Custody
In Maryland, each parent has equal rights and obligations with respect to the child’s support, care, nurture, welfare, and education. As such, absent a Court Order, parents have equal powers and duties. There are two aspects of child custody: Legal Custody and Physical Custody.
Legal Custody relates to decisions regarding education, religion, discipline, medical care, and other matters of major significance concerning a child’s life and welfare. Joint Legal Custody means that both parents have an equal voice in making legal custody decisions, and neither parent’s rights are superior to the other.
![custody1](https://rd-lawfirm.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/custody1.jpg)
Physical Custody relates to the right and obligation to provide a home for the child and to make the day-to-day decisions while the child is actually with the custodial parent. There is no legal preference for awarding custody to mothers in Maryland and a court may grant sole physical custody to either spouse, or may grant shared/joint physical custody. Absent an agreement, Physical Custody may have a profound effect on the calculation of Child Support.
![custody2](https://rd-lawfirm.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/custody2.jpg)
In determining Custody matters, the court’s paramount concern is the best interest of the child which considers many factors, such as:
- Capacity of parents to communicate and reach shared decisions;
- Relationship between child and each parent;
- Potential disruption of child’s social and school life;
- Demands of each spouse’s employment;
- Age, Health, and Gender of the child;
- Separation, Abandonment, or Surrender of Custody.