It’s important to remember that above all, your children are your top priority. Meiselman Helfant & Wills will help you negotiate or litigate custody and visitation arrangements with your children’s best interests in mind.
Both parents are the joint natural guardians of their child under 18 years of age and are jointly and severally charged with the child’s support, care, nurture, welfare, and education. They have equal powers and duties, and neither parent has any right superior to the right of the other concerning the child’s custody.
Embraced within the meaning of “custody” are the concepts of “legal” and “physical” custody. Legal custody carries with it the right and obligation to make long-range decisions involving education, religious training, 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.
Physical custody means the right and obligation to provide a home for the child and to make the day-to-day decisions required during the time the child is with the parent having such custody.
Joint physical custody is in reality “shared” or “divided” custody. Shared physical custody may, but need not, be on a 50-50 basis, and in fact most commonly will involve custody by one parent during the school year and by the other during summer vacation months, or division between weekdays and weekends, or between days and nights. Note: This is NOT the definition of “shared custody” used in computing child support.
5 Star Client Reviews
Since the beginning of my divorce, I have tried to resolve so many challenges for my daughter and me. After working with several attorneys, I researched and found Meiselman Helfant & Willis. When I initially arrived at the office, I… More
Highly recommend Vince Wills and Morgan Appel. Their knowledge of MD family law and the guidance they provided was invaluable. Vince made sure that i understood the legal process and was comfortable with my decisions. He is well respected among… More
Going through a divorce was not an easy decision for me to make but Morgan Appel, Neal Meiselman and Noga Helfant were true professionals. Morgan was very responsive and had kept me well informed during a very stressful time. She… More
