative in seeking such information.
Fourth Circuit Ruling
The Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed a trial court's order that a husband in a dissolution proceeding had to pay $390,000 in sanctions and attorney's fees to his wife because he did not disclose financial information. The parties had been married for 34 years, during which time the husband had formed many companies. He declared that his assets were worth over $50 million. Throughout the proceeding, he provided updates to his Schedule of Assets and
Debts, and responded to discovery demands from his wife's attorney. However, it was shown that he did not disclose several financial transactions, including a residence, a bond, a 401(k) account and several privately held companies.
The sanctions were ordered, even though there was no economic damage to the wife, who had learned of the non-disclosed assets before trial and had received her share of the assets. The court held that the wife need not prove damage because the sanctions were designed to deter repetition of non-disclosure and to encourage disclosure. The court stated that the husband had the duty to disclose material facts to the wife in writing; to supplement and augment the discovery continually; and to disclose material data immediately and before a new project.

Injury Claim: Settle or go to Court


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 When dealing with a personal injury claim, it is difficult for people involved in the case to decide whether or not to settle or go to court. There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages when it comes to deciding whether or not to settle a personal injury claim or go to court for a personal injury claim. When consulting with a personal injury lawyer, he or she will be able to review the claim and advise whether or not the case should be settled out of court or should take the next step and go to trial.
A couple of reasons why a personal injury claim will wind up going to court include the fact that alternative solutions have failed such as mediation and arbitration. Mediation is the process of settling a disagreement outside of court with a non biased third party. Both sides will tell their side of the story and the mediator will help them come to a mutual agreement. Arbitration also involves a non biased third party that will hear both sides of the story but the difference is that the arbiter will make the decision as to who wins the case.

Advantages of Going to Court

The advantages of going to court include receiving a bigger award, the ability to explain and document what happened, and the chance to appeal the decision if one side loses. These are really the only three advantages of going to court when it comes to a personal injury claim.

Advantages of Settling a Claim

The advantages of settling a claim include a lower price tag than going to court, going to court takes much more time than deciding upon a settlement, going to court can be intimidating when sitting in front of a judge or a jury and people must appear in court once the dates are set. No excuses can be made for missing a court date as in having to work or having a prior commitment to attend.

Important Considerations

One thing to consider when determining whether or not to settle out of court or to go to court in a personal injury case is how quickly the victim wants to get their life back to normal. Spending time in court and in the lawyer’s office will add more stress to an already stressful situation such as filing a personal injury claim. If the victim wants his or her life to return to normal as quickly as possible than settling the claim out of court will be the best option. Settling a personal injury claim out of court doesn’t always result in the highest winnings for a victim because the insurance company of the defendant will not offer a reasonable and fair settlement unless the case actually goes to trial. If the case does go to trial the victim should have hired an experienced attorney that has a proven track record of success in winning personal injury cases

Personal Injury Litigation

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Taking Your Lawsuit to TrialA personal injury case can arise from any number of differentu   situations, including medical malpractice, car accident cases, defective products, slip and falls, or a dog bite. The laws governing personal injury cases also differ from state to state, which means that it is imperative that you know the rules for the location w

here you live. However, there are also a lot of commonalities in the different types of claims and civil lawsuits based on personal injuries. As such, if you have been injured and are considering a personal injury lawsuit, it is helpful to understand the basic steps that the case will involve.



Getting Started


The first thing that happens after an injury occurs is that the injured victim needs to determine if there is someone to hold liable and, if so, what law governs that liability. For example, if a person is injured in a car accident, he needs to determine if the other driver was at fault and if he can prove the required elements of the car accident case (that negligence on the part of the other driver led to injury). The liability rules and exactly what the plaintiff has to prove in each particular case do differ, so knowing the law in that particular field is essential. Usually, though, the basic requirements are that the plaintiff be able to prove the defendant had a duty, breached it and caused harm. Provided the plaintiff can prove this and identify the defendant, then the plaintiff can start the steps toward a personal injury claim.

Settlement Talks


Usually, after the responsible party has been identified, settlement talks begin. This essentially involves the plaintiff getting the other side to admit fault and accept responsibility. If the other side does this, then the defendant (or his insurer) may offer to settle the case outside of court by providing a single lump sum payment. If the other side does not offer a fair settlement (or does not offer any type of settlement at all because they don't believe that they are at fault), then the plaintiff has a choice to make: whether he wants to bring his case to court to try to collect damages.

The plaintiff should weigh his options to determine if he can prove his case and if he believes that he can get a better settlement in court. If he believes that he can, then he should take the next steps to file a claim.

Filing a Lawsuit


Once a plaintiff has decided to file a lawsuit, he has to pick the court where he is going to file it. Usually, this is a civil court in the jurisdiction where the plaintiff lives, where the defendant lives or where the accident took place. Most personal injury cases cannot and are not filed in small claims court because the claims are usually larger than the limit for a small claims action (which is often around $5,000, although it does vary by state.)

The court that the plaintiff files in also has to have jurisdiction over the particular case, which means it must both have the right to adjudicate a dispute about the subject matter and it must have the right to impose judgment on the parties. All this means is that a plaintiff can't file a civil personal injury lawsuit in family court, for example, and the plaintiff also can't go to a random state and file his claim. The case has to be filed in a place where the plaintiff/defendant or accident has sufficient connections.

To actually file the case, the relevant motion or paperwork must be filed with the appropriate court. Doing this right almost always requires a lawyer, because there are some very specific things that need to be included. The plaintiff, for example, must:

  • State who the defendant is
  • State what the grounds are for the cause of action (i.e., what legal wrong occurred)
  • Back up his or her claim with a brief description of the facts and relevant laws
  • Provide information on what recourse is being sought

Paperwork that is submitted to the court has to be completed in a certain way, and the rules of civil procedure that govern trials may be so specific as to specify what fonts must be used and what size the margins of papers must be for a claim to be filed. This is why using a lawyer is often essential here.

Serving the Defendant


After the plaintiff files the initial claim, the defendant is going to be served with papers. This just means he has to be told that he's being sued. Usually a process server (who is a sheriff or someone employed by the court) serves the defendant with papers. The cause of action is explained to the defendant in those papers and the defendant is given an opportunity to answer. Sometimes, the defendant will answer these papers with a complaint of his own called a cross complaint.

The Pre-Trial Phase

After the defendant has been informed of the claim and answered it, the case enters into a pre-trial phase. This involves a lot of different things depending on the situation. Usually:
  • Initial hearings are scheduled at the courthouse where each side states its basic position
  • Initial motions are submitted to the judge were applicable, such as motions for summary judgment (a motion requesting the court throw the case out for lack of a potential provable legal claim) or a motion to suppress evidence

The Discovery Period

During the pre-trial stage, each party must prepare its case against the other. Sometimes, this means that the parties need access to information that the other side has. The exact type of information that may be needed is going to vary by case. For example:
  • A plaintiff in a car accident case may need information about the defendant's driving record or about the maintenance records for the defendant's car.
  • A plaintiff in a product liability case may need information about the testing that a product underwent before being released on the market.
  • A defendant may need information about the specifics of the plaintiff's injuries.
Since so much needed information is possessed by the other side, the formal discovery period allows for the exchange of this information. Each side can make requests to the other to obtain any discoverable information and if the other party does not comply, then the court can be petitioned to make them. If there is a dispute about whether information should be turned over (i.e., whether it is discoverable or not) or whether a request for information is reasonable, the court will preside over these disputes and make rulings.

Depositions and Interrogatories

During the discovery phase, two common techniques are used in addition to the exchange of documents. These techniques are necessary to get information from other people, rather than details contained in documents and paperwork. The techniques are:
  • Depositions, which are formal interviews with witnesses or with involved parties. The person being deposed is sworn in and questioned as he or she would be in front of a judge. Transcripts are kept and if a plaintiff or witness changes his or her story, that can be used against him in court.
  • Interrogatories, which are a series of written questions that are sent to involved parties. These are a cheaper and easier way to get information than a deposition, and are equally binding and can be used against parties who change information or provide inaccurate details. While these can be cheaper and easier, they are often less thorough than depositions, because there is no opportunity for follow-up questions

Personal Injury Attorneys

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distress after an auto accident as well. Then there's financial hardship; how much work did you miss due to doctor's appointments and recovery time? All this falls under the legal umbrella of personal injury law, also known as tort law.
Our Guide to Personal Injury Attorneys
If you are recovering from an injury caused by an auto accident, you might be entitled to compensation in addition to what your insurance company initially offers for your medical costs. In fact, you might be able to receive a settlement to help with lost wages, additional medical bills, domestic help while you're incapacitated, and even emotional pain and suffering to you and your family.
But imagine the cool reception you'll get if you go back to your insurance company to ask for a higher settlement. These companies have large legal departments dedicated to minimizing what they pay out to policyholders; by yourself, you're the David against their Goliath.
Luckily, our state-by-state guides to personal injury attorneys can put you in touch with someone who can advocate on your behalf. We can lead you to lawyers in your state who specialize in personal injury cases and are experts at working with insurance companies to get you the settlement you deserve. Many will gladly give you a free initial consultation.
If you seek legal advice, it's important that you do so as soon as possible after an accident. You're more likely to get the compensation due to you if your attorney is able to act quickly. Our state attorney guides can help you find the right lawyer as soon as possible.
Consult DMV.org for your state to find information about personal injury attorneys who can help you get the financial relief you need

Family Law encompasses domestic

issues from divorce to child custody disputes. If you have a question about family law, look no further. Here on the award-winning FreeAdvice site, we provide legal advice and information regarding marriage, divorce, child support, child custody, domestic violence, adoption and more.
Family Law is the body of law that governs domestic issues. The specifics of the law will vary depending on the situation, but generally the aim is to protect each individual’s rights within the context of family. For instance, divorce law will address how property is divided and who will pay spousal support when a married couple separates, while child custody law will help determine what is in the best interest of a child when parents separate. Family-related legal issues can also apply to non-married couples, same-sex couples and other domestic partnerships wherein a legal relationship is established. Domestic violence is another aspect of family law, but one that goes beyond the rest. Domestic violence can have very serious impacts on a victim or victims, but can also subsequently affect other family-related issues such as divorce or child custody, for this reason it will often fall under the umbrella of family law. However, given the violence involved, it can also be considered a criminal offense and thus a matter of criminal law.
Generally, however, family law matters will be dealt with in one of three ways. When it comes to child custody or child support disputes, the most favorable option is for two parents to settle the matter out-of-court and amicably. When this is not possible, the matter will be settled in what is known as Family Court; and a third option is mediation, where couples can handle their disputes with the help of a mediator in order to avoid the stress of court.
To learn more about the different types of law governing family matters, and for tips on when and how to hire a family law attorney, see the articles and answers to frequently asked questions in this section of FreeAdvice

erupian family lawEuropean Law

The contrast with civil law in Europe is dramatic. In California, the spouse with knowledge of personal financial matters has the affirmative and continuing duty of making disclosure and is at significant risk if the disclosure is insufficient. In civil law countries, the spouse with such knowledge has little or no obligation to disclose anything and may play "hide and seek" with assets in a "game" in which the asset-holding spouse can do the "hiding" and the other spouse has few methods of doing the "seeking."
Thus, in Austria, neither the General Austrian Civil Code nor the Austrian Marriage Act contain any explicit provisions obliging the spouses to provide each other or the competent authority with information on their income and assets. If a spouse demands a certain amount, the other spouse needs to show that his or her assets are not as claimed, but there is little or no way to force a thorough tracing of assets. In Germany, Section 1580 of the Civil Code requires divorced spouses to provide information to each other as to their income and assets, and the Code contains mechanisms to compel the delivery of such declarations, but there is little that a party can do in advance of trial to probe such declarations or to search for suspected assets.
In Spain, Article 774(2) of the Civil Proceedings Act authorizes the courts -- but not the parties themselves -- to request financial information that they consider necessary either from the spouses themselves or from third parties, especially for the purpose of deciding on the economic effects of divorce. If the spouses disagree on financial issues and the respondent refuses to divulge his or her assets or hinders efforts to obtain such information, the courts may resort to indirect proof or proof by circumstantial evidence in order to resolve such issues. This means that the power of an aggrieved plaintiff is extremely limited and he or she must hope that the judge is extremely proactive. Colleagues in Spain note that it is quite rare to find a proactive judge.
Therefore, in this pending matter, we concluded that the fact that California law imposes such a heavy responsibility on the other spouse to disclose assets, and the court has the power -- which it exercises strongly -- to punish a failure to make such disclosure, tilted the balance strongly in favor of bringing suit in California rather than in Austria.
Conclusion
It is critical when comparing divorce jurisdictions to look beyond the letter of the law and to examine the actual ways in which divorce cases are handled in the respective jurisdictions in the real world. If your client is the party looking for assets, you must pay careful attention to the discovery rules in the potential jurisdictions and especially to the ways in which those rules are likely to be implemented in practice. 

Trust Assets and Divorce


A divorcing client with potential jurisdictional ties to more than one country or state confronts his or her attorney with some unique preliminary questions. Which jurisdiction offers the potential for the best outcome for the client on issues of grounds, child custody, and so forth? A subject discussed less often is the treatment of trust property.
Divorce courts in New York and around the world are increasing their scrutiny of a divorcing spouse’s trust assets, including assets placed in offshore trusts. A comprehensive analysis of how each country’s courts handle situations like this is, of course, not possible here, but we can look at New York’s stand on the issues. As a matrimonial attorney who frequently practices in England, I can also offer some insights into that country’s take on the subject, which will serve as a window into the world of possibilities out there for the treatment of trust property in foreign divorce courts.
NEW YORK CASES

NEW YORK CASES


The seminal case on the subject of trust property’s treatment in divorce in New York is Riechers v. Riechers, 178 Misc 2d 170 (Sup. Ct. Westchester Co. 1998), affd. as modified 267 AD2d 445, 446 (2d Dept. 1999), lv. denied 95 NY2d 757 (2000). Two years prior to the Riechers’ divorce action, the husband had set up both a Colorado limited partnership and a Cook Islands trust. He transferred substantial marital assets into the partnership and then funded the trust with the assets of the partnership. He was a physician, and insisted that his intention was to avoid malpractice liability. The husband, his wife and their children were the named beneficiaries of the trust. However, the wife was not named personally, but was identified only as “Spouse of the Settlor,” so that, upon entry of a judgment of divorce, she would no longer be the “spouse” and would lose her rights as a trust beneficiary.
At trial in the divorce matter, the husband won two important battles concerning the ownership of the trust, but lost the war. The trial court ruled in favor of the husband by holding that it did not have jurisdiction over the corpus of the offshore trust. It also ruled that the wife had failed to meet her burden of proving the trusts had been created as part of a scheme to secrete or dissipate marital assets in contemplation of divorce. Accordingly, the trust was irrevocable.
However, these were hollow victories for the husband, since the court ruled that the trust assets were part of the marital estate and were subject to inclusion in the calculation of the total marital assets. The court determined the value of the assets and then ordered the husband to use his other domestic assets to pay to the wife her 50% share of the offshore trust assets. On appeal, the Second Department held that the trial court had not abused its authority when it determined that assets used to create an offshore trust in the Cook Islands 2 years before the commencement of the divorce action were subject to equitable distribution.
In Surasi v. Surasi, 2001 WL 1607927, 2001 Slip Op. 40408(U) (Sup. Ct. Richmond Co. 2001), the husband’s New Jersey attorney had created a family trust into which the husband placed all of his assets, including the marital residence, another house and a commercial office unit. The trust agreement named the parties’ children as the beneficiaries of the trust. The trial court found that the trust was “a revocable trust which was created in an effort to defeat the plaintiff’s rights regarding arrears and equitable distribution.” The court further ruled that the trust was “a sham and a fraud upon this court created expressly with the intent to deny the plaintiff’s claims to said marital property and to thwart the jurisdiction of this court to make a distributive award.” Accordingly, the court concluded that the trust must either be set aside or that specified trust property must be transferred directly to the wife.
In Alvares-Correa v. Correa, 285 A.D.2d 123, 726 N.Y.S.2d 668 (2d Dept. 2001), the court held that, while there should be no equitable distribution of property pursuant to the terms of a prenuptial agreement, the husband should be considered as controlling or having available to himself the income from offshore trusts established by his grandmother for his benefit, so that this income should be taken into account in determining spousal support and child support. The evidence “clearly showed” that the husband and his brothers had control and management of the trusts, that the husband effectively oversaw the trust funds, and that the trust documents showed that he had complete and unfettered access to the funds. The court ruled that “[t]he trial court properly rejected defendant’s contention that he has no control of, or access to, those offshore trusts. Defendant’s property interest in such trust property was not evaluated for purposes of equitable distribution (see Riechers v. Riechers, 267 AD2d 445, lv denied 95 NY2d 757) but to determine whether he would be able to afford maintenance and child support. The trial court found that defendant had not met his burden of demonstrating that extensive trust assets were not available to him.”
Most recently, in Villi v. O’Caining-Villi, 10 Misc.3d 1060(A) (N.Y. Sup. 12/16/2005), the husband had transferred the matrimonial residence into a family partnership. He and his wife each held a 49.5% partnership share and his sons held the remaining 1%. Subsequently, the partnership transferred the house into a New York trust for the benefit of the family. Neither husband nor wife was a beneficiary but they each had the right to lifetime use and enjoyment. The wife asked the court to include the house as a marital asset, citing Riechers.
The court ruled that the house was not part of the marital property, primarily because the parties had retained no control over it and had given all decision-making power to the trustees. It determined that the transfer of the home to the trust “is akin to the making of a gift of the home to defendant’s son, subject only to the condition that both parties may continue to reside in the home during their respective lifetimes.” Consequently, stated the opinion, “this court holds that its value may not be distributed in this matrimonial action, if it was validly transferred to the Villi Family Trust.”
The wife also claimed that the trust was revocable, relying on Surasi in which a transfer to a trust had been deemed a sham. However, since there was no evidence that the transfer to the trust was designed to benefit one spouse over the other, Surasi was inapplicable and the trust was not revocable. Nonetheless, on the particular facts of the case, there was an issue as to the validity of the transfer of the house to the trust and, for this reason, the court denied summary judgment to the husband.
ENGLISH CASES
Practitioners who advise clients with international business or personal interests should also be aware of a major shift in the English cases toward allowing the invasion of trust assets. The stage was set in a case called Minwalla, but it is the Charman case that has the English divorce bar buzzing.
English courts, on dividing assets on divorce, regard a settlement, including an offshore one, as either: 1) A pre- or post-nuptial settlement. A pre-nuptial settlement is one made by a party to a future marriage in anticipation of it, while a post-marriage settlement is one made by one of the parties to the marriage or settled on them by a third party; or 2) As a “financial resource.” Even though the settlement is not pre- or post-nuptial, it is a financial resource if there is a reasonable likelihood that a party to the marriage will benefit from it. This could include a reasonable expectation of benefiting under a discretionary settlement.
Where the settlement is pre or post-nuptial, an English court may claim the power to vary it directly — for example to allocate lump sums out of it to the spouses. If it is a “resource,” but not a pre- or post-nuptial settlement, an order can be made against one of the spouses, although the trustee itself will not be subject to any direct order of the court. However, the court will “[o]ffer judicious encouragement to third parties to provide the maintaining spouse with the means to comply with the court’s view of the justice of the case.” Thomas v. Thomas, [1995] 2 FLR 668. Thus the pressure on an onshore spouse/beneficiary could persuade the offshore trustee to supply him with trust assets so as to be able to comply with any order made against him to give assets to his former spouse.
In Minwalla v. Minwalla, [2004] EWHC 2823, the court expressed great skepticism as to a husband’s motive for creating certain offshore trusts. The husband, during the marriage, had set up a Jersey trust to hold shares in an offshore company and various properties. The court found, on the evidence, that the husband had never had any intention of respecting the formalities of the trust and corporate structure. His purpose had been to set up a screen to shield his resources. He was therefore held to be the sole and true owner of the trust, which was therefore to be included as a marital asset.
‘SQUEEZING THE CHARMAN’
In the very recent case of Charman v. Charman, [2005] EWCA Civ 1606 — which the London newspapers referred to as involving “the insurance multi-millionaire John Charman, one of the richest men in the City” — the English Court of Appeal directed that evidence could be procured overseas concerning an offshore trust that had been created during the marriage from the husband’s insurance business. There was a £67 million difference between the husband’s statement of assets and the wife’s. The discrepancy represented the assets of the trust, which, the wife claimed, would be made available to the husband if he so requested and should therefore be included as part of the ancillary relief claim.
The court adopted a broad interpretation of the nature of the “resources” that a divorce court must take into account in determining the financial aspects of a divorce. In other cases the courts had held that the test was whether or not the spouse had “real or effective control” over the trust. However, the Charman court held that that test was too restrictive, since trustees may have the control but may allow the settler or other beneficiaries to have access to the income or capital of the trust. Accordingly, Lord Justice Wilson stated that the test should be whether it is likely that a party has access to trust assets. Since Mr. Charman refused to concede that he had any such access, it was most appropriate for the wife to have discovery on this issue.

International Child Custody


At Morley & Andrews:
We handle international child custody cases in New York and New Jersey.
We handle international child custody cases throughout the United States and around the world, always acting with and through local counsel as appropriate.
We are "lawyers' lawyers" who are frequently retained by other family lawyers or their clients to provide assistance on complex cases that have an international element.
We act as expert witnesses on international child abduction prevention and on other aspects of international family law.
We lecture to the judiciary on international family law matters.
We have written very extensively on international child custody, international child abduction and international child relocation.

New York Family Law



At The Law Office of Jeremy D. Morley we handle all family law matters that arise in New York, whether or not they are international or domestic in nature.
Such cases include actions for divorce and equitable distribution of assets and actions for child custody, child support and spousal support.
Our New York Family Law practice includes the representation of clients concerning sophisticated prenuptial, postnuptial, cohabitation, and separation agreements.
We are extremely experienced in handling complex jurisdictional matters, sophisticated domestic and international property disputes, and child custody disputes.
We represent many clients in New York concerning relocation of children, the prevention of child abduction and the recovery of abducted children.
We work throughout New York City.
We also work closely with co-counsel in Westchester County, Suffolk County, Nassau County, and the Albany area.

How Does a Lawyer Evaluate a Personal Injury Case

A personal injury lawyer will evaluate both the legal and financial elements necessary to file a personal injury



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lawsuit. Even if a lawsuit will not need to be litigated in court, making a personal injury claim means being prepared to take the case to a jury trial if the defendant refuses to offer a fair settlement.

What a Lawyer Will Look For


Liability

The first thing lawyer will want to be able to determine is a liable party. If a personal injury claim is to be brought, there must be a party on whom to place blame for the injury. In some cases, the party will be another person, like the driver of a car that caused an accident. In other cases the liable party may be a property owner whose slippery floor posed a hazard that cause injury, or a corporation whose business harmed a consumer somehow.
In any case, there must be liability, and the liable party is the one that will be held accountable and made to pay for the damages.

Severity of Injury

The next important legal issue is the actual injury that was caused by the liable party. In order to make a personal injury claim, the injury must be significant enough to warrant the trouble and work involved in making a personal injury case.
If the injured person suffered some insignificant injury that will heal in a week or two and not have any substantial impact on their life, then it’s probably not worth pursuing a claim. On the other hand, if the injury is serious, permanent or disabling, then it is absolutely worth the time and energy to get compensation.

Why Money is Important in Personal Injury Cases

It may seem wrong, but money is the most important factor in personal injury law. Money is the means by which injured people are “made whole” for the wrongs done to them. In civil court, money is the equivalent of “sentencing” in criminal court. If you commit a crime, you may have to go to prison. If you wrong someone are are sued in civil court, you will have to pay money for what you’ve done.
If you are injured and you want to bring a personal injury case, you will essentially be demanding payment from the person who caused you injury. If they refuse to pay you, then your attorney will bring a lawsuit in court where a jury will decide if and how much the responsible person must pay.
All of this effort makes a lot of work for a personal injury lawyer, and since they take cases on a contingency fee basis (meaning they only get paid if a successful settlement or jury verdict is reached), they have to be careful not to take cases that are weak in terms of legal evidence and/or lack significant injury or a defendant with deep pockets. In most cases, the defendant will be insured, so the money is usually paid out through an insurance company.

Always Talk to a Lawyer

Every case is different, and the damages involved range from pain and suffering to a wide variety of economic damages that may make what seems like a weak case into a very good one. It is important to talk to a personal injury lawyer if you believe you have a case or if the defendant, usually an insurance company looking to pay out as little as possible, refuses to give you a fair settlement

My child was hurt on a school bus. Who is liable

There are over 500,000 school buses that transport children throughout the nation. Accidents are an inevitable fact and the statistics show that there are 20 deaths occurring annually when school buses are involved in an accident. Schools that provide transportation for its students owes a legal duty to take reasonable care in the safety of the children. School bus accident injury liability insurance should be carried by the transportation company. They are liable once the child gets on the bus and while they are riding to school. Children who are injured on their way to the bus stop are not the responsibility of the school or school bus company.

Liability in School Bus Accident

There are approximately 10,000 injuries that occur each year in the U.S. involving children and school buses. Unfortunately, the law still does not require that seat belts be installed on large school buses. When a child becomes injured or is killed in a school bus accident, there may be a number of parties that can be held liable, which include:
  • The Bus Driver—The driver and his or her employer can both be held liable for an accident. Vicarious liability is a legal doctrine that assigns liability for injuries to a person who did not cause the accident, but has a legal relationship with the person. Respondeat Superior, which is Latin for “let the master answer”, is a legal doctrine based upon the employee/employer relationship. This means that the employer can be held responsible for the actions of the employee when they are acting within their scope of duty, i.e. on the job.
  • The School District—If the school administration or district is responsible for hiring the bus driver, they may be held indirectly liable under vicarious liability, as well. In addition, if the school was aware of a bus driver’s negligent driving record and still allowed them to drive, they may be facing additional charges.
  • The Manufacturer of the Bus—If the investigation determines that the accident was caused due to a defective design, the manufacturer should bear responsibility.
  • A Third Party—When police investigate an accident, they interview witnesses, take measurements, and look at skid marks to figure out who initiated the accident. In some cases, a third party may have caused the crash, such as another person or it happened due to poor road maintenance or a faulty traffic signal.

Seeking Guidance From an Attorney

When your child is injured in a school bus accident, it can be an extremely upsetting and a highly emotional time. The investigation may take weeks before a final determination is made as to what caused the crash. Obtaining reports may be difficult for parents and it’s best to hire an experienced personal injury attorney who knows how to deal with these situations. They can help you obtain answers and sue for damages if necessary

Personal Injury Law

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distress after an auto accident as well. Then there's financial hardship; how much work did you miss due to doctor's appointments and recovery time? All this falls under the legal umbrella of personal injury law, also known as tort law.
Our Guide to Personal Injury Attorneys
 someone acts in a negligent manner and causes harm through careless actions. Examples of this type of personal injury case include medical malpractice, slip and falls, some toxic tort cases and car accident cases, among others.
2. Personal injury laws apply in situations where a defendant intentionally behaves badly and causes harm. Examples of this include assault, battery and murder, among others.
3. There are a few situations where a defendant can be found liable for injury he causes in a personal injury case without any negligent or intentional wrongdoing on his part.  Examples of this include dog bite claims under some state laws and certain types of product liability claims.
4. Personal injury laws apply in cases of defamation of character. Examples include libel and slander.
All of these situations have something in common: a victim has suffered some kind of loss that he or she shouldn't have to suffer because of the defendant. Personal injury laws allow that injured victim the legal right to recover those losses. What Do Personal Injury Laws Do?
Personal injury laws serve several purposes in the United States:
They impose a legal duty on all people and companies within the United States to act with a certain minimum level of care in their dealings with others.They act as a deterrent to bad behavior and to encourage good behavior.They allow a private citizen to require a defendant to go to court to answer for his bad behavior.They provide compensation so that an injured victim doesn't suffer out-of-pocket losses or become dependent on the state to provide care.
These laws, therefore, serve an important public purpose as well as allowing a plaintiff to avoid financial loss.

Who Makes Personal Injury Laws?

Many personal injury laws date back to old "common law rules." Common law refers to law made by judges, as opposed to laws made by legislatures or passed in bills and statutes. When a judge hears and decides a case, his decision on that issue of law becomes binding precedent on all other courts in the state that are "lower" than his court. These other courts then have to apply what the first judge said, and eventually, all of this binding precedent creates a body of "common law."
Common law can and does differ from state to state, so the rules for personal injury law may not be uniform across the country. Much of the common law has been collected into something called the Restatement of Torts, which is sort of a guidebook that explains what the rules are, and a lot of states draw guidance from this on personal injury matters.
Common law is not the only source of personal injury law. Some legislatures have passed formal legislation or statutory law that deals with personal injury issues. In some cases, these rules can lead to dramatic changes or limitations on personal injury law. For example, when legislatures passed worker's compensation laws, they essentially took all cases of work-related injuries outside of the realm of personal injury cases and made it so injured workers cannot file personal injury claims against their employers.
Knowing all of these different laws related to your situation is important so you can make sure you understand how your personal injury case will unfold. It is also important to make sure you comply with things like the statute of limitations, which is the time limit you have under the law for filing a personal injury claim in the court system.

How Does a Personal Injury Case Work?

No two accidents are exactly the same, so every personal injury case is slightly different. However, there are some general steps associated with personal injury cases. Usually, such cases unfold as follows:

A Defendant Does Something to Injure a Plaintiff

This can be almost any bad act on the part of the defendant, with the exception of contractual breaches, which are handled under a separate body of law known as "contract law".

Plaintiff Determines that the Defendant Breached a Legal Duty

What exactly the specific breached duty was is going to depend upon the cause of the injury. For example, other drivers have a duty to behave with the level of care any reasonable person would exhibit while on the road. Doctors have a duty to act with a level of competence that any reasonable professional would show in their position. Manufacturers and distributors have a duty not to put dangerous drugs on the market.

Settlement Talks May Occur

If it is clear to all involved that the defendant breached a legal duty, then the defendant (or the insurance company representing him or her) may wish to resolve the matter outside of court. This would involve making an offer of monetary compensation to the injured victim in exchange for that victim making a legally binding promise not to file a lawsuit based on the events surrounding the injury.


If a plaintiff agrees to a settlement, the case ends. If not, the plaintiff may continue with the steps of a personal injury case. The settlement negotiations can also continue and a settlement can be reached at any time up to the point where a jury or court actually comes back and announces a verdict in the personal injury case

I got hit by a car on my bike. Can I sue



Bicycle accidents can cause serious injury to you as a biker, since cars can go a lot of damage and a bike provides you with a very small amount of protection. Whether you can sue, however, depends on:
  • The laws of your state. In most states, you can sue no matter how serious or minor your injuries were. However, in 12 states in the US (called "no fault" states) you may have to recover your damages from your own car accident policy under a policy protection called PIP (personal injury protection) unless the injuries are defined by the law as "serious."
  • Who was at fault. Did the driver do something to cause the accident, or did you? If the other driver was even partially at fault, you should be able to collect some damages- but this depends on the rules of your state again. Some states will allow you to sue for any portion of fault, while others let you sue only if the car's driver was at least 50 percent responsible for the accident
After the bicycle accident, you should strongly consider speaking with an experienced attorney. Your lawyer can explain to you whether you have a case to sue and whether suing or settling out of court is a better option for you

Divorce and Legal Separation in Maryland

Maryland Divorce Basics

Dissolution of marriage in Maryland is legally referred to as Absolute Divorce.

Residency Requirement:

If the grounds for the divorce occurred outside Maryland, one of the parties must have resided in Maryland for at least one year before filing. If the grounds for divorce occurred within the state, there are no residency requirements, other than at least one spouse must live in the state of Maryland.

However, there is an exception if the ground alleged is insanity; where one of the parties must have been a resident of Maryland for at least two years prior to filing.

Filing:

The Complaint for Absolute Divorce may be filed in a circuit court in the county where the Plaintiff (filing party) lives or where the Defendant (non-filing party) lives or works. All papers filed with the court must also be served on the Defendant.

The Defendant has 30 days to file an Answer if he/she was served in Maryland, or 60 days if she/her is served out-of-state, and 90 days if he/she is served outside the U.S. If the Defendant files an answer agreeing with the Complaint, the Plaintiff may contact the Clerk of Court in writing to request an uncontested hearing.

If the time for filing of an Answer has passed and the Defendant has not filed an Answer, the Plaintiff may file a Request for Order of Default. If the judge signs the Order, an uncontested hearing may then be scheduled.

Spouse’s Name:

In granting a decree of absolute divorce, the court shall change the name of a party to either the name given the party at birth or any other former name the party wishes to use if either of the following is true:
The party took a new name upon marriage and no longer wishes to use it;
The party asks for the change of name; and
The purpose of the party is not illegal, fraudulent, or immoral.
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Legal Grounds for Divorce

In Maryland, a court may decree an absolute divorce on the following grounds:
1. Adultery;

2. Desertion which is deliberate and final, has continued for 12 months without interruption before filing, and there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation;

3. Voluntary separation where the parties have lived separate and apart without cohabitation for 12 month without interruption before filing, and there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation;

4. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor in any state or in any court of the U.S. if before filing, the defendant has been sentenced to serve at least three years or an indeterminate sentence in a penal institution and served 12 months of the sentence;

5. Two-year separation, when the parties have lived separate and apart without cohabitation for two years without interruption before the filing of the Complaint;

6. Insanity, if the insane spouse has been confined in a mental institution, hospital, or other similar institution for at least three years before filing, the court determines from the testimony of at least two physicians that the insanity is incurable and there is no hope of recovery, and one of the parties has been a resident of Maryland for at least two years before filing the application for divorce;

7. Cruelty of treatment toward the complaining party or a minor child of the complaining party, if there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation; or

8. Excessively vicious conduct toward the complaining party or a minor child of the complaining party, if there is not reasonable expectation of reconciliation.

If a party obtained a limited divorce on the ground of desertion and at the time, the desertion did not meet the grounds for an absolute divorce, once the desertion does meet those grounds, the party may later obtain an absolute divorce on the ground of desertion.

The testimony of the party who is seeking the divorce must be corroborated (confirmed) for a court to enter a decree of divorce.

In and of itself, neither of the following is a defense to or a bar to a divorce:
An unaccepted offer of reconciliation by a spouse; or
A rejected attempt at reconciliation by a spouse.
Neither is the refusal or rejection a ground for a divorce.

Annulment

Marriage within three degrees of direct lineal consanguinity or within first degree of collateral consanguinity is prohibited and void:
A man may not marry his grandmother, mother, daughter, sister, or granddaughter;
A woman may not marry her grandfather, father, son, brother, or grandson;
A man may not marry his grandfather’s wife, wife’s grandmother, father’s sister, mother’s sister, stepmother, wife’s mother, wife’s daughter, son’s wife, grandson’s wife, wife’s granddaughter, brother’s daughter, or sister’s daughter; and
A woman may not marry her grandmother’s husband, husband’s grandfather, father’s brother, mother’s brother, stepfather, husband’s father, husband’s son, daughter’s husband, husband’s grandson, brother’s son, sister’s son, or granddaughter’s husband.
Prohibited marriages:
A minor of 16 or 17 years of age may not marry unless the individual has the consent of a parent or guardian and the parent or guardian swears that the minor is at least 16 years of age.
A minor of 15 years of age may not marry unless the individual has the consent of a parent or guardian and either party to be married gives the clerk a certificate from a licensed physician or certified nurse practitioner stating that the minor to be married is pregnant or has given birth to a child.
A minor under the age of 15 may not marry.
Property Division

When the court grants an annulment or a limited or absolute divorce, the court may resolve any dispute between the parties with respect to the ownership of personal property. When the court grants an annulment or an absolute divorce, the court may also resolve any dispute between the parties with respect to the ownership of real property.

The court generally may not transfer the ownership of personal or real property from one party to the other, with the following exception:
The court may transfer ownership of an interest in a pension, retirement, profit sharing, or deferred compensation plan, from one party to either or both parties; subject to the consent of any lien-holders, family use personal property, from one or both parties to either or both parties, and subject to the terms of any lien, real property jointly owned by the parties and used as the principal residence of the parties when they lived together.
When the court determines the ownership of personal or real property, the court may grant a decree that states the ownership interest of each party and as to any property owned by both of the parties, order a partition or a sale instead of partition and a division of the proceeds.

Maryland statute defines marital property as any property acquired by one or both parties during the marriage, however titled. It includes any interest in real property held by the parties as tenants by the entirety, unless the real property is excluded by valid agreement.

Except as defined above, marital property does not include property acquired before the marriage; acquired by inheritance or gift from a third party; excluded by valid agreement; or directly traceable to any of these sources.

Maryland is an equitable distribution state, which means marital property will be divided fairly and equitably, although not necessarily equally. After making a determination of which property is marital property, and the value of the marital property, the court may transfer ownership of an interest in property, grant a monetary award, or both, as an adjustment of the equities of the parties concerning marital property, whether or not alimony is awarded.

The court shall determine the amount and the method of payment of a monetary award, or the terms of the transfer of the interest in property, or both, after considering each of the following factors:
The contribution, monetary and nonmonetary, of each party to the well-being of the family;
The value of all property interests of each party;
The economic circumstances of each party at the time the award is to be made;
The circumstances that contributed to the estrangement of the parties;
The length of the marriage;
The age of each party;
The physical and mental condition of each party;
How and when specific marital property or interest in property was acquired, including the effort expended by each party in accumulating the marital property or the interest in property, or both;
The contribution by either party of non-marital property to the acquisition of real property held by the parties as tenants by the entirety;
An award of alimony and any award or other provision that the court has made with respect to family use personal property or the family home; and
Any other factor that the court considers necessary or appropriate to consider in order to arrive at a fair and equitable monetary award or transfer of an interest in property.
Alimony

The court may award alimony, as a part of a decree that grants an annulment; a limited divorce; or an absolute divorce, to either party.

If the bill of complaint for a limited or absolute divorce asks for alimony and says that the Defendant owns property in the State, but the court lacks or is unable to exercise personal jurisdiction over the Defendant, the court may grant alimony or alimony pendent lite.

Pendente lite means “pending the litigation.” When the court makes an order for alimony pendent lite, it means the support will last only until the date of the divorce trial or until the parties to a lawsuit work out a settlement.

In this situation, the alimony or alimony pendente lite that is awarded is payable only from the property referred to in the bill of complaint, or the proceeds of that property. The court may pass any order regarding the property that is necessary to make the award effective.

When determining the amount of and the period for an award of alimony, the court shall consider all the factors necessary for a fair and equitable award, including the following:
The ability of the requesting party to be wholly or partly self-supporting;
The time necessary for the party seeking alimony to gain sufficient education or training to enable that party to find suitable employment;
The standard of living that the parties established during their marriage;
The length of the marriage;
The contributions, monetary and nonmonetary, of each party to the well-being of the family;
The circumstances that contributed to the estrangement of the parties;
The age of each party;
The physical and mental condition of each party;
The ability of paying party to meet his/her needs while meeting the needs of the requesting party;
Any agreement between the parties;
The financial needs and financial resources of each party, including all income and assets, any award of marital property, the nature and amount of the financial obligations of each party and the right of each party to receive retirement benefits; and
Whether the award would cause a spouse who is a resident of a related institution and from whom alimony is sought to become eligible for medical assistance earlier than would otherwise occur.
The court may award alimony for an indefinite period, if it finds that due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability, the requesting party cannot reasonably be expected to make substantial progress toward becoming self-supporting, or even after the requesting party will have made as much progress toward becoming self-supporting as can reasonably be expected, the respective standards of living of the parties will be unconscionably unequal.

The existence of a ground for divorce against the party seeking alimony shall not automatically bar the court from awarding alimony to that party.

If a final disposition as to alimony has been made in an agreement between the parties, the court is bound by that agreement as the agreement relates to alimony.

Unless the parties agree otherwise, alimony terminates on the death of either party; on the marriage of the recipient; or if the court finds that termination is necessary to avoid a harsh and inequitable result.

In Cases of Insanity:

When granting a limited divorce, an absolute divorce, or an annulment, if the court finds from the testimony of two or more physicians competent in psychiatry that one of the parties is permanently and incurably insane with no hope of recovery, then, notwithstanding any agreement between the parties, the court may require a party to do the following:
Pay alimony or support for the benefit of the insane party;
Pay a lump sum, based on the life expectancy of the insane party and the financial condition of the other party, together with the insane party’s reasonable funeral expenses; or
Give bond to the State of Maryland conditioned on the payment for the care and support of the insane party’s life and the insane party’s reasonable funeral expenses.
Child Custody and Support

The parents of a minor child are jointly and severally responsible for the child’s support, care, nurture, welfare, and education; and have the same powers and duties in relation to the child.

Custody:

If the parents live apart, a court may award custody of a minor child to either parent or joint custody to both parents. Neither parent is presumed to have any right to custody that is superior to the right of the other parent.

Although Maryland statutes list no specific guidelines or criteria the court uses to determine child custody, case law reflects that the courts consider many different factors, including the following:
Fitness of parents;
Character and reputation of parties;
Desire of parents and agreements between parties;
Potential for maintaining natural family relations;
Preference of the child;
Material opportunities affecting the future life of the child;
Age, health and sex of the child;
Residences of the parents, and opportunities for visitation, or geographic proximity of parental homes;
Length of child’s separation from parent;
Prior voluntary abandonment or surrender;
Capacity of parents to communicate and reach shared decisions affecting child’s welfare;
Willingness of parents to share custody;
Relationship between child and each parent;
Potential disruption of child’s social and school life;
Demands of parental employment;
Sincerity of parent’s request;
Financial status of parents; and
Benefit to parents.
A child, who is at least 16 years of age and subject to a custody order or decree, may file a petition to change custody.

Counseling:

Prior to granting a decree of divorce, the court may require all parties to participate in an educational seminar that is designed to educate parents about the effects, and to minimize the disruption, of a divorce on the lives of children.

Custody or Visitation and Abuse or Neglect:

In any custody or visitation proceeding, if the court has reasonable grounds to believe that a child has been abused or neglected by a party to the proceeding, the court shall determine whether abuse or neglect is likely to occur if custody or visitation rights are granted to the party.

Unless the court specifically finds that there is no likelihood of further child abuse or neglect by the party, the court shall deny custody or visitation rights to that party, but it may approve a supervised visitation arrangement that assures the safety and physiological, psychological, and emotional well-being of the child.

The court shall also consider evidence of abuse by a party against the other parent of the party’s child; the party’s spouse; or any child residing within the party’s household, including a child other than the child who is the subject of the custody or visitation proceeding.

If the court finds that a party has committed this abuse, it shall make arrangements for custody or visitation that best protect the child who is the subject of the proceeding and the victim of the abuse.

Support:

Maryland uses the Incomes Shares Model to calculate child support obligations. The state’s child support guidelines establish a formula for calculating support based on the number of children in the family, and the combined gross income of the adults, with consideration for the average number of overnights the child spends with each parent, health insurance costs and a few other factors.

The court may deviate from application of the guidelines only if it determines that it would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case.

The court may order either parent to pay all or part of the mother’s medical and hospital expenses for pregnancy, confinement, and recovery, and medical support for the child, including neonatal expenses.

The court may include in any support order a provision requiring either parent to include the child in the parent’s health insurance coverage if he/she can obtain health insurance coverage through an employer or any form of group health insurance coverage, and the child can be included at a reasonable cost to the parent in that health insurance coverage.
Legal Separation vs. Limited Divorce

Maryland does not have legal separations which courts can grant. However, a couple does have the option of filing for a limited divorce. This shall not end the marriage, but does allow the parties to obtain custody, visitation, child support, and alimony orders, and/or use and possession of a family home or family use of personal property, while they are separated.

The grounds for a limited divorce include the following:
1. Cruelty of treatment of the complaining party or of a minor child of the complaining party;

2. Excessively vicious conduct to the complaining party or to a minor child of the complaining party;

3. Desertion; or

4. Voluntary separation if the parties are living separate and apart without cohabitation and there is not reasonable expectation of reconciliation.

As a condition to receiving a decree of limited divorce, the court may require the parties to participate in good faith in the efforts to achieve reconciliation that the court prescribes; and assess the costs of any efforts to achieve reconciliation that the court prescribes.

The court may decree a limited divorce for a limited time or an indefinite time. The court that granted the decree may revoke it at any time on the joint application of the parties.

Obtaining a decree for a limited divorce does not bar a couple from obtaining a decree for an absolute divorce.

If an absolute divorce is applied for and the evidence is sufficient to entitle the parties to a limited divorce, but not to an absolute divorce, the court may decree a limited divorce instead.

Separation Agreement:

A husband and wife may make a valid and enforceable deed, agreement, or settlement relating to alimony, support, property rights, or personal rights.

These types of agreements shall not be a bar to an action for absolute divorce or limited divorce, regardless of whether the deed or agreement was executed, when the parties are living separate or apart or before, after, or while there is a ground for divorce.

In a suit for absolute divorce on the grounds of voluntary separation, a separation agreement is full corroboration of the Plaintiff’s testimony that the separation was voluntary if the agreement states that the spouses voluntarily agreed to separate and is executed under oath before the application for divorce is filed.
Links to State Resources

Child Support Worksheets
Child Support Guidelines Worksheet A for Primary Physical Custody to One Parent and Worksheet B for Shared Physical Custody to help calculate your child support award, provided by the Maryland Department of Human Resources.
County Self-Help Centers
List of Maryland’s Family Law Self-Help Centers, with links, listed by county.
Domestic Relations Forms
Instructions and forms for child support, custody/visitation, divorce and names change. Also provides a link to an online tool for filing for custody, visitation and child support in Circuit Court, provided by the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau.
Maryland Code, Family Law, Title 11 - Alimony
Links to text of Maryland code regarding alimony.
Maryland Code, Family Law, Title 12 – Child Support
Links to text of Maryland code regarding child support – awards and guidelines.
Maryland Code, Family Law, Title 2 - Marriage
Links to texts of Maryland code regarding marriage, valid and void.
Maryland Code, Family Law, Title 7 - Divorce
Links to text of Maryland code regarding divorce, includes statutes on limited divorce; absolute divorce; and restoration of former name.
Maryland Code, Family Law, Title 8 – Deeds, Agreements, and Settlements Between Spouses
Links to text of Maryland code regarding deeds, agreements, and settlements between spouses, and property disposition in divorce and annulment statutes.
Maryland Code, Family Law, Title 9 – Child Custody and Visitation
Links to text of Maryland code re
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